The biggest problem we seem to have at times is getting the focus off of the alcoholic and on to better things. By appreciating things in my life rather than getting all caught up in the negative aspects, living with alcoholism is less stressful.
Believe it or not, it’s our stinking thinking that causes us so much unnecessary emotional pain. Making a gratitude list or taking time to mentally reflect on the things we are grateful for has a powerful impact on our emotional well-being. This is one of the things that we are taught early on when attending alcoholism support group meetings. It helps us to change a lot of what we are thinking about that is dragging us into the pits of alcoholism.
It is when we begin to be grateful for the littlest things that the big problems get smaller. Have you ever seen someone who had crippled legs and when you saw them you were thankful that you could walk? Being appreciative of having a home, job, your health, a vehicle to drive or great friendships can often relieve the object of your negative focus.
This is how I generally approach this method of getting my mind in the right place. I just get out the pen and paper and start writing about everything that I am grateful for. It doesn’t matter how insignificant it may seem, if something comes to mind, write it down.
Here’s an example of a few of the things I am grateful for today:
The air I am breathing
My son and two daughters are healthy
I have plenty of work for this week
The air conditioner is working great in this ninety degree weather
I got my car fixed for a really reasonable price yesterday
I have been eating like a king in the past couple of days
Two friends called today to just say hi
Tonight I am spending time with my son
etc.
The list goes on and on once we get started writing down all of the things that we appreciate about our lives. Appreciating our friendships, jobs, health, children, pets and many other things can really help to get our focus on some of the better things in life.
It just works if you work it! Give it a try everyday for a week and see if it helps to make a difference in your emotions and thoughts. I’m sure you will discover that it is a really great way to get your thoughts off of the alcoholism you are dealing with and onto better things.
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