"Rebuilding, or building, our lives takes time. It takes patience and steady focus." BRB p. 431

Many of us never knew what focus or patience really looked like until we came to ACA. We had spent our lives moving frantically from one thing to another.

As we began practicing new behaviors, we started by first being consistent in our attendance at meetings. We then began reaching out by making phone calls and asking for help to stay focused. When we became willing to take on service roles in meetings, it was to both feed our own recovery and to give back. We were searching for balance, realizing it took patience to recover from the years of dysfunction we'd experienced.

We learned to take care of our physical needs, resting when we were tired and eating healthy food to nurture our bodies and minds. We began retiring our compulsive behaviors as we became more aware of them.

Now we see our efforts paying off as we experience serenity. We have learned to ask for what we need in our jobs, friendships and romantic relationships because we know we're worth it. If others don't hear us, we move on. We have walked courageously into the light of recovery, feeling safe, perhaps for the first time.

On this day I pray for patience, and value the opportunities that present themselves. I ask for the guidance I need to stay focused on my needs.