JUST FOR TODAY

The Best-Laid Plans

“It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our Higher Power.”

~ Basic Text p. 88 

There’s an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: “If you want to make God laugh, make plans.” When we hear this we usually laugh, too, but there’s a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we’re planning a big event – a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change – we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power’s plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don’t know whether our Higher Power’s plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for our lives, we’re still making plans – plans for a shallow, boring existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We’ll never know whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of the God of our understanding, knowing that we’ve acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I will trust in my Higher Power’s loving care.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc   

Today’s Gift. - May 9 2026

Planning is deciding what to change today so tomorrow will be different from yesterday.

 –Ichak Adizes

A house is like a lump of clay that can be molded and changed. It can be fixed and shaped, torn down and added to, painted, papered, carpeted, and panelled. We can think about how to change it, find pictures in books, and order plans. We can stock up on supplies, take fix-it classes, and get advice from others. But the house will remain unchanged until we pick up a brush, grab a bucket of paint, and get to work. Only then will we see tomorrow the results of what we did today.

Our plans help us construct a vision of how we’d like the future to be, but only actions will bring these things about. With confidence in the rightness of our desires, we can be assured that God never gives us a dream we can’t reach.

What action can I take today to make tomorrow’s changes?

EASY DOES IT - - April 25 2026

DON’T PROJECT
What we anticipate seldom occurs. What we least expected generally happens.
~ Disraeli ~

We are not in the business of getting results. It’s easy and simple to plan results. It’s not so easy to just plan and not expect results.

When we think a plan of ours will bring us and mankind all sorts of payoff, we are playing god again. When our plan doesn’t turn out the way we expected, we put ourselves in danger of feeling hopeless. This can lead to relapse.

We remember the past only for what its lessons have taught us about living today. If yesterday was spent in planning how today was supposed to turn out, we will usually be disappointed in today. Today hardly ever turns out the way we had planned or expected it to turn out.

My plans for the future must stay hopes and possibilities. No matter how far I fall short of my plans, I must accept the results with serenity. I will work at making plans, but I won’t plan the results.

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

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrecovery

The Best-Laid Plans

“It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our Higher Power.”

~ Basic Text p. 88 

There’s an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: “If you want to make God laugh, make plans.” When we hear this we usually laugh, too, but there’s a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we’re planning a big event – a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change – we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power’s plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don’t know whether our Higher Power’s plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for our lives, we’re still making plans – plans for a shallow, boring existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We’ll never know whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of the God of our understanding, knowing that we’ve acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I will trust in my Higher Power’s loving care.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc

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DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Dishonesty #Self-Seeking

A DAY’S PLAN

On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.

~ ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 86 ~

Every day I ask God to kindle within me the fire of His love, so that love, burning bright and clear, will illuminate my thinking and permit me to better do His will. Throughout the day, as I allow outside circumstances to dampen my spirits, I ask God to sear my consciousness with the awareness that I can start my day over any time I choose; a hundred times, if necessary.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc

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JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrecovery

The Best-Laid Plans

“It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our Higher Power.”

~ Basic Text p. 88 

There’s an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: “If you want to make God laugh, make plans.” When we hear this we usually laugh, too, but there’s a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we’re planning a big event – a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change – we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power’s plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don’t know whether our Higher Power’s plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for our lives, we’re still making plans – plans for a shallow, boring existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We’ll never know whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of the God of our understanding, knowing that we’ve acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I will trust in my Higher Power’s loving care.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc    

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery

Today’s Gift #essentialsofrecovery

Planning is deciding what to change today so tomorrow will be different from yesterday.
—Ichak Adizes

A house is like a lump of clay that can be molded and changed. It can be fixed and shaped, torn down and added to, painted, papered, carpeted, and panelled. We can think about how to change it, find pictures in books, and order plans. We can stock up on supplies, take fix-it classes, and get advice from others. But the house will remain unchanged until we pick up a brush, grab a bucket of paint, and get to work. Only then will we see tomorrow the results of what we did today.

Our plans help us construct a vision of how we’d like the future to be, but only actions will bring these things about. With confidence in the rightness of our desires, we can be assured that God never gives us a dream we can’t reach.

What action can I take today to make tomorrow’s changes?

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrecovery

The Best-Laid Plans

“It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our Higher Power.”

~ Basic Text p. 88 

There’s an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: “If you want to make God laugh, make plans.” When we hear this we usually laugh, too, but there’s a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we’re planning a big event – a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change – we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power’s plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don’t know whether our Higher Power’s plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for our lives, we’re still making plans – plans for a shallow, boring existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We’ll never know whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of the God of our understanding, knowing that we’ve acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I will trust in my Higher Power’s loving care.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc  

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

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrecovery

The Best-Laid Plans

“It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our Higher Power.”

~ Basic Text p. 88 

There’s an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: “If you want to make God laugh, make plans.” When we hear this we usually laugh, too, but there’s a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we’re planning a big event – a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change – we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power’s plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don’t know whether our Higher Power’s plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for our lives, we’re still making plans – plans for a shallow, boring existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We’ll never know whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of the God of our understanding, knowing that we’ve acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I will trust in my Higher Power’s loving care.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc 

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

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrecovery

The Best-Laid Plans

“It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our Higher Power.”

~ Basic Text p. 88 

There’s an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: “If you want to make God laugh, make plans.” When we hear this we usually laugh, too, but there’s a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we’re planning a big event – a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change – we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power’s plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don’t know whether our Higher Power’s plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for our lives, we’re still making plans – plans for a shallow, boring existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We’ll never know whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of the God of our understanding, knowing that we’ve acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I will trust in my Higher Power’s loving care.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc 

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

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrecovery

The Best-Laid Plans

“It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our Higher Power.”

~ Basic Text p. 88 

There’s an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: “If you want to make God laugh, make plans.” When we hear this we usually laugh, too, but there’s a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we’re planning a big event – a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change – we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power’s plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don’t know whether our Higher Power’s plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for our lives, we’re still making plans – plans for a shallow, boring existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We’ll never know whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of the God of our understanding, knowing that we’ve acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I will trust in my Higher Power’s loving care.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery

The Eye Opener #essentialsofrecovery

It is almost a general rule that no one achieves in life what they planned in their youth. The great ambitions of our teens never seem to materialize.

In spite of all our plans, it is a safe bet to say, however, that we are where we were intended to be, doing the things that we were intended to do, whether we like it or not. Apparently we are not running the world.

It is very probable that we would have made a terrible mess of it had we followed our wishes and would have wound up a much bigger flop than we did. No matter what our station in life, we can daily thank God that it is no worse than it is.

Copyright Hazelden Foundation 

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrecovery

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrecovery

The Best-Laid Plans

“It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our Higher Power.”

~ Basic Text p. 88 

There’s an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: “If you want to make God laugh, make plans.” When we hear this we usually laugh, too, but there’s a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we’re planning a big event – a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change – we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power’s plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don’t know whether our Higher Power’s plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for our lives, we’re still making plans – plans for a shallow, boring existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We’ll never know whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of the God of our understanding, knowing that we’ve acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I will trust in my Higher Power’s loving care.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc 

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JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrec #Plans #Action #NA

  9
November

The Best-Laid Plans

“It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our Higher Power.”

~ Basic Text p. 88 

There’s an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: “If you want to make God laugh, make plans.” When we hear this we usually laugh, too, but there’s a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we’re planning a big event – a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change – we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power’s plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don’t know whether our Higher Power’s plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for our lives, we’re still making plans – plans for a shallow, boring existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We’ll never know whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of the God of our understanding, knowing that we’ve acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I will trust in my Higher Power’s loving care.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc

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Keep It Simple #essentialsofrec #Life #Plans

 22
October


Life is what happens to us while we’re making other plans.
—Thomas LaMance

What happened to our years of drinking and using other drugs? They seemed to pass so quickly with so little to show for them. We had plans, but we didn’t get where we wanted to go. There was always “tomorrow.”

What a difference today! Now we work a program that helps us really live each day. We’re not losing time out of our lives anymore. Now every day is full of life: sights, sounds, people, feelings—those things we used to miss out on. We have the help of a Higher Power who makes every day important.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me do Your will for me today. I place this day in Your care.

Action for the Day: Be on the lookout today for signs of life!

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The Eye Opener #essentialsofrec #Ambition #Recovery

 4
August

It is almost a general rule that no one achieves in life what they planned in their youth. The great ambitions of our teens never seem to materialize.

In spite of all our plans, it is a safe bet to say, however, that we are where we were intended to be, doing the things that we were intended to do, whether we like it or not. Apparently we are not running the world.

It is very probable that we would have made a terrible mess of it had we followed our wishes and would have wound up a much bigger flop than we did. No matter what our station in life, we can daily thank God that it is no worse than it is.

Copyright Hazelden Foundation

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Or Follow Us On Twitter #essentialsofrec