The Daily Llama brings you short, one-word meditations and a corresponding quote for your complete wool-being (#seewhatwedidthere?) for Monday, March 29th through Friday, April 2nd, 2021.
MONDAY, MARCH 29th
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: DELIVER
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Not everyone enters recovery by hitting rock-bottom. But those whose lives were nearly destroyed by their active addiction speak about the immense gratitude they feel for both their recovery and their recovery community. Recovery delivered them from the fate of jails, institutions and premature death.
This week around 14 million people are celebrating Jewish Passover, which commemorates the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Whether or not one identifies with the Jewish faith, the story of this exodus from a place of suffering to a place of promise offers itself as a rich and fitting metaphor for the spiritual journey of recovery from addiction.
Like the exodus from Egypt, recovery from addiction can appear to be an impossibility in the beginning—one that would take miracle after miracle to achieve. And yet, like the Hebrew people, we take our recovery day by day.
Fellowship with other recovering alcoholics and addicts provides us with daily encouragement to keep going.
We don’t get to the Promised Land in one fell swoop, and we certainly will meet a lot of challenges along the way. But faith and perseverance will see us through.
Chag Pesach Sameach to all those who observe Passover in our sober community!
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
Today is National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day. Consider supporting a local business!
Throwback to the song that gets in my head every Passover:
TUESDAY, MARCH 30th
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: EMANCIPATE
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
It is a natural instinct to want to escape suffering. For many, the beginning of addiction began with a desire to escape what was painful and difficult. But escaping from our pain is not the same thing as being liberated from our pain.
We cannot fully heal unless we are willing to face what is painful and examine what feeds it.
First, we identify everything that’s happened that has hurt us. For some of us, that’s a tough list to make. It’s important to remember that the stuff that’s happened to us is a) in the past, b) not our responsibility, and c) outside of our control.
Next, we examine what feeds it. We make a list of all the thoughts and beliefs we formed about ourselves and the world because of those things that hurt us. This is the tougher list to make because a) it very much affects our present, b) is completely our responsibility, and c) is very much within our control once we bring awareness to it.
We must emancipate ourselves from the mental and emotional slavery the results from all those negative thoughts and beliefs we have formed about ourselves. None but ourselves can free our minds.
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
Today is National I Am In Control Day. What’s that, you ask? Check this out
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31st
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: HELP
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
We didn’t become addicted on our own. We had help along the way. For some, that help came in the form of parents who were addicted themselves or neglected us in other ways. For others, the help came from friends who introduced us to drinking or drug use, or our parents’ medicine cabinets, or the doctor who prescribed the first pill.
While our choices are always our responsibility, we didn’t become addicted on our own. Likewise, we don’t get recovery on our own either.
We need help.
That help can come from various sources. There are many roads to recovery. But all those roads fare much better when you have traveling companions.
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
Today is both National Crayon Day and National Tater Day. Tater tots for dinner, anyone?
THURSDAY, APRIL 1st
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: FOOLISH
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
The greatest resource we have for making decisions about our lives is our intuition.
The more impulsive we are, the harder it will be to learn how to access our intuition because the ability to utilize it stems from cultivating quietness. The more arrogant we are, the more difficult it is to be in tune with our vulnerability. The more aloof or dissociated we are, the bigger the challenge it is to learn to sift through our feelings.
A quiet mind. Willingness to be vulnerable. Ability to feel layers of emotions. These qualities make it easier to listen to what our heart is whispering to us.
It may seem foolish to cultivate softness in a world that appears to reward those who are loud and brash.
But our softness is our superpower.
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
Today’s a full day. Not only is it April Fool’s Day, Maundy Thursday and the official opening day of Major League Baseball, it is also National Burrito Day. Sometimes Jesus shows up in a tortilla. Take a look.
Daily Does of Cuteness:
FRIDAY, APRIL 2nd
THE DAILY LLAMA WORD OF THE DAY: PEACE
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
MEDITATE ON THIS:
Love is incredibly powerful. It is one of the most intense human emotions we can experience. In recent studies, functional MRIs of the brain show actual changes in our brain when we are in love. Love literally changes us. But whether love changes us for the better depends on whether that love is healthy or unhealthy. Only healthy love can truly make the world a better place.
Unhealthy love tends to seek security through sameness, and may easily feel threatened if others express difference. Healthy love prioritizes self-development, allows space for others to be who they are, and actively desires others to grow as well.
Unhealthy love seeks total involvement in another’s life, either forgoing their own friendships and interests for the sake of the other or attempting to isolate others from having separate interests or friendships. Unhealthy love fears change in the other, and will often be overly preoccupied by their behaviors. Healthy love respects boundaries, and encourages the other to engage in their own interests and hobbies, and maintain their friendships or make new ones.
Healthy love is trusting and trustworthy. Unhealthy love demonstrates possessiveness and jealousy. Healthy love encourages individuality. Unhealthy love demands fusion and tries to change the other person. Healthy love knows how to solve problems, compromise, and negotiate. Unhealthy love tries to manipulate and control, or blame and gaslight.
Healthy love faces reality and exhibits authenticity. Unhealthy love employs patterns of avoidance and delusion. Healthy love engages in self-care and does not expect others to rescue them. Unhealthy love maintains unrealistic expectations and is easily angered or disappointed when those expectations are not met.
Healthy love produces genuine concern for others but it lets go of the outcome. Unhealthy love becomes obsessed and reactive with the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of others. Unhealthy love manifests clinginess. Healthy love enjoys time apart as much as time together.
Unhealthy love keeps the cycle of pain, abuse, and despair going.
Healthy love brings peace and contentment.
The Daily Llama Fun Fact:
In addition to being Good Friday for millions of observing Christians, today is also National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day and Autism Awareness Day.
BONUS: Tomorrow (April 3rd) is Go Find a Rainbow Day.
SAVE THE DATE! Stay Sober Go Live on Saturday, April 24th. Join the movement as we recover out loud and show the world how much fun a sober lifestyle can be. For all the dets check out www.just424.com #just424
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.