A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - - April 24 2026

Healing is learning to trust my own wisdom, my own intuition.
~ Mary Zink ~

Being insecure is common with our disease. Some think insecurity triggered our abuse of chemicals. Yet it doesn’t matter which came first, the chemical abuse or the insecurity. They were good partners for years. Unfortunately, the partnership left us bankrupt!

Getting into recovery is like putting money in the bank. Working the Steps, going to meetings, getting a sponsor, being a sponsor, and taking time every day to commune with our Higher Power are I he deposits we make in our account. When we hit u rough spot, we have something to fall back on.

Believing that we can think clearly about the important matters in our lives is concrete progress. Our confidence about handling problems is growing. In time, what used to baffle us no longer will.

I am wise. I’ll know what to do today in every situation if I open my heart to my Higher Power.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 23 2026

To show great love for God and our neighbor, we need not do great things.

~ Mother Teresa ~
We don’t have to invent a cure for cancer or lift the burdens of a friend to prove our worth to other people. Being considerate of someone’s feelings is quite enough, and it is something any of us can do. It takes only a moment’s thought and the willingness to treat others as we’d like them to treat us. I he real blessing is that we feel much better each lime our heart guides our actions.

Loving others is perhaps the simplest of all actions we can take in this life. It requires no planning, no money, no muscle power, no problem solving. It’s a simple decision we can make daily or hourly. Every person we encounter, every situation we face, is an opportunity for us to hone the skill. And every loving act or thought makes the world a better place.

It’s human nature to treat others as we are treated If each of us becomes willing to offer the hand of love to someone else today, we will indeed have done a great thing!

I can make a worthwhile contribution today. I can be kind to a stranger.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 22 2026

In celebrating the good in me that was always there, I will continue to flourish.

~ Jill Clark ~

Dreading a Fourth Step is not unusual. We expect to confront nothing but numerous defects. However, we will also discover our assets. Our sponsors suggest that we need to acknowledge the good in ourselves to enhance it. Doing a Fourth Step inventory as part of our recovery will keep our assets fresh in mind.

If we put our mind to it, it’s not difficult to choose one asset each day and focus on it during our encounters with other people. Practice is how we get good at anything. It’s certainly no different when we focus on human behavior.

Maybe it seems phony to work at enhancing the good in ourselves. But let’s accept the wisdom of our sponsors. Their lives have improved. If practice has worked for them, it can work for us too.

Improving a small part of me at a time isn’t too much work. Cultivating my assets in this way promises that today will be good.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 21 2026

We grow in darkness and in light.

~ Marilyn Mason ~

Every experience is a learning opportunity. The abuse we suffered, whether physical or emotional, taught us survival and resilience. Even though we felt defeated, we are here now, and we’ve learned to recognize relationships that aren’t good for us. That’s evidence of growth.

Sponsors tell us we are always growing. Even when it feels like we are going backward, we are growing. Recognizing our slower pace signals our awareness, and that is growth too.

Gone are the days when we doubted our ability to grow, to change. One of the first lessons we learn In recovery is that change is possible. Every meeting surrounds us with examples. And much of the growth has come through the dark periods of our lives. The darkness and the light have much to teach us. Every moment is to be revered for its message.

I am ready to grow today. Regardless of the kind of experience I’m having, I’ll realize its worth to me.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 20 2026

Now that I don’t have to drink anymore, I’m glad I’m an alcoholic.

~ Anne A. ~

Remember how we felt when we first heard someone say at a meeting that she was grateful to be an alcoholic or drug addict? We were astonished. We weren’t grateful! How much our attitudes have changed. Now we, too, acknowledge the grace that has accompanied our addiction to chemicals. And most days we are grateful.

We couldn’t have imagined the lives we are now leading. Without a doubt we craved more joy and security, fewer conflicts, a sense of belonging. But we never imagined that giving up mood-altering chemicals was the solution. We thought they gave us the only happiness we deserved.

Now we are experiencing real happiness because of our sobriety. We are willing to let a Higher Power help us, and we are sincere in our efforts to change negative behaviors and attitudes. Everything we need is now ours.

Happiness is mine today. It’s as close as the expression of my gratitude.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 19 2026

I’m not very different from others. We all have dark days of fear and doubt, but it’s okay.

~ JoAnn Reed
The beauty of living a Twelve Step program is that we don’t have to dwell in the darkness ever again. We can be free of doubt over the smallest or gravest situations if we make the decision to turn our lives and will over to the care of a loving Higher Power. To receive this gift, all we need to do is ask for the help our Higher Power has promised.

We begin to feel grateful when we develop trust in the promises of this program. We knew fear and heartache all too well. Feeling, maybe for the first lime, real joy and freedom from incessant worry is no exhilarating, energizing, gratifying.

We are given only the knowledge and information we need for these twenty-four hours. But we can feel certain that the day will unfold according to the plan of our Higher Power. We have nothing to fear. This day will not be dark if we walk with our friends in this program and let God lead the way.

My day will be dark only if I shut out the light of my Higher Power. Through my faith and my friends I can know peace.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 17 2026

What thoughts are you willing to give up your happiness for?

~ Jane Nelson 

Far too quickly we put the responsibility for our happiness on others. We pout and blame and cry, but our lives never change. This doesn’t have to be true, however. We can decide to follow the example of the happier women we are discovering in this Twelve Step program. The difference between them and us is their willingness to be responsible for every thought they have, every feeling they harbor. It’s a simple change in mind-set, but it affects every aspect of their lives.

We are just as capable of finding happiness as any of the women we have grown to admire here. They have taken back their power from the others In their lives. They let no one decide how they are going to feel or think about a situation. They take charge of themselves. It’s not all that difficult or there would be far fewer successes. Let’s try it today.

I can purposefully decide how I’ll think and feel today. behaviouor one else’s behavior will control my own.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 16 2026

Everything passes, and as I flow with this river of highs and lows, I become calm. I trust my experience and the life force guiding me.

~ Ruthie Albert ~
Everything passes. There is perhaps no greater comfort when we’re caught in the throes of trauma than the knowledge that this too shall pass. We lived many years without this knowledge as we struggled to change the unchangeable. Unfortunately, the only thing that changed was our level of frustration: it got higher. Now we know that we can patiently wait for a situation to pass. Nothing lasts forever.

The good times pass too, of course. We hope to hold on to them, but the same principle applies. The minutes tick by, carrying us to new experiences. What we need to learn will become known to us through both the good times and the struggles. They all will pass, having prepared us for the highs and lows that wait to serve us.

I am at peace with the knowledge that everything passes. My needs will be met today.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 14 2026

Letting go of old hurts makes room for new joys.
~ Sefra Kobrin Pitzele ~
Dwelling on the painful past gets tiresome eventually, but some of us hang on to it longer than others do. However, seeing women move from the bondage of the past to the freedom of living in the present gives us hope. Once we let go of the pain, we discover far more joy in even ordinary experiences. That’s the real surprise.

We have heard sponsors say that when old doors close, new doors open. Letting go of old hurts in order to appreciate new joys falls into the same category. Why not fill our voids with joys rather than recollections of pain?

None of us know how long a life we’ll be blessed with. Accepting how tentative life is helps us decide to seek more joy and less pain. The decision is only the first step, however. Taking control of how we think is the necessary action.

I will experience more joy if I give less thought to old hurts today. The decision is mine, and I can make it and remake it if necessary.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 13 2026

The child in me says “Hold on”; the adult in me says “Let go.”

~ Harriet Hodgson ~

Learning to let go is growing up. Whether we’re twenty-five or sixty-five, we have to learn to let go. We don’t do it automatically. The principles of this program can serve as our guide.

Perhaps we learned in childhood that if we didn’t want to lose our toys, we had to hold on to them. A pattern was set; we began hanging on to everything. But now it’s time for new training, for learning to let go of everything: possessions, people, attitudes, opinions. Patience and practice accomplish the growth we seek.

We must be prepared for backsliding. Some situations cry for us to hold on rather than let go. We have to be vigilant and forgive ourselves when we give in to the old urge to control. Being adult takes desire and consistent effort. The child in us doesn’t give in easily.

I have a choice today. I can handle all circumstances as an adult and feel free, or my “child” can trigger a confrontation. What will I do?

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 12 2026

Taking responsibility for the part I play in the cause of my problems frees me to do something about them.
~ Kathy McGraw ~
We used to love to blame other people for the burdens and hurdles in our lives. That someone else was to blame for our personal upset was as obvious to us as rain splashing against the windshield. Yet the longer we looked at others rather than at ourselves, the more stuck we became in old behavior.

We’ve since come to understand that we simply cannot grow, we cannot harvest the fruits of this recovery program, unless we develop a willingness to take responsibility for who we are at every instant of our lives. As we begin taking responsibility for our actions, we feel empowered. We realize that we are who we have chosen to be. And we will be who we decide we want to be. As that reality permeates our consciousness, we will begin to know that our hopes can become real, because the promises in the Big Book are real.

I will feel strengthened by claiming responsibility for all that I am today. Before taking action, I can pause and consider whether I will feel good about my choice.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 11 2026

I can have my way more often if I have more than one way.

~ Stephanie Abbott ~

We find ourselves doing battle with the world if we turn every dispute into a confrontation. Seldom do any two of us see something in exactly the same way. This diversity is what makes life interesting— rich and educational. If any one ego dominated how all of us perceived every incident, life would be boring at best.

We all want our own opinion to dominate, whether it’s over when to eat or what movie to see. Perhaps it’s merely human to want our ego in charge. Or maybe that’s only true of people as insecure as us. In the program, at least, we’re in the right place. We can change. We can learn to let others be right too.

There are many reactions to any situation. Our own way will serve occasionally. We have the opportunity to learn alternative responses too.

There are many ways to interpret my experiences today. I will be flexible and occasionally look from another’s vantage point.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 10 2026

We learn from every experience, in retrospect, that everything has turned out perfectly.

~ Robbie Rocheford ~

We can all look back on troubling times and understand how they contributed to our growth as women. At the time, we couldn’t imagine how we would survive. Terror and hopelessness were our companions then. What relief the program has given us! We have a new companion now. And we are growing in wisdom about how perfectly our lives are unfolding. Every experience is giving us new understanding and the strength to go on. More important, we are becoming better prepared to help other women survive similar experiences.

We are being guided on this journey by a Higher Power. Each of us has a place to go, a job to do. Because we suffer from “self-will run riot,” we can take wrong turns. Then we suffer the consequences. Fortunately, our Higher Power is always close at hand, ready to help us when we become willing to ask for help. This is likely the most important lesson we are here to learn: ask our Higher Power for help and we will be shown the way.

I can trust that anything I experience today will benefit my growth. If I ask my Higher Power for help and strength, I will feel peace.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - April 9 2026

Two new beings are brought forth during child-birth: a newborn and a mother.

~ Anne Marie Nelson ~

Whether or not we have given birth to a child, we can certainly appreciate the miracle. The opportunity that we now have to give birth to a new self through recovery is comparable.

It is empowering to realize that we can create, or rather re-create, ourselves through the help of this detailed, yet simple program. Who could have imagined that we, while in the midst of a chaotic, drug-infested world, were capable of taking on a new persona, becoming a new woman?

But here we are, charting a new course for our lives. Just as women need and deserve assistance in childbirth, we can rely on the help and guidance of other women who, like us, seek to sustain their rebirth. Together we will bring new women into this world, women who are eager to make a healthy difference in the lives of others.

I have the tools to create whoever I want to be. I am an artist at work.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - 3rd April 2026

If there were no others to share ourselves with, life would be meaningless.
~ Carlotta Posz ~
We often hear at meetings and from sponsors the saying “There are no accidents.” But what does it mean? That wars are necessary? That a suffering parent is God’s will? That our disease is our destiny? We can worry ourselves sick over the answers, or we can accept these mysteries and try instead to appreciate the lessons they offer us. It’s the lessons that aren’t accidental.

We are here for a purpose. We may not yet understand what our contribution was yesterday or will be today, but we can come to believe that the people we’re living among are necessary to the contribution that is ours to make.

We grow and change through our acceptance of the unexplainable in our lives. The more willing we are to let God be in charge, the more meaning we’ll see in the small details of our lives. Finally, we’ll come to understand the depth of meaning in those four simple words “There are no accidents.”

I can trust that God is part of every detail of my life today. I can either be peaceful about what happens or hr resistant and miss my opportunity to contribute.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - 2nd April 2026

The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.
~ Muriel Rukeyser ~
Our stories give the universe depth, vibrancy, color, meaning. Yet we often forget our value to this planet, and we ignore the stirrings around and within us.

Most of us didn’t grow up feeling appreciated. Our value to our family or to the universe was seldom celebrated. We just existed, and we did what we had to do with little understanding of how we fit into the big picture of the universe.

We’re learning now that our stories, our presence, have always been necessary to the life of the universe. This gives us reason to pause and feel special. We may have been unaware of the life force around us, but we’ve always participated in the unfolding universe.

I am special, and my life, my story, is a necessary part of the universe. That I am here by design means I am watched over.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - 24th February 2026

We will never hear anyone else’s thoughts if we are only listening to our own.

~ Cathy Stone ~

It’s not a defect to think. On the contrary, we need to examine all the issues in our lives, evaluating very carefully what action to take in each instance. Many of us are still clearing up the mayhem that occurred because we didn’t give enough thought to situations in the past. But there is nothing gained by constant self-analysis, particularly during those moments when God has sent a friend to share with us her story or perspective.

It’s never an accident when another person discusses with us an experience she has had. God intends for us to learn from one another. We are students and teachers, interchangeably. When a teacher comes our way, let’s put our minds to rest. Her words may supply the answer we seek.

I will be drawn to the people who have something to teach me today. I will listen first and think later.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - 23rd February 2026

Healing can occur when I see my family of origin as just a vessel to bring me into new spiritual growth, rather than as the predictor of all my life’s work.

~ Judi Hollis ~

Traumatic experiences often teach us the most. This surprises us at first: How could the pain have had value? How could God have allowed it? It’s futile to ponder these questions. We experienced what was necessary to fulfill our life’s purpose. We are doing so now.

Many of us came from punishing families. Our successes were ignored, our failures held up for ridicule. How we functioned in our families gave us opportunities to fail so we could then appreciate success, to experience pain so we could understand compassion, to know regret so we could nurture forgiveness. Our families educated us. What we do with what we learned determines where we go now.

Every day I am embarking on an adventure. What I do with my experiences today can be a positive reaction to what I learned from the past.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - 21 st February 2026

Practiced consistently, new habits become who I am.

~ Lin Andrukat ~

We sometimes have trouble defining ourselves. Anyone who spends much time in our presence, however, can define us pretty accurately. Our habits tell our “story” quite readily.

Many of our behaviors embarrass us, yet we repeat them. But changing them takes more than wishing they’d disappear. It takes a decision not to repeat them and the thoughtfulness to find a replacement for them. We return to old behaviors more out of laziness than intent.

Those of us in a Twelve Step program have the tools to make this shift in our behavior easier. Doing a Fourth Step to look at the past, and frequent Tenth Steps to stay on top of today, gives us the insight to define who we are and who we’d rather be. Changing who we are isn’t that difficult if we have the desire.

Any current behavior used to be “new.” It became a habit only with continuous use. I can decide to begin a new behavior today.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation 

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT - 20th Jan 2026

The self is a calm stable center surrounded by a continuous changing sea. Merge with yourself and be ready for any emergent sea.

~ Coretta Scott King 

Wise ones tell us to be true to ourselves. Being true to ourselves means daring to disagree with a loved one, even when we know it might cause painful tension. It means refusing to go along with the group’s plans if our values are being ignored. It means standing alone, if necessary, in our family of origin if their expectations of us no longer nurture our growth.

With the help of the Fourth and Tenth Steps, we are learning who we are. We have recognized our shortcomings, and we have defined the assets that make our lives productive and enviable. Each day we are getting closer to knowing more completely the “inner woman” who is calm and centered. She is unruffled by the activity around her. She is quiet and accepting of the circumstances that have called to her. She is our guide, if we want one. She is our protector, if we need one. She is our voice when we become ready to let her speak.

I can be calm and centered today if situations get tense. My “inner self’ will take my hand and give me the words I need.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation