Self-respect is when I take action to nurture and value my self-worth, and I can accomplish that when there is no reservation about the timing.

Here is a pondering thought. Self-preservation is the law of nature. 

Life has a way of demanding priority skills, and shame on me if I choose not to put myself head of the list. My experience has taught me that if I don’t take care of myself first, there is no way that I can be emotionally available for others.

I am a visual person, so I did an excel sheet to timeline my day. The reason being is it allowed me to see where I was utilizing my energy. I was surprised, but more so than anything, I was sad because there was little time pampering me. I don’t mean that I have to spend money, but I mean time where I am alone with myself writing, meditating, and outlining what I hope to accomplish in my time here on earth.

Before coming into sobriety, I purchased so many help books, and I realize now that it was important because it was an introduction to what I might want to do in life. Yet, the bottom line was that I had to come to grips with my lack of time spent with a higher power, and that understanding for me is in nature, walking, hiking, camping, and anything outdoors.  

If I exert myself to follow the Steps path outlined in the Big Book, the reading claims that I can have a sense of freedom to think for myself. That statement is crucial for me because no one can live my life for me. I have to do that. I have to understand that I cannot think big enough to know what  I might achieve. That is why I need a higher power to help me have the courage to do those things that I cannot imagine for myself.

When I first took the city bus and rode from one point of the town to another, I never went past that part that I was familiar with for a long time. When I dared to transfer to another bus, my life sprouted. The moral of that story is if I stagnate, I have to turn it over and ask for help, and by doing so, the rewards are more significant than I can even imagine.

By understanding my limits, I allow myself to flourish, but I have to do the work. As a result, understanding my worth builds my esteem, allowing me to see I don’t ever have to stop growing—keep the plug in the jug and soar like there is no tomorrow and never have to do it alone—all I have to do is ask for help.

Peace and love. Feel free to share. To unsubscribe, say so. The reading is attached. 

Author, Lynda M.