Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul Daily Inspirations

by Jack Canfield

  Christine Learmonth

  A true friend never gets in your way–unless you happen to be going down.

  Anonymous

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 13

  Forgiveness is not about weakness. It’s about freedom and strength. The strong and courageous face the reality that forgiveness needs to happen for their own sakes more than for the sake of the ones who caused the pain. Forgiveness says, “I am not responsible to seek my own justice. I choose to let life’s consequences and the Almighty God deal with you.” Then the forgiver steps forward in life, having removed the chains that held her to the ones who caused the pain. Neither they, nor the past, can harm her any longer.

  Stephanie Ziebarth

  Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.

  Philo of Alexandria

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 14

  When we let go of the energy it takes to hold on to anger, blame and resentment, we have the energy to get our own needs met. Feeling all the feelings and forgiving someone else is a gift we give to ourselves. It’s called serenity.

  SharonWegscheider-Cruse

  The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

  Mahatma Gandhi

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 15

  The process of self-transformation is not a ten-yard dash, but a one-hundred-fifty mile run. Patience makes the journey possible. It keeps you cool and calm. So pace yourself. Self-confidence is to know your way around yourself so instinctively that you always have a strength to draw on. Somewhere inside, from the stillness, you can always find something to meet your need.

  Brahma Kumaris

  World Spiritual University

  Not repeating your mistakes is a form of progress.

  Brahma Kumaris

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 16

  Today I will learn something new. I will open my mind to new ways of looking at the same old thing. I will intervene in my habitual, hypnotic patterns of thought that keep me doing the same thing over and over again. I will recognize that if I am going to feel truly alive I need to bring my renewed self to each day. Though my body will grow old, my brain can stay young and flexible through new learning.

  Tian Dayton

  Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep yourmind young.

  Henry Ford

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 17

  Sometimesourbodiesfailus.Andifourspiritsfailustoo,the worldisfullofbravepeoplefromwhomwecangrabahand-ful of courage.When Iwas very ill, I receivedweekly intra-venoustreatmentsforalmosttwoyears. Somewhereinthemiddle, Ilostmycourage.Onedaythesearchforahealthyveinbecametoo painful. Ipushedtheneedleawayandcried.Ayounggirlofabout ten,whohadbattledcancerallherlife,smiledatmeand,liftingher T-shirt,showedmetheholethathadbeencutintoherabdomenso that she could receive her treatments throughapermanentplasticport.Thenshe put her hand, so small and soft, onmine andsaid,“Youcantakeit.”AndIdid.

  Nancy Burke

  There is strength in knowing that it can be borne, although it tears.

  Emily Dickinson

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 18

  During a traumatic period in my life, I learned to elevate my spirits daily by concentrating on finding some reason to feel grateful. Many times I would start with someone else’s life. I was always grateful that my children were healthy. I began to write down the blessings. The list grew, and as it grew, my health seemed to improve and my enthusiasm for life began to return. I became aware of the genius of a Creator who designed our bodies, the intricacies of a respiratory system, our amazing hearts.

  Now, I am happy to say that I am amazed at just how many miracles it takes to make an average day.

  Nancy Eckerson

  Life is just a blank slate, what matters most is what you write on it.

  Christine Frankland

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 19

  There were times I thought that I would never survive the tension, the stress, the unresolved problems and unsatisfying relationships. But I look back and know that I have survived. I see that I remove myself from tense situations by letting go of the responsibility I feel to change other people and events. Ironically, serenity surrounds me if I don’t avoid the barriers of over-responsibility that are thrown in my path. These barriers are my challenge, now and forever, and I accept that as a lesson in life. In challenging myself to conquer them, I reach new heights, new realms of self-determination and inner strength.

  Rokelle Lerner

  I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.

  Og Mandino

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 20

  The flowers had an odd, unnatural appearance as the shopkeeper lifted them from their shipping box. Tiny nets captured the largest blooms, squeezing them inward like miniature straightjackets. She prepared a place for them and then patiently, gently, she pulled the netting away. With their bindings removed, the petals burst open, revealing hidden beauty and fragrance. Recovery removes the confinements that hinder me from experiencing life’s full bloom.

  Rhonda Brunea

  A single rose can be my garden . . . a single friend, my world.

  Leo Buscaglia

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 21

  Iwatched the rain bouncing on the sun deck through my kitchen window. I focused on heavy clouds and raindrops snaking down the glass as I absently washed the dishes. I settled on the dullness of the day and let my mood reflect the vision.

  My melancholy was interrupted by the movement of a squirrel teetering on a brittle branch of our apple tree. An apple dangled like aChristmas ornament just beyond his grasp. I watched himlose his balance as he reached for it. Undaunted, he regained his footing and tried again. The branch swayed with his effort and the apple bounced to the ground, the squirrel in hot pursuit. As if by magic the view from my window began to drip with promise.

  Elva Stoelers

  No rain–no rainbows.

  Unknown

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 22

  Fear holds my memories hostage. If I remember, I may break into a thousand pieces. Then I realize that I am already broken. Who was the person who disappeared when the abuse began?

  I pick up a piece of memory here and another one there. I arrange the memories in correct order.

  As I remember, I reassemble the sculpture of my life to its original design.

  Darlene Franklin

  The past is malleable and flexible, changing as our recollection interprets and re-explains what has happened.

  Peter Berger

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 23

  It is up to each of us to determine how we are going to recover from adversity or tragedy in our lives. It is easy to fall victim to the loss, to use it as an excuse for personal failure, emotional or social problems. My mother’s death when I was eighteen was a tremendous obstacle for me to face, but I made a decision not to allow myself to be victimized by the loss. Being angry or questioning God left me feeling emptier than ever. Instead, having unwavering faith in him and trust in his greater purpose allowed me to find mine. I honor my mother’s memory by being the person she raised me to be–the person she invested her life in.

  Letitia Trimmer Meeks

  However long the night, the dawn will break.

  African Proverb

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 24

  One moment. Now. The past is but a fragile web of regret and memory. The future is full of joys and sorrows that are yet to have substance. All that you can really touch is this moment. Savor this moment completely. Smell the wet grass. Listen to a loved one’s laughter. Take the time to sip your coffee. Study the sunset from an overstuffed chair. Embrace what is good. Cherish what is pure. We c
annot hoard yesterday. Neither can we spend tomorrow. We can only treasure today.

  Renee Hixson

  Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

  Buddha

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 25

  “Ours is adiseaseof attitudes.” I recognize thatmy negative attitudes hamper my recovery path. The negative thinking and destructive attitudes that I learned growing up with addiction and dysfunction remain with me until I do something to change them. Forcing positivity on top of negativity does not work, neither side rings true when I do that. What I need to do is remember that I have trouble with my attitudes and that I need special work in that area to restore them to sanity. Acknowledging the problem, sharing it out loud and turning it over helps.As I reworkmy past issues, Iwill remember that I need to make constant attitude adjustments so that I can maintain the good work that I am doing.

  Tian Dayton

  Be led by reason.

  Greek Proverb

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 26

  Why do we destroy our emotional well-being withmembers of the opposite sex who will never be relationship material? Sound familiar? Then chances are you’ve heard the word “codependent” before. Seems as if we put more thought into our next meal than in choosing our mate. I, for one, would like to start with an appetizer of romance and thoughtfulness, with a dash of passion. For the main course, I’ll have an emotionally stable, commitment-oriented, dependable, trustworthy, considerate, all-around decent guy, please! Oh, and can I have a side order of good communication skills to go with that?

  Linda S.Day

  Flatter me, I may not believe you. Criticize me, I may not like you. Ignore me, I may not forgive you. Encourage me, I will not forget you.

  William Arthur Ward

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 27

  There is a part of you that is perfect and pure. It is untouched by the less-than-perfect characteristics you have acquired by living in a less-than-perfect world. This part of you is a still and eternal pool. Making time to reach it will bring you untold benefit. Your physical identity is a world of limited thoughts, feelings and roles. It is quite apart from the being of inner peace and power that is your spiritual personality.

  Brahma Kumaris

  World Spiritual University

  You have the key to unlock a direct connection with God–and that key is self-respect.

  Brahma Kumaris

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 28

  My lungs ached as I climbed what seemed to be a vertical path until three hours later I reached the top. To the east lay the broad expanse of a valley–its emerald lake cradled by the rugged Rockies. But to the west, was one more summit. It seemed impossible to go any farther, but with grueling determination, I climbed on. At the crest I beheld a vista of three glorious valleys, their splendor breathtaking; an image that is forever etched in my memory. In life, never quit when there’s one more summit, the reward at the top is worth every ounce of pain along the way.

  Linda Mehus-Barber

  In order to succeed we must first believe that we can.

  Michael Korda

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 29

  Attitude is everything or so it seems. It determines the outcome of what life brings. So never look beyond yourself for answers to your prayers. Instead, look inside your heart, and you will find what you need right there.

  Theresa Meehan

  Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on Earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

  W. W. Ziege

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 30

  As a child in an alcoholic home, I made decisions impulsively and the results were inconsistency, chaos and unpredictability. I must make choices in my recovery and I must act on them, but I must think before I act. This is not indecisiveness, but rather a disciplined decision to avoid impulsiveness in my behavior. When I try to satisfy my desires without success, I take the time to listen to my inner voice. When I am concerned by what people think, say or do, I pause and decide what I really want. I think before I act and take my thoughts seriously.

  Rokelle Lerner

  Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Footnotes for Life

  JULY 31

  Every few years, I drag out the pine box with brass hinges I made in seventh-grade wood shop. There between my second-grade report card and a poem from a high school girlfriend, are the two photos of Calvin and Allen, friends from long ago. They had so much in common, loving families, doing well in school and in athletics. Another similarity had the greatest impact–both became entangled in the terror of drug addiction. Allen overdosed at twelve and Calvin never saw his twentieth birthday. So, periodically I bring out the box, dust off the photos and hope I’ve learned what I need to prevent history from repeating itself with my two children who mean everything to me.

  David R.Wilkins

  Good people come to wisdom through failure.

  William Saroyan

  Footnotes for Life

  AUGUST 1

  Be grateful for what you have at this moment in your life and you will feel a sense of calm. Sit in a quiet place. Write the words, “Today, I am grateful for . . .”, then write what comes to mind. You may be grateful that you have these few moments to sit quietly. You may be grateful for the kind words of a friend or for the life of someone close to you. There are many tangible things to be grateful for that can be easily overlooked: a warm bath, a cool drink, a comfortable chair to sink into. When we practice gratitude, we begin to accept our lives and ourselves. Be good to yourself, practice gratitude.

  Barbara Elizabeth Lowell

  We need to be grateful for many things that did not happen.

  Langenhoven

  Footnotes for Life

  AUGUST 2

  Standing in line at our town post office impatiently waiting for my turn, I noticed a woman struggling to get through the door because she was carrying so many packages. She stood next to me. I noticed that no one volunteered to help her and I was thinking, “I can’t believe these people just don’t want to lose their precious place in line.” A voice inside me told me that I could help–but that I too would lose my place in line. Believing, however, that I am a person who does help, I volunteered to hold some of her packages. Did I learn anything that day? Yes, sometimes to do the right thing you need to get out of line.

  Robert J. Ackerman

  If you think about what you ought to do for other people, your character will take care of itself.

  Woodrow Wilson

  Footnotes for Life

  AUGUST 3

  Ibelieve that life wants to work out if we let it. I believe that God is in charge and that if we hold that thought and release it every time it occurs to us, good things will follow. I believe life is a gift and that it is my responsibility to work it till it works. I believe that a good attitude is worth more than money, a good heart is worth more than a high birth and that a good character is a foundation upon which at least three generations can be built. I believe in love and its power to heal, restore and reveal our next lessons. I believe in the gift of recovery in my life.

  Tian Dayton

  Shared joy is joy doubled. Shared sorrow is sorrow halved.

  Anonymous

  Footnotes for Life

  AUGUST 4

  Some days you arise with a zestful feeling knowing a fresh new day is before you. Other days your first thought is of a problem, a fear or perhaps simply a mundane task awaiting you. Perhaps it’s a rainy day outside, or perhaps it is a rainy day in your heart. Whether you are new or old to recovery dark days will come. Just as a squirrel stores up nuts, we should fill our pantry with nuggets of hope. A favorite poem or spiritual passage can lighten your mood. Uplifting music or phys
ical activities can get our spirits and bodies moving in a positive direction.