The Daily Llama, by Staci DesRault, brings you short, one-word meditations and a corresponding quote for your complete wool-being (#seewhatwedidthere?) for Monday, July 24th – Friday, July 28th, 2023.
MONDAY, JULY 24TH
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: AWAKEN
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
In her book The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying, Australian palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware documented the final thoughts, feelings and wisdom of those approaching the end of their lives. Here they are in short form:
1. I wish I would have had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
3. I wish I would have had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I would have stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish I would have let myself be happier.
Over time so many of us learn to censor ourselves, whether to prevent ourselves from feeling vulnerable and getting hurt or from a desire to fit in and appear “normal.” But when we’re on the path of awakening, we take off the masks we picked up along the way and practice greater authenticity in what we say and do.
It’s one thing to say YOLO and #noregrets. It’s actually another thing entirely to live life fully with no regrets.
TUESDAY, JULY 25TH
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAILY: ENLIVEN
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Wellness is not only about finding inner peace and acceptance but finding things in life to enjoy, things that energize you and make you come alive. Recovery is not supposed to be boring and restrictive; recovery is about living.
Through active use, we may have forgotten what brought us joy as small children. Through trauma, those things may have been taken from us, and what used to bring us joy may not do so today. But this does not mean we are broken and incapable of finding joy again.
It may take time for you to find the things that enliven you. Don’t stop looking.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26TH
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: VIVIFY
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
You have undoubtedly heard the proverb, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” Or perhaps the more common affirmation, “Don’t give up before the miracle happens.” These words of encouragement are usually given to someone amid struggle or difficulty.
But when we’re depressed or struggling, receiving words of positivity and encouragement can be incredibly difficult. Depression can easily create a negative feedback loop that can be hard to interrupt. We feel negative and destructive, so how we feel filters our perspective of the world, and we can only see negative and bad things, reinforcing our belief that things are bad, so we feel worse. And on it goes.
It’s essential to find ways to interrupt our negative feedback loops and to challenge our tendency toward confirmation bias. Just because you think and feel that things will never improve does not make it objectively true.
Find ways to water the seeds of hope, because one day hope will come into bloom.
THURSDAY, JULY 27TH
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: INVIGORATE
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
“The future is full of possibility, whether you make one tiny change – or a whole invigorating, thrilling, inspiring bunch of them.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
MEDITATE ON THIS: It’s time to shake off the dust of yesterday. In this moment, we have the opportunity to make a change for the better. When faced with a tough decision, we can examine our choices. First, what is the safest choice? Then, what is the bravest?
It’s okay to choose the safe thing sometimes because safety is a legitimate core need. But when we can choose to be brave, we invigorate our souls.
FRIDAY, JULY 28TH
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: ANIMATED
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Today’s challenge, if you choose to accept it: try to look at your situation with fresh eyes. Spend time observing those small things around you that you may take for granted or not notice. Practice gratitude for every little thing that sustains you. Yes, there will be things that stress or annoy you. But try, just for today, to put your focus on the things around you that are beautiful and nurturing.
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. QUIT-LIT is our curated list of addiction and recovery book reviews. From addiction and recovery memoirs to fiction and self-help, we believe all Sober Curators should be well-read. You can also find us on Goodreads here.
What’s on your nightstand? We want to hear about what you’re reading right now and the addiction and recovery books you can’t live without. Email us at thesobercurator@gmail.com
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.
