The Daily Llama brings you short, one-word meditations and a corresponding quote for your complete wool-being (#seewhatwedidthere?) for Monday April 12th – 16th, 2021.
MONDAY, APRIL 5th
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: CERTAINTY
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Certainty has the potential to be one of the greatest threats to our recovery. First, it can strengthen our denial. When we’re certain something isn’t a problem, we won’t bother to fix it or change. When we’re certain we can handle something, we let our guard down and stop paying attention to red flags.
Second, certainty flatters our egos. When we’re certain that we’re right about something, we become less curious about other perspectives and we close our minds to new ideas. When we’re certain we’ll never drink or drug again, we become less likely to reach out for help and more likely to isolate ourselves from not only people who support us, but from people who will call us out on our bullshit.
Staying sober doesn’t require being certain. It requires us to notice the mess, the emptiness, and the discomfort. It asks us to be patient and wait for the light to return.
It asks us to have faith that we can get through this day without turning to drugs or alcohol.
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
Today is the first day of Ramadan. For those who observe, Ramadan Kareem! For the rest of us, it is National Grilled Cheese Day.
TUESDAY, APRIL 13th
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: DEVOTION
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
The mastery of any skill requires dedication of time, energy and resources. Professional athletes don’t exercise occasionally. They train almost every day. Professional musicians don’t play their instruments once in a while. They practice their craft regularly. Surgeons don’t study medicine when they feel like it. They spend years studying and practicing medicine to become experts in their field.
To become good, we must be dedicated. To become exceptional, we must be devoted.
Yet we never begin anything new with any degree of certainty or mastery. The first draft is usually terrible. The first swing is often a strike. Our first day/month/year staying sober may not go so well. The second attempt may or may not be any better. And after the third time, we may be tempted to give up.
G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.” In other words, the value is in the activity itself, not the execution or the outcome.
Looking for a new hobby that combines the physical with the spiritual? Check out Faith On Pointe: https://www.faithonpointe.com/
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
Today is National Scrabble Day. Syzygy for triple word score!
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14th
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: REFRAIN
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
The road to recovery inevitably will have some potholes that threaten to derail our progress. Fear, return to denial, not taking responsibility, pride, and a pessimistic attitude – all of these potholes can hinder our progress. But one of the biggest potholes we can encounter in this process is perfectionism.
Symptoms of neurotic perfectionism include holding oneself or others to unreasonably high standards, consistently setting unrealistic goals or expectations, or developing a sense of self-worth that is based on accomplishments and status.
These symptoms manifest in the following behaviors and feelings: constant complaining about what other people are or are not doing right, self-deprecating humor, harsh criticism toward self or others, chronic procrastination, placing people on a pedestal than quickly feeling disappointed and betrayed, having low-quality, shallow relationships and few (if any) quality ones—just to name a few.
For sobriety, we seek to refrain from drinking or using drugs. For recovery, we seek to refrain from engaging in harmful behaviors—toward ourselves and toward others. We are not aiming for perfection or sainthood. We’re just aiming for better self-control.
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
Today is National Look Up at the Sky Day. LOOK UP!
THURSDAY, APRIL 15TH
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: OFFERING
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Some of us have a tendency to take simple things and make them complicated. We over-do, over-care, over-compensate, over-achieve. All of this over-functioning is rooted in the deep core belief that we are not enough just as we are.
We don’t have to do it all. And our inability to do it all is not a character defect.
We are only required to show up as our true selves. Not the masked and caped versions of us.
What you have to offer the world today is your authentic you.
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
Today is both Tax Day and National Laundry Day. So it’s the official holiday of Adulting.
FRIDAY, APRIL 16TH
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: PILGRIMAGE
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
A pilgrimage is a sacred journey to a place considered holy and revered. The concept of a journey is used frequently as a metaphor for the process of spiritual growth and development. It is connected to the reason why we say “the road to recovery.”
Because traveling is hard work. It requires we leave our comfort zone. When we travel, we leave the safety of our home and all the ways we have come up with to keep people out. When we are on a journey, we become more vulnerable to the unexpected—both the good and the bad—because we leave behind our normal defenses. When we’re out on the road, anything can happen.
No matter our religious/non-religious affiliations or cultural differences, we all share one thing in common: the challenge of facing all our fears and letting go of our defense mechanisms, and learning how to open ourselves up to the power of love. Sometimes when we are stuck emotionally or mentally, going on a physical pilgrimage can help us with our spiritual one.
Want to go on a pilgrimage of your own someday? Check out Progressive Pilgrimage. They create well-curated and guided tours to places of deep spiritual interest.
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
Today is National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day. Seems fitting after all that adulting we did yesterday!
A Disco Ball is Hundreds of Pieces of Broken Glass, Put Together to Make a Magical Ball of Light. You are NOT Broken, Friend. You are a DISCO BALL!
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
