"In real honesty, there is no inner struggle to keep up appearances or to pretend we are anybody except ourselves."

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Walk in Dry Places


Easy Does It:
A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations

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Episode 188 -- January 31, 2022

Meditation Monday: Honesty Every Day

The selections for this last Meditation Monday of January come from some of Hazelden's bestselling recovery resources: A Day at a Time, Walk in Dry Places and Easy Does It. Together, these three meditations focus on simplicity, honesty, and living free from denial. As we look forward to a new month of recovery, let's keep it simple, stay humble, and speak truth, one day at a time.

A Day at a Time

Reflection for the Day
Rare is the person in recovery who will dispute the fact that denial is a primary symptom of their disease. The program teaches us that addiction is the only disease that actually tells the afflicted person that they really aren't sick at all. Not surprisingly, then, our lives as addicts and alcoholics were characterized by endless rationalization, countless alibis, and, in short, a steadfast unwillingness to accept the fact that we were, without question, bodily and mentally different than other people. Have I conceded to my innermost self that I am truly powerless over alcohol or other drugs?

Today I Pray
May the program's First Step be not half-hearted for me, but a total admission of powerlessness over my addiction. May I rid myself of that first symptom—denial—which refuses to recognize any other symptom of my disease.

Today I Will Remember
Deny denial.

Walk in Dry Places

The Rewards of Honesty

Sometimes we think that honesty is simply too painful and demanding—all sacrifice with no gain. If we are completely honest with ourselves, however, the results can only be positive.

What are the advantages of being entirely honest about our motives and feelings? One benefit is that we never will have to face the disillusionment and humiliation that come from self-deception. Surely we had enough of that while drinking.

Honesty also speaks for itself. People know intuitively when a person is completely honest, and they are drawn to that person because of it. An honest AA member—one who has truly faced personal faults—also becomes an example to others.

The honest person has self-respect and a clear conscience. In real honesty, there is no inner struggle to keep up appearances or to pretend we are anybody except ourselves.

Honesty makes us comfortable rather than pained, relaxed rather than anxious, and decisive rather than confused. These are rich rewards for people who once lived in the false world of alcoholism.

I'll try to be honest in all things today. In any case, I will at least be honest with myself about my true motives and feelings.

Easy Does It

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple, stupid!
— Anonymous

When we were using, our addicted minds were too clever for their own good. They told us lies. They told us that we knew things we didn't, that we were strong when we weren't. The addicted mind tried to analyze recovery and find its fatal flaws. That way it could return to addiction with all the reasons why the program can't and shouldn't work. But the program doesn't have its foundation in this type of reasoning. Its foundation is faith, and faith defies reason. Reason is complicated. Faith is very simple.

Our addictions are clever, baffling, powerful, and very patient. Our program disciplines this addiction with the simple truth. We fight the addiction with honesty. Our program has revealed to us that truth is not complicated. It is simple. We should not dress the truth up in fancy clothes.

I want to keep it simple, just as it is.
I won't use my clever mind to twist the truth.
My program tells me that I need to keep it
simple, just as I found it.

Hazelden meditation books offer a brief reading for every day of the year. Today's selections from A Day at a Time and Walk in Dry Places are from February 4. The meditation from Easy Does It is from February 3.

About the Author:
A Day at a Time was written anonymously
Walk in Dry Places was written by Mel B.
Easy Does It was written anonymously

A Day at a Time © 1989 by Hazelden Foundation
Walk in Dry Places © 1996 by Hazelden Foundation
Easy Does It © 1990 by Anonymous
All rights reserved