Serenity in Action

You’ve likely asked to be granted the serenity to accept things you cannot change, and the critical part of that process is recognizing those things you cannot – that’s the wisdom you ask for. Wisdom is hard to acquire if we are in chaos with our thoughts and attitudes. Wisdom comes from listening, learning from others who are succeeding, and from pausing when a decision doesn’t feel right. In what ways have you developed wisdom in recovery? Think about how you did things when you were not in recovery – have you fundamentally changed the way you handle certain situations?

I think a key to developing basic wisdom is moving away from absolutes.  When you color your day with absolute thoughts and beliefs, you are less likely to listen enough to hear something new, something that could be really helpful.

I remember reading some years ago that only a very small percent of people develop the ability to grasp how relative truth is. Your truth may seem absolute to me but be in utter conflict with my truth. How can that be?  It just is.  In my life, accepting this fact has been critical, not only for recovery but for my blood pressure (grin).

Once we understand that differences are inevitable, we become wiser. We stop trying to change other people, because, well, it’s not only not our job, it’s largely impossible.