The Daily Llama, by Staci DesRault, brings you short, one-word meditations and a corresponding quote plus a reflection for your complete wool-being (#seewhatwedidthere?) for Monday, August 14th – Friday, August 18th, 2023.
MONDAY, AUGUST 14th
WORD OF THE DAY: FUNNY
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
The ability to laugh at ourselves is a sign of health, and there is also usually an element of truth in the things we find funny. Moreover, humor allows us to release our defensiveness and examine our mistakes from a place of emotional openness. Laughing at ourselves may be the first step in learning to love ourselves.
When was the last time you had a good chuckle at yourself?
TUESDAY, AUGUST 15th
WORD OF THE DAILY: PLAYFUL
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
We will know we are healing when we start to feel playful again. Not the sarcastic or self-deprecating playfulness we use to deflect intimacy and prevent vulnerability, but the kind of playfulness that feels open and light. The way small children explore their worlds with wonder.
When was the last time you felt playful?
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16th
WORD OF THE DAY: MIRACLE
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
An everyday encouragement phrase I speak in recovery circles is: “Don’t give up before the miracle happens.” To receive this type of encouragement during a moment when we’re feeling particularly fucked by life can be highly annoying and aggravating, even.
Yet it is exactly the thing we need to hear. Our amnesic brains need constant reminding that a feeling is not a fact, and a moment is not forever.
Miracles may have some Divinity behind them. But more often than not, miracles owe their existence to some human being who decided not to give up when they could have.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 17th
WORD OF THE DAY: ALTRUISTIC
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Altruism is defined as “devotion to the welfare of others.” In practice, it is the opposite of selfish behavior. The rules for what is or is not selfish and whether or not being greedy is or is not a good thing are often debated in recovery circles. One might hear, “This is a selfish program.” This is meant to remind us that we have to get sober for ourselves, not for anyone else.
Yet what is the self without the context of the relationships within which it lives and moves?
Recovery is more about having a self-loving program than a “selfish” program. We put ourselves first in terms of doing what is right for our recovery and wellness. But we become self-loving so that we may be of service to the people that we love.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 18th
WORD OF THE DAY: BENEVOLENT
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
We can learn how to love others without abandoning ourselves. This is how we leave behind patterns of codependency: we find the balance between being selfish and selfless. Gaining skill and confidence in setting healthy boundaries clearly, directly, and consistently is critical.
Other people are not responsible for our boundaries. We are responsible for setting them, and we are responsible for enforcing the consequences when they are violated. We are not responsible for the violation of our boundaries (a.k.a. the other person’s behavior), or whether that person changes their behavior or not.
No matter how well-intentioned, failure to set a boundary with someone leads to harboring resentment against them. When we don’t set a boundary, we are not loving ourselves. When we nurture resentment, we do not love others.
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.
Resources are available
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.
