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, December 4th – 8th, 2023.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 4th
WORD OF THE DAY: AWESOME
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“We don’t even know how strong we are until we are forced to bring that hidden strength forward. In times of tragedy, of war, of necessity, people do amazing things. The human capacity for survival and renewal is awesome.” – Isabel Allende
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Today I will practice gratitude for my hardships, as my difficulties have shown me who I am and what I value more than anything else. I will hold the pain in my heart with gentleness, as it is this pain that tells me that I am alive with love. My life is awesome, not because of anything I own or have done, but because it is my life.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5th
WORD OF THE DAY: FACILITATE
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Public truth-telling is a form of recovery, especially when combined with social action. Sharing traumatic experiences with others enables victims to reconstruct repressed memory, mourn the loss, and master helplessness, which is trauma’s essential insult. And, by facilitating reconnection to ordinary life, the public testimony helps survivors restore basic trust in a just world and overcome feelings of isolation. But the talking cure is predicated on the existence of a community willing to bear witness. ‘Recovery can take place only within the context of relationships,’ writes Judith Herman. ‘It cannot occur in isolation.” ― Lawrence N. Powell, Troubled Memory: Anne Levy, the Holocaust, and David Duke’s Louisiana
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Telling my story facilitates my healing when it is said in the presence of a community willing to listen. I tell my story to heal myself. I tell my story to mourn. I tell my story to take my power back. I tell my story to replace despair with hope, judgment with compassion, bitterness with forgiveness, and self-hatred with love.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6th
WORD OF THE DAY: FORGE
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“ ‘You are fettered,’ said Scrooge, trembling. ‘Tell me why?’ ‘I wear the chain I forged in life,’ replied the Ghost. ‘I made it link by link and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.’” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
MEDITATE ON THIS:
By choosing to remain sober today, I break free from the chains that bound me in active addiction. I prefer to live unfettered and free. This does not mean that I will always feel happy. But it gives me the freedom to find happiness and peace.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7th
QUOTE OF THE DAY: BOOST
WORD OF THE DAY:
“Be an Encourager: When you encourage others, you boost their self-esteem, enhance their self-confidence, make them work harder, lift their spirits and make them successful in their endeavors. Encouragement goes straight to the heart and is always available. Be an encourager. Always.” – Roy T Bennett
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Courage comes from the Latin word “cor,” which means “heart.” Thus, today I will live from my heart. I will seek to strengthen people’s hearts by providing kindness, laughter, comfort, or support. I will lift myself by lifting you others around me.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8th
WORD OF THE DAY: RELINQUISH
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“An authentic and genuine life grows like a sturdy tree. And like a tree, it grows slowly. Every time you make a different and better decision, it grows a little. Every time you choose to do the right thing, even when nobody would find out otherwise, it grows a little. Every time you act with compassion, relinquish your right to strike back, take a courageous stand, admit fault or accept responsibility, it grows a little.” – Steve Goodier
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Today I relinquish the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors which are holding me back from growing an authentic and genuine life. Today I will practice making better decisions. Today I will work on doing the next right thing. I will seek to act with compassion. I will refrain from striking back in anger. I will do one courageous act. I will accept responsibility for my life.
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.
