Being Present: Freed From the Curse of Thinking 2/27/16

     Descending from cloud nine.

     A fantastic evening spent with family. Went from the ago-ny of deep dread to beyond ecstatic ela-tion.

      I took in a win.  It happened in the last 3/5 of a second of the game. Slapped hands with many in the crowd at the Englander Restaurant.  I was
deliriously happy.

      Watched a spectacular basketball game.

   The local San Fran-cisco team pulled out a victory from what seemed certain de-feat.  They led all of 29 seconds in the three-hour game.New traditions were crea-ted with my family.  I am wearing the same socks from now on. When I am watching this team.

        Fortunately, they're nice-looking.  I have not stopped smiling for the past five hours.  I am basking in the joy of this evening.

*****

         I love being present.  Living this way is better than its alterna-tive. Being controlling.  It liberates me from controlling people.

         Being present is discovering the outcome for the day.  It provides the confidence to handle whatever a day offers.

         Uncertainty marks my interac-tions. I am comfort-able with uncertain-ty.  I'm connected with my feelings.  I look at what the day offers, not its problems.

         I have zero fear.  None.  At.  All. None regarding circumstances I face.  I know emotional resiliency.

       I surf circum-stances. They are not protected.  I don't fear them.  I experience what is. 

       Each day is refreshing.  It is clean.  It is free of emotional baggage.  It is devoid of men-tal chatter.  It is not possessed by the sewage of staying in my mind.

       When I think I am not the ex-perience.  When I feel, I am the experience.  I adapt to what life offers.  I am the happiest man I know.  I am filled with an Attitude of Gratitude.

Gratitudes for Tonight:

1. I unwound from a crazy week.  I'm hard at work on my book.  I am writing into the wee hours of the morning.  Doing this after having busy days seeing clients.

 This evening I cele-brated life. I spent time with loved ones at the Englander Res-taurant.
2. Received tremen-dous wisdom after the game.  From my eldest son.  When I grow up I want to be like him.  I got clarity.  Regarding my business.  He revealed many ideas about how I want to develop it this year.

     I was loved.  I was cared for by him and my middle son.  I was listened to.  I received exceptional advice.  It was a terrific turning of tables.

3. I am thrilled with life.  It is only going to get better.  And, my life is fantastic as it is.  I am thankful for thriving.  I exper-ience it every week and every day.

     This was espe-cially true tonight.
4. I spent time alone this week.  The focus was on me.  It was not learning infor-mation I could use for my business.  It was not time used to learn how to better work with my clients.

  It was time set aside to nurture me.  ME.  I felt better after-wards.  It added to my peace of mind.  It created ease in the midst of a crazy week.
5.  I am thankful for joy.  I am grateful for optimism.  I luxur-iate in the strength and hope that are vital parts of my life.  These qualities vibrate through my veins.  They are the result of investing in my recovery and personal strength.

    Al-Anon Family Groups, my supportive community and my strong faith in God are the main reasons for the happiness I know.
6. It is nurturing, enjoying community with hundreds of others. That happened tonight while watching the game with other avid fans of the San Francisco Warriors, the basketball team.
7. I am thankful for forgiveness.  It is a wonderful feeling.  It is invigorating, feeling cleansed for deeds and attitudes that did not serve me and harmed others.
8.  I spent hours writing today.  I am happy, seeing my skill level grow as I put in the time.  Writing helps me sort out the thoughts that perco-late within my head. It prevents me from going crazy.
9.  In the past few months, the readership from France has grown.  It is the third largest readership this month. More than five hundred have dropped by this month. That's a jump for this country.

     It's ranked ninth in all-time attendance for now.  It has passed Canada.  It is closing in on the all-time record for those who have visited coming from Pakistan.  The country of France is drawing near the all-time numbers for my German visitors.

     Those visiting from the U.S. number 16,500+ this month.  It is the largest group that cools its heels here, in the place of thanks in cyber-space.  India is a distant second with 912 guests for this month.  Thank you, everyone who drops by!

     I would love hearing from those outside the U.S.