The 4th Promise from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous states that, you “will know peace.”
If you have had the experience of being a full fledged alcoholic, you probably know very little about peace. It is more likely that you know the police!
Is it really possible to know “peace” without the help of liquid courage?
How does a recovering alcoholic attain such enlightenment?
The answer is actually very simple. You have to practice.
Over the past four year, I have had the extreme pleasure and privilege of playing hockey with former NHL hockey stars in the Old-timers Hockey Challenge. Even 10 – 20 years past their prime as professional players, these NHL stars play with tremendous skill, precision and confidence. They may be a few steps slower, but they are still masters of their profession. How did they ever get to be professional players and play at such a high level? The answer is that they practiced very hard for years before and during their professional careers.
If you want to experience a successful recovery program, you must also practice hard.
Anything worthwhile in life requires practice and determination. If you truly want to “know peace,” it is going to take a lot of practice to get there.
Peace can be defined as freedom from conflict or strife of any kind.
As a practicing alcoholic, your life was filled with constant and relentless trouble and turmoil. By “putting the plug in the jug,” you have taken the 1st step to “know peace.”
However, it is going to take consistent practice of various relaxation techniques before you are able to know peace.
Here are 10 methods some AA members have taken to experience peace and harmony in their life:
1. Sit quietly in a comfortable setting for at least 20 minutes a day. An easy meditation technique is to simply focus on breathing long and slowly for a count of ten.
2. Read a passage every morning from one of the many inspirational meditation books that are available in book stores. This is a great way to start your day.
3. At the end of each day, count your blessings. Write down a list of 10 things that you are grateful for and you will feel your stress dissolve away.
4. Exercise your cardiovascular system at least 3 to 4 times each week. Walking briskly, running, swimming and dancing are great activities to keep fit and reduce stress.
5. Don’t stew about your problems. Call your sponsor or a friend in recovery and talk things over.
6. Laughter is the best medicine. Buy a humorous book such as Herman, Calvin and Hobbes or The Far Side and read a few pages every day. It is very difficult to be stressed when you are laughing loudly.
7. Eat a well balanced diet of 3 meals a day to maintain proper blood sugar levels.
8. Seek the professional help of a counselor, psychologist or spiritual advisor if stress and anxiety are preventing you from performing your normal daily routine.
9. Volunteer on a regular basis to help those who are in need or who are less fortunate than you.
10. Be consistent and be persistent.
Recovery from alcoholism is similar to putting pennies in a piggy bank. In the beginning there is not much to show for your efforts, but with time you will experience immense benefits.
If you conscientiously implement and practice these 10 steps, you will eventually “know peace.” Remember that the promises of recovery will always materialize if you work for them.
Dr. Larry Smith Chiropractor and Author of:
Embrace the Journey of Recovery: From Tragedy to Triumph!
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