One Day At A Time - 25th August 2025

~ Patience ~


There is no fruit which is not bitter before it is ripe.

–Publilius Syrus

There are some things in life you simply cannot rush. In the early stages of my disease, I went through life like a steam roller … impatiently starting one project after another. If there was something in my life that depended on the actions of another for resolution, it was excruciating while waiting on the decision. As a result, sometimes decisions were forced. I have made many bad decisions because of lack of patience.

I have learned that sometimes we have to turn decisions over to others … we have to let go and let others take control. We must wait it out and hope that our decision to let go was a good one. Many times it is. Sometimes it isn’t.

I have become a very patient person … and sometimes that is to my detriment. It can be hard to find a middle ground in the decision making process. Snap decisions aren’t good. Neither are those we sit on forever.   

ONE DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrecovery

PATIENCE

Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is Patience.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Today’s topic is Patience! When I first came to Program, I didn’t really know what abstinence was. I thought it was a diet. It turned out to be far more than I ever imagined. since beginning, I’ve gained abstinence, I’ve lost weight and my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being has changed more than I ever thought possible. I’ve come so far … beyond my wildest dreams … yet, sometimes it feels like it’s still not enough. I’ll get in a row with my 12 year old daughter over some minor issue. She has a way of pushing my buttons which sends me into “fingerpointing” and “lecture” mode – good intentions gone totally awry! She’ll ultimately tune me out – and I’ll walk away feeling like a bad parent. The guilt will set in and I’ll deride myself for lacking patience and having bad judgement! But once I’ve calmed down – I’ll remind myself that my intentions were good and – as in my food plan – progress not perfection has to apply to my parenting just as it does to my any other aspect of my recovery. This requires me to be patient with MYSELF as well as with others.

One Day at a Time . . .

I will learn to be patient with myself as well as with others.

~ Rob R.  

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PATIENCE

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.”

Saint Augustine

(354 – 430) The Bishop of Hippo, was a philosopher and theologian
and one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity.

Patience is an area that I have had some REAL problems with in the past. I had a tendency to want – what I want – NOW! That included recovery. Gaining recovery, as I would eventually realize, is not the same as earning a university credit. It is a process not an end result. You have to be willing to learn to do things in HP’s time and manner rather than your own. What began to happen was – the more impatient I became – the more life tended to resist my efforts. It took a long time for me to realize this. Instead of calming down, I would get even more impatient and struggle even harder. Eventually, I would have a big meltdown and feel like a fool afterwards.

The end result was absolutely no different for having done this. It took time for me to muster the willingness to do things in HP’s time and manner. But when I did – life became much more peaceful and things had a tendency to work themselves out – without all the dramatics.

One Day at a Time . . .

I will learn to patiently and willingly do things in HP’s time and manner.

~ Rob R.  

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WALK IN DRY PLACES #essentialsofrecovery

PRACTICE MAKES PATIENCE

Acquiring Maturity

Extreme impatience is part of most alcoholic stories: “I want what I want when I want it.” When it continues in sobriety, impatience leads to mistakes and accidents. How can we bring impatience under control without losing all drive and initiative?

One route may be to acquire patience through practice. We can devote some time each day to a task that must be done, even if it is tedious and boring. We can make a real effort to be more patient with somebody who is slow or difficult. We can face the fear and anxiety that sometimes make us overwork or turn us into people-pleasers.

These exercises won’t eliminate impatience overnight. But they’ll produce the satisfaction of knowing that we’re getting control of our lives. They will also make us more effective in our dealings with others.

Reminding ourselves that all outcomes are in God’s hands can help us acquire patience. Willful pushing does not bring the serenity and well-being we really seek. We labor in vain if we are seeking goals that are not in line with God’s will for us.

I’ll do my work today with the knowledge that God really is in charge of my life—I do not have to let anything or anyone rob me of my serenity and self-control. I will practice patience in situations where it is needed.

© 1996 by Hazelden Foundation 

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DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrec #Recovery #patience

A LIFELONG TASK

“But just how, in these circumstances, does a fellow ‘take it easy?’ That’s what I want to know.”

~ TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 26 

I was never known for my patience. How many times have I asked, “Why should I wait, when I can have it all right now?” Indeed, when I was first presented the Twelve Steps, I was like the proverbial “kid in a candy store.” I couldn’t wait to get to Step Twelve; it was surely just a few months’ work, or so I thought! I realize now that living the Twelve Steps of A.A. is a lifelong undertaking.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc 

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One Day At A Time #essentialsofrecovery

Patience


“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties and obstacles vanish.”

John Quincy Adams

When I first walked through the meeting doors, I wanted recovery and I wanted it now! Give me the magic wand, I’ll waive it, then get on with my life—I thought.

One of the most difficult things I’ve had to learn is the art of patience and allowing God to work within his own time while I do the footwork to the best of my ability. It is my belief that the universe and my Higher Power will order the next level of my physical recovery. Physical recovery does not grow without spiritual progress. This Program is a journey, not a crash-course in fad dieting.

When I struggled with bouts of pride connected to my levels of patience and God’s timing, I knew I was uncovering yet another character flaw that could delay my spiritual recovery. Spiritual recovery, as “Old-timers” have told us again and again, is the actual foundation of the program. The “inner” person will eventually make its way to the outer person.

One day at a time…

Today I will slow down, take a deep breath, and just remind myself that my Higher Power is in control and that my natural pattern will develop under His nurture, care, and control.

~ January      

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery

One Day At A Time #essentialsofrecovery

Patience


“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties and obstacles vanish.”

–John Quincy Adams

When I first walked through the meeting doors, I wanted recovery and I wanted it now! Give me the magic wand, I’ll waive it, then get on with my life. At least that’s what I thought.

One of the most difficult things I’ve had to learn is the art of patience and allowing God to work within his own time while I do the footwork to the best of my ability. It is my belief that the universe and my Higher Power will order the next level of my physical recovery. Physical recovery does not grow without spiritual progress. This Program is a journey, not a crash-course in fad dieting.

When I struggled with bouts of pride connected to my levels of patience and God’s timing, I knew I was uncovering yet another character flaw that could delay my spiritual recovery. Spiritual recovery, as “Old-timers” have told us again and again, is the actual foundation of the program. The inner-person will eventually make its way to the outer-person.

One day at a time…

Today I will slow down, take a deep breath, and just remind myself that my Higher Power is in control and that my natural pattern will develop under His nurture, care, and control.

~ January   

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery

One Day At A Time #essentialsofrecovery

~ Patience ~


There is no fruit which is not bitter before it is ripe.

–Publilius Syrus

There are some things in life you simply cannot rush. In the early stages of my disease, I went through life like a steam roller … impatiently starting one project after another. If there was something in my life that depended on the actions of another for resolution, it was excruciating while waiting on the decision. As a result, sometimes decisions were forced. I have made many bad decisions because of lack of patience.

I have learned that sometimes we have to turn decisions over to others … we have to let go and let others take control. We must wait it out and hope that our decision to let go was a good one. Many times it is. Sometimes it isn’t.

I have become a very patient person … and sometimes that is to my detriment. It can be hard to find a middle ground in the decision making process. Snap decisions aren’t good. Neither are those we sit on forever.  

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The Eye Opener #essentialsofrec

Patience is a virtue that few alcoholics have. We want to do everything yesterday. Even after we sober up, we seldom acquire any substantial amount of this virtue. We feel a real need to make up for all our lost years; we fret and fume over delays; we feel the world should synchronize their watches with ours.

Like Phillips Brooks, we are in a hurry, but God isn’t.

Hazelden Foundation 

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Just For Today #essentialsofrec #Patiencce #NA

Patience

“We were trapped by our need for the instant gratification that drugs gave us.”

Basic Text, pp.24-25

“I want what I want, and I want it now!” That’s about as patient as most of us ever got in our active addiction. The obsession and compulsion of our disease gave us a “one-track” way of thinking; when we wanted something, that’s all we thought about. And the drugs we took taught us that instant gratification was never more than a dose away. It’s no wonder that most of us came to Narcotics Anonymous with next to no patience.

The problem is, we can’t always get what we want whenever we want it. Some of our wishes are pure fantasy; if we think about it, we’ll realize we have no reason to believe those wishes will be fulfilled in our lifetimes. We probably can’t even fulfill all our realistic desires; we certainly can’t fulfill them all at once. In order to acquire or achieve some things, we will have to sacrifice others.

In our addiction we sought instant gratification, squandering our resources. In recovery we must learn to prioritize, sometimes denying the gratification of some desires in order to fulfill more important long-term goals. To do so requires patience. To find that patience, we practice our program of recovery, seeking the kind of full-bodied spiritual awakening that will allow us to live and enjoy life on life’s terms.

Just for today: Higher Power, help me discover what’s most important in my life. Help me learn patience, so that I can devote my resources to the important things.

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ONE DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #Success #OA

SUCCESS
I have begun everything with the idea that I could succeed, and I never had much patience with the multitudes of people who are always ready to explain why one cannot succeed. I have always had a high regard for the man who could tell me how to succeed.

~ Booker T. Washington ~
The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous is my main source of inspiration when it comes to recovery issues. It’s proven to be a valuable asset to my program.

I’ve learned from the Big Book that recovery from any compulsive disease is possible. We are given Twelve Steps to follow, and told that if we do what our predecessors did, then we WILL recover. We have to be willing to go to any length to succeed. We have to do the footwork. The people who don’t succeed in this program are the ones who don’t avail themselves of all the help that’s available to them. They don’t read the literature, they don’t go to meetings, they don’t do service … they don’t do what those who have gone before have done. So they wallow in their disease instead of recovering.

There’s a reason why we’re told, “Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.” That means the program works IF you work it. Those who don’t work the program don’t recover. That’s a pretty powerful statement, but it’s true, and for some reason, a lot of compulsive people just don’t get it. They keep doing the same old things and getting the same old results. In the process, they remain fully in the grip of their disease. Sure, recovery is a miracle, but it won’t fall into your lap. You need to work for it, and by the grace of the God of your understanding, you’ll receive the miracle.

One Day at a Time . . .
I remember that it’s not enough to talk the talk; I need to walk the walk if I want to recover.

~ Jeff ~

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ONE DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #patience #Wellbeing

PATIENCE

“Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is Patience.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Today’s topic is Patience! When I first came to Program, I didn’t really know what abstinence was. I thought it was a diet. It turned out to be far more than I ever imagined. since beginning, I’ve gained abstinence, I’ve lost weight and my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being has changed more than I ever thought possible. I’ve come so far … beyond my wildest dreams … yet, sometimes it feels like it’s still not enough. I’ll get in a row with my 12 year old daughter over some minor issue. She has a way of pushing my buttons which sends me into “fingerpointing” and “lecture” mode – good intentions gone totally awry! She’ll ultimately tune me out – and I’ll walk away feeling like a bad parent. The guilt will set in and I’ll deride myself for lacking patience and having bad judgement! But once I’ve calmed down – I’ll remind myself that my intentions were good and – as in my food plan – progress not perfection has to apply to my parenting just as it does to my any other aspect of my recovery. This requires me to be patient with MYSELF as well as with others.

One Day at a Time . . .

I will learn to be patient with myself as well as with others.

~ Rob R. 

Why not sign up to get emails with all daily posts included?
Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrec

ONE DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #OA #Patience #Overeaters

PATIENCE

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.”

Saint Augustine

(354 – 430) The Bishop of Hippo, was a philosopher and theologian
and one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity.

Patience is an area that I have had some REAL problems with in the past. I had a tendency to want – what I want – NOW! That included recovery. Gaining recovery, as I would eventually realize, is not the same as earning a university credit. It is a process not an end result. You have to be willing to learn to do things in HP’s time and manner rather than your own. What began to happen was – the more impatient I became – the more life tended to resist my efforts. It took a long time for me to realize this. Instead of calming down, I would get even more impatient and struggle even harder. Eventually, I would have a big meltdown and feel like a fool afterwards.

The end result was absolutely no different for having done this. It took time for me to muster the willingness to do things in HP’s time and manner. But when I did – life became much more peaceful and things had a tendency to work themselves out – without all the dramatics.

One Day at a Time . . .

I will learn to patiently and willingly do things in HP’s time and manner.

~ Rob R. ~

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrec

EASY DOES IT #essentialsofrec #Patience #Growth

PATIENCE

How poor are they that have not patience.

~ Shakespeare ~

Patient people do not simply stand and suffer. They are busy carefully planning what positive thing they will do next.

It is simple to start demanding wisdom right now. But patience is teemed with acceptance. One doesn’t happen without the other. Wisdom comes with acceptance, and that takes patience. We can’t demand it. We can only accept it.

Patience does not tell us, “grin and bear it.” It does remind us that if we resist acting rashly, all answers will come, in God’s time, not ours. Patience promises rewards for tomorrow and nourishes a desire for change if we give progress ample time.

Patience insists that I make real instead of false starts at growth. It tells me that my greatest teacher is time. I must act only when my plans are well constructed.

©1990 by Anonymous. All rights reserved. Published by Hazelden.

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DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrec #Patience #Recovery

A LIFELONG TASK

“But just how, in these circumstances, does a fellow ‘take it easy?’ That’s what I want to know.”

~ TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 26 ~

I was never known for my patience. How many times have I asked, “Why should I wait, when I can have it all right now?” Indeed, when I was first presented the Twelve Steps, I was like the proverbial “kid in a candy store.” I couldn’t wait to get to Step Twelve; it was surely just a few months’ work, or so I thought! I realize now that living the Twelve Steps of A.A. is a lifelong undertaking.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc

Why not sign up to get emails with all daily posts included?
Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrec

One Day At A Time #essentialsofrec #recovery #patience

 Patience

There is no fruit which is not bitter before it is ripe.

Publilius Syrus

There are some things in life you simply cannot rush. In the early stages of my disease, I went through life like a steam roller ... impatiently starting one project after another. If there was something in my life that depended on the actions of another for resolution, it was excruciating while waiting on the decision. As a result, sometimes decisions were forced. I have made many bad decisions because of lack of patience.

I have learned that sometimes we have to turn decisions over to others ... we have to let go and let others take control. We must wait it out and hope that our decision to let go was a good one. Many times it is. Sometimes it isn't.

I have become a very patient person ... and sometimes that is to my detriment. It can be hard to find a middle ground in the decision making process. Snap decisions aren't good. Neither are those we sit on forever.

One Day at a Time . . .

I will patiently wait on my Higher Power
to direct me ... to guide me ...and to help me with the decisions I must make.

 Mari

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrec

WALK IN DRY PLACES #essentialsofrec #Maturity #Patience

PRACTICE MAKES PATIENCE

Acquiring Maturity

Extreme impatience is part of most alcoholic stories: “I want what I want when I want it.” When it continues in sobriety, impatience leads to mistakes and accidents. How can we bring impatience under control without losing all drive and initiative?

One route may be to acquire patience through practice. We can devote some time each day to a task that must be done, even if it is tedious and boring. We can make a real effort to be more patient with somebody who is slow or difficult. We can face the fear and anxiety that sometimes make us overwork or turn us into people-pleasers.

These exercises won’t eliminate impatience overnight. But they’ll produce the satisfaction of knowing that we’re getting control of our lives. They will also make us more effective in our dealings with others.

Reminding ourselves that all outcomes are in God’s hands can help us acquire patience. Willful pushing does not bring the serenity and well-being we really seek. We labor in vain if we are seeking goals that are not in line with God’s will for us.

I’ll do my work today with the knowledge that God really is in charge of my life—I do not have to let anything or anyone rob me of my serenity and self-control. I will practice patience in situations where it is needed.

© 1996 by Hazelden Foundation

Why not sign up to get emails with all daily posts included?
Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrec

One Day At A Time #essentialsofrecovery

Patience


“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties and obstacles vanish.”

John Quincy Adams

When I first walked through the meeting doors, I wanted recovery and I wanted it now! Give me the magic wand, I’ll waive it, then get on with my life—I thought.

One of the most difficult things I’ve had to learn is the art of patience and allowing God to work within his own time while I do the footwork to the best of my ability. It is my belief that the universe and my Higher Power will order the next level of my physical recovery. Physical recovery does not grow without spiritual progress. This Program is a journey, not a crash-course in fad dieting.

When I struggled with bouts of pride connected to my levels of patience and God’s timing, I knew I was uncovering yet another character flaw that could delay my spiritual recovery. Spiritual recovery, as “Old-timers” have told us again and again, is the actual foundation of the program. The “inner” person will eventually make its way to the outer person.

One day at a time…

Today I will slow down, take a deep breath, and just remind myself that my Higher Power is in control and that my natural pattern will develop under His nurture, care, and control.

~ January     

Why not sign up to get emails with all daily posts included?
Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery

One Day At A Time #essentialsofrecovery

Patience


“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties and obstacles vanish.”

–John Quincy Adams

When I first walked through the meeting doors, I wanted recovery and I wanted it now! Give me the magic wand, I’ll waive it, then get on with my life. At least that’s what I thought.

One of the most difficult things I’ve had to learn is the art of patience and allowing God to work within his own time while I do the footwork to the best of my ability. It is my belief that the universe and my Higher Power will order the next level of my physical recovery. Physical recovery does not grow without spiritual progress. This Program is a journey, not a crash-course in fad dieting.

When I struggled with bouts of pride connected to my levels of patience and God’s timing, I knew I was uncovering yet another character flaw that could delay my spiritual recovery. Spiritual recovery, as “Old-timers” have told us again and again, is the actual foundation of the program. The inner-person will eventually make its way to the outer-person.

One day at a time…

Today I will slow down, take a deep breath, and just remind myself that my Higher Power is in control and that my natural pattern will develop under His nurture, care, and control.

~ January   

Why not sign up to get emails with all daily posts included?
Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery

One Day At A Time #essentialsofrecovery

~ Patience ~


There is no fruit which is not bitter before it is ripe.

–Publilius Syrus

There are some things in life you simply cannot rush. In the early stages of my disease, I went through life like a steam roller … impatiently starting one project after another. If there was something in my life that depended on the actions of another for resolution, it was excruciating while waiting on the decision. As a result, sometimes decisions were forced. I have made many bad decisions because of lack of patience.

I have learned that sometimes we have to turn decisions over to others … we have to let go and let others take control. We must wait it out and hope that our decision to let go was a good one. Many times it is. Sometimes it isn’t.

I have become a very patient person … and sometimes that is to my detriment. It can be hard to find a middle ground in the decision making process. Snap decisions aren’t good. Neither are those we sit on forever. 

Why not sign up to get emails with all daily posts included?
Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery