my mornings my mornings are very precious to me.

the first 15 minutes after i wake up will influence my attitude, thoughts, and a ctions for the rest of the day. my mornings start with the night before. i keep a responsible and proper sleep s chedule and allow myself time to wind down and relax. i review my day and make a WILLINGNESS to correct any misbehavior that is counte rproductive to my sobriety or harmful to others. i also review what i am immediately thankful for, my sobriety and the support of my fellowship, family, and real friends. i thank my higher power for the privil ege to continue living, provided i maintain my positive priorities. i may only enjoy a couple hours of sleep due to temporary insomnia, but i know t his will pass, and any minute of sober sleep is 100x better than a drunk or drug ged state of comatose. i do not feel guilty if i need an ice cream or some chocolate to get over any mo mentary mental relapses. when i wake up i immediately thank my higher power for keeping me sober througho ut the night and i remind myself and ADMIT that i am a drunk. because for me, th e evenings and nights can be a slippery time. whether i drink or not, these are moments when i am most vulnerable and susceptible to denial, self-pity, loneline ss, and depression. and that is a dangerous path i must steer clear of. i dedicate some morning time to remind myself of the commitment i have made to m end yesterdays wrongdoings. i remind myself that i am only human and will make mistakes too. i take a moment to be thankful that i do not throw up in the shower, or in the s ink from the taste of toothpaste. and i eat breakfast now! i do not only eat breakfast because i know that physica l and mental health go hand in hand, but i also eat now because I CAN! i send some good morning messages to fellow members that may need a helping hand to get through the day to handle life on lifes terms without a drink. i am not so pious or special, but starting my morning by humbling myself and hel ping others will help to keep me sober and level headed and remind me of where m y priorities lie. by starting my morning off right, i am now able to make CHOICES throughout the d ay, rather than DECISIONS based on options that i have yet exhausted or the cons equences of my negative actions. i am able to make choices about how i will act towards myself and others and thi s in turn influences my entire day. i am able to make choices on how i will perceive situations so as to avoid a cri sis mentality or place myself in the center of my own selfish universe. i need not worry about satisfying my own personal wants and desires. by making a n effort to interact positively with others i will be rewarded with a strength a nd serenity. i am thankful that i now have the CHOICE to live properly and grow or go back to my selfish, deceiving, lying ways. these simple morning steps help me to realize that God and the strength and supp ort of my fellow members are doing for me what I COULD NEVER DO for myself. i thank God and all of you for this precious gift of sobriety that you have give n me, and for the opportunity to make a choice on how i will start each morning, for i know that each morning will reflect how my day, and the rest of my life, will be lived. thank you for my sobriety oz