July 3

PATIENCE MONTH: DAY 3: “Alas, impatience is but another form of unhappiness. It is true, it is true. I have never met a happy impatient person.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich

Ego tells us that we are in a hurry all the time. We multi-task (EGO!) and think we can do several things at once. This is damaging in so many ways!

1-We are not present to any aspect of what we are doing. This is troubling, because we are NOT engaged in the process of doing anything when we do several things at once. What happens? We get stressed and begin to hyper-breathe, which is breathing into and out of our chest. This does not provide full oxygenation to the vital organs of our body, especially the brain. It also produces adrenalin, and we are soon operating in fight-flight mode. Addicts don’t do well with stress…so quit making it happen to your body!

2-Since the brain and the vital organs are not engaged in what you are doing, it is highly likely that you are not using the major portion of the brain. This happens when we do things that are familiar, such as driving or something else mechanical. What is the problem here? Well, of course the stress. But also, the memory is not engaged. There will be little or no memory created; we are on auto-pilot, which means we are likely to NOT create strong memory-attachment to the activity(s) at hand. We become forgetful and careless, along with not being present to what is going on. Our responses are dulled, almost to the point that is similar to being loaded or drunk.

3-Ego is fully engaged and running the show. Therefore, we are not centered, calm, peaceful, or present. Since this is what recovery is all about, why are we bothering to do these things at all? We will be cranky, angry, resentful and all the things that require us to recover in the first place.

So, when you being to escalate your actions, remember that there is no hurry. You have just as many hours in the day that everyone else receives. Your choices of what to do with those hours is the issue. If you are trying to cram more life into your days than you can do with mindfulness and peace, then stop it! You are no more important, nor is your “busy-ness” any more vital than any other persons’.

These are the character defects in action. You are not carrying the message of anything but EGO. If you are too busy “doing” and not “being”, it is because you are operating in self-centered fear AGAIN! Let go of who you think you are and ask for the removal of this kind of thinking.

It is very unpleasant to be this kind of person and very unpleasant to be around this kind of person. It is truly the reason we have steps and recovery in the first place. Alcohol, drugs, sex, food, gambling, technology, shopping, acquisition, work, and all other addictions are NOT the issue here. The issue is the mindset (EGO) that brings us to our knees in the first place. The issue is the idea that we are so much THAT or not enough THAT in the first place.

So, we ask that these things be removed; BUT it is very, very important that we understand what the character defects are all about in the first place. Peace!