F.A.I.T.H. – 5 Questions You Should Ask Yourself EVERY DAY
Every day is its own story, an important piece of the journey that both reveals and recreates who we are and what we contribute to the grand scheme of life. It has been said that every day is a gift, and for those of us in recovery from alcoholism or addiction this could not be any truer. So as individuals in recovery there is a certain amount of effort and awareness we should apply to our daily lives in order to effectively celebrate and keep our sobriety.
For myself, I have created a short series of questions I try to incorporate into my daily affairs. There are a lot of spiritual principles I do my best to practice, but this check list helps me sum up some of the core concepts, and brings F.A.I.T.H. into my life when I start to slack. These 4 questions you should ask yourself EVERY DAY could help you find the significance in each day’s journey, and help you raise your awareness of your personal purpose.
Every day I ask myself… Did I:
(F)- Follow suggestions?
One of the biggest parts of working an active program of recovery is taking suggestions. When a sponsor or fellow sober support lends a suggestion, it is a pretty safe assumption that they are giving you that suggestion because it is something they have learn through experience is going to help you and your recovery in the long run.
Suggestions are just that, they are suggestions. They are not strict rules or demands, they are advice and strategies handed down to us from those who have struggled as we have struggled, or who have seen the effects of something we are doing that has a potential to hurt us.
I ask myself on a regular basis if I am following the suggestions given to me by my sponsor, because I know he has experienced a lot of things in active alcoholism and addiction, and in sobriety, that I can either relate to or I’m currently experiencing. I also see how the knowledge from that experience has matured his sobriety and cultured his life, so I should remember to get the same results I need to take the appropriate action.
(A)- Accept myself and my faults?
It is not always easy to take an honest look at ourselves and accept our character defects and faults, even with the things we like about ourselves, and apply all that awareness to our lives. It is important on a daily basis to acknowledge who we are, and what we bring to the table.
Accepting myself and my faults day to day helps me to be honest and open-minded in my actions and relationships. If I am able to accept my characteristics, I am able to highlight my attributes as an individual, and better contribute to a conversation or situation.
At the same time, once I’m able to accept my defects, I am able to remain humble and willing to accept others as they are. I’m also given a chance to work towards being a better person when I can regularly admit to my shortcomings and accept help with working on them.
(I)- Identify my personal purpose?
If I do my best every day to identify what it is that I’m hoping and striving to accomplish, and I include that desired outcome in the way I process and convey information and activities throughout the day I have a greater chance of enjoying the journey.
Even if the goal is one I cannot obtain today, I still should remind myself of what that purpose is to be sure I am not keeping myself from doing what I can today to ultimately reach that goal. Sometimes I have to stay reminded that the ultimate outcome is out of my hands, but if I serve a higher purpose, and align myself with those principles, I will have a more fulfilling recovery.
(T)- Trust my Higher Power?
For me a Divine Energy, Spiritual Consciousness or Higher Power as I understand it is crucial to my recovery and my every day affairs. I put a great deal of trust and love into the relationship I try to cultivate daily with my Higher Power, and I make sure to ask myself if I am putting that trust into my actions.
It is possible to have a relationship with your Higher Power, and have a degree of communication but forget to put that trust into our actions and our other relationships. Asking yourself regularly to be sure you are putting trust in your spiritual fitness and/or Higher Power can keep you grounded in those principles that keep you focused on a higher consciousness instead of ego or fear.
(H)- Help someone?
One of the MOST important things I do every day is ask myself who I have helped. My growth mentally, emotionally, spiritually and socially is always drastically improved when I make the needs of other people a priority for myself in any way I can. Stepping out of my own desires and expectations to do something to help someone is one of the best things I can do for my recovery.
In my personal opinion, the purpose of my journey, the reason I’m gifted with today and hope to be gifted with tomorrow is to learn how to better love others. The learning, understanding, and distribution of real and unconditional love is the underlying message in my life. It is not an easy task by ANY means, and I forget and fall short quite often. But that is purpose as I understand it.
Helping others in any way I can gives me an opportunity to practice so many important elements of my sobriety. It’s taking a suggestion, practicing humility, including my purpose, and including my Higher Power into my life. Doing something for anyone else that could use the help is one of the most rewarding things I do throughout the day that brings me closer to my Divine Energy, and keeps the gifts of sobriety close to my heart.
All these things are how I’m about to put F.A.I.T.H. in my recovery.
Recovery is about stepping up and taking action in order to change your life and free yourself from your addictions. It is how you can change relationships, and grow within yourself, and it all starts with the decision to get help. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse or addiction, please call toll-free 1-800-777-9588