SPARE CHANGE

I was talking to a client this week and he was saying that a particular phrase has been revisited in an AA meeting.  It had to do with getting ready, really ready to change.   Here it is:

“I want what you have and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get it.”

Often we think of something we would like to do differently.  We say “Oh I want that too.”  But without the end of that sentence above, we are staying in the TRYING NOT DOING thing.  Trying is trying, doing is doing.  They are not interchangeable.

I was watching a late night talk show on TV and the emcee mentioned that he was eating no meat, no daily and no oil.  He coincidentally had a chef on his show that night, one booked many months in advance.  He usually cooks and eats whatever the chef has brought.  It was interesting watching him in this segment.  I could actually SEE the difference between TRYING AND DOING.   He was being interested and polite, but he wasn’t going on about how beautiful and tasty everything looked. 

He was back behind some line that he had drawn.  I could see that he was in the “do whatever it takes” place.  Granted he is a man with over twenty years in recovery from drugs and alcohol, so he has some practice in learning to listen to another part of his mind, but as I said, I could physically see the difference in him.  Not a rigid resolve, white knuckling attitude, but clarity.  Once behind the line he drew, he rested there.  He didn’t torment himself with what might be or could be, or even should be.

It made me think

about 

how 

we 

learn 

this.

It seems to me that as we learn to have integrity in the world, that is, being who we say we are, we are not only teaching others to trust us, but we are teaching ourselves that as well.  We are saying, I can be trusted to be who I say I am, even if it rains, even if I get mad at you, even if I am having the worst day ever.

Do you live in this world?  When you make decisions, are you willing to do them NO MATTER WHAT?  Are you willing to do WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP YOUR WORD TO YOURSELF AND SOMEONE ELSE?

It  is easy to get sloppy with our words….”See you soon” when we don’t mean that, “I will call you” when it is unlikely.

So to change ANYTHING, we have to be willing to DO WHATEVER IT TAKES…………..   Will you?

Saturday thoughts this 4th of October.  Blessings, Misty