Where to Find Serenity

At the meeting I went to today the topic was, "How do you find serenity?" This was a great topic considering the book I'm reading.


One thing I know for sure is that Alcoholism is a disease of perceptions, and most often, I lack serenity because my perceptions are negatively skewed. Thanks so some suggestions in the book, "Feeling Good" by David D. Burns, I've been doing negative thought inventories. Much like a daily inventory recommended in Step Ten, I carry a small journal with me everywhere and write down negative thoughts as they come to me. Then I use the list of Cognitive Distortions to determine where my thinking has gone awry. Then, in a third column, I write down a positive thought, or what the reality of the situation is.

This exercise has really helped me identify my "stinking thinking" and quelsh it when it attacks. It also helps me find a new way of thinking by taking the time to find new ways to perceive situations in my life.

Most important, "GOD grant me the serenity."

In step two we come to believe that God can return us to sanity – soundness of mind. When I have lost serenity, there is one place to find it. I've have lately been offering my negative thinking to a Power Greater than Myself, and praying for a new thought instead.