"We had to ask ourselves why we shouldn't apply to our human problems this same readiness to change our point of view."
— Alcoholics Anonymous, We Agnostics
There's something about alcoholics that can turn sudden change into dread. The work schedule changes? Oh, this sucks. Someone's relationship status changes? Something bad must have happened. A plan falls through? Here we go again.
We tend to jump to conclusions, and those conclusions are usually based on fear. The funny thing about fear is that it never seems to bring us any good news. It doesn't tell us things are going to work out. It doesn't tell us to be patient. It doesn't remind us of all the times life surprised us in a good way. Fear specializes in worst-case scenarios.
Recovery teaches us a different way to look at things. Today we have tools. We can pray. We can meditate. We can talk to another alcoholic. We can inventory what's really going on instead of automatically believing every fearful thought that pops into our heads.
Maybe the change we're dreading isn't a disaster. Maybe it's part of something bigger. Maybe it's an opportunity. Maybe it's a lesson. Maybe it's a door opening that we can't see yet.
Sure, change can be uncomfortable. Sure, things can suck sometimes. But some of the best things that ever happened to us started out looking like bad news.
We don't have to live in dread anymore. And we certainly don't have to drink over it.
What situation in your life turned out better than you expected after you stopped fighting it?
