Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him. —Step Three of Al-Anon
Surrendering to a Power greater than ourselves is how we become empowered.
We become empowered in a new, better, more effective way than we believed possible.
Doors open. Windows open. Possibilities occur. Our energy becomes channeled, at last, in areas and ways that work for us. We become in tune with the Plan for our life and our place in the Universe.
And there is a Plan and Place for us. We shall see that. We shall know that. The Universe will open up and make a special place for us, with all that we need provided.
It will be good. Understand that it is good, now.
Learning to own our power will come, if we are open to it. We do not need to stop at powerlessness and helplessness. That is a temporary place where we re-evaluate where we have been trying to have power when we have none.
Once we surrender, it is time to become empowered.
Let the power come, naturally. It is there. It is ours.
Today, I will be open to understanding what it means to own my power. I will accept powerlessness where I have no power; I will also accept the power that is mine to receive.
I am still out of town visiting my kids, will be home later today.... but have been thinking a lot about this new study of codependence. I felt so much discouragement in the beginning, like I was facing an enormous mountain of a problem.
I was on the plane when I thought of step one, powerlessness took on a different meaning.... I accept my powerlessness as a way to prevent further loss of my power. In that light, I feel more enthusiastic about climbing this mountain.
When I get home, I'll be canceling my subscription to eHarmony, it's not the right time, I know it now. Strange though, how I am attracting more than ever... I know it must have everything to do with a new energy, and it feels empowering to be declining all the interest......... that's a new ME already
Thanks for the post ((Danielle))
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"See the work. Do the work. Stay out of misery." -Maharishi
I am still out of town visiting my kids, will be home later today.... but have been thinking a lot about this new study of codependence. I felt so much discouragement in the beginning, like I was facing an enormous mountain of a problem.
I was on the plane when I thought of step one, powerlessness took on a different meaning.... I accept my powerlessness as a way to prevent further loss of my power. In that light, I feel more enthusiastic about climbing this mountain.
When I get home, I'll be canceling my subscription to eHarmony, it's not the right time, I know it now. Strange though, how I am attracting more than ever... I know it must have everything to do with a new energy, and it feels empowering to be declining all the interest......... that's a new ME already
Thanks for the post ((Danielle))
That's HUGE
duuude
wow grats
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it's not the change that's painful, it's the resistance to change that is painful
It is interesting integrating the idea of powerlessness and becoming empowered. I had a hard time with that at first. I thought if I was powerless I was weak yet I was being told to become empowered - to own my power. HUH?
I am an agnostic - so the idea of turning anything over to God is something I had to massage a little to fit my needs. For me, it is purely about letting go.
I AM POWERLESS over others. I can not change them, I can not control them.
But I can learn to have better control of myself. I can own my own power.
I can STOP GIVING IT AWAY.
If I let go of my guilt, my shame, my worry and fear of/about others, I am less burdened and have more room to grow and focus on myself and my power.
I surrender (let go) of these things.
Surrender and Powerless. At first these words scared me - but I can choose how to interpret them and act on them in my recovery.
Powerless:
unable to produce an effect
Ok, that is simple.
Surrender:
to give up, abandon, or relinquish or . . . here's one I really like . . . The definition of surrender is: giving up to go to the winning side.
Well, that is pretty painless too.
I don't have to have any answers about God as I understand him, I don't have to lie down in more guilt and shame, and I am not weak or stupid.
It really helps if I find ways to take the fear out of recovery and a lot of times my fear is simply a misconception. I am not weak (powerless) and I don't have to give up my power (surrender) - in fact, I get to do the opposite.
Linistea
-- Edited by Linistea on Tuesday 8th of March 2011 05:22:38 PM
Linistea, I relate to your early feelings about the words powerless and surrender... they produce a heavy drop in energy, don't they?
I recently heard an interpretation of powerlessness I like.... to give up the struggle to control the things I can't control ... surrendering to the truth
The truth is, in my addictions, I can't manage my behavior. My addictions don't get to decide anything for me anymore... where I'm going, what I'm going to do.... all the stupid, stupid stuff I did and couldn't STOP doing..... surrendering to this TRUTH is giving me power
do i make any sense? any sense whatsoever, haha. it's been a looong day and I am meeting-deprived
thanks LB obviously I'd like to fix this thing by the weekend
-- Edited by gladlee on Wednesday 9th of March 2011 04:32:08 AM
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"See the work. Do the work. Stay out of misery." -Maharishi
obviously I'd like to fix this thing by the weekend