Thought for today:

Usually we get to DA because of a “perfect financial storm” – some situation that caused us tremendous suffering, degradation and fear.

Going through the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Tools of DA, we come to a newfound freedom.  Old thinking is removed, and we become a new person.  That “perfect storm” turns out to be a perfect blessing.

A member reflects on this idea:

“My life used to be all about debt.  I would finagle the best credit and then spend beyond my means.

“I justified every purchase as important investments for my family’s future.  Adding an accessory apartment to my home was supposed to give me extra income.  Replacing drafty old windows was supposed to save me money on heating and air conditioning.

“But it was all on credit, and my expenses went up much quicker than my income.  The apartment took longer to set up and rent than I thought.  The inspector needed more and more changes.  Construction workers underestimated the time and money involved.  I couldn’t find the right tenant for a while.  It was the perfect formula for debt and I was in over my head.

“Then I lost my job, and I went on a credit binge for nine months.  That really put us over the edge.  Even family started to turn away from me (I had borrowed from all of them, without repaying my debt.)

“The final humiliation was going on a famous financial guru’s radio talk show for help.  I told my parents in advance, and they tuned in to the program to hear him  rail on me about how I was such a bad MBA student to be spending so much with credit and no job!

“(I forgot to mention during this time I had gone back to school.  And yes, I know I should have known better with my education.  All I can say is this debting disease really had me.)

“My father spoke with me after that radio interview and said that he was rethinking about loaning me money in the future.  ‘Maybe the bets thing was to let you learn from the pain.’

“So there was really no where else to turn toward the end of my debting.  They say when all else fails, you turn to DA, and that’s what I did.

“DA principles opened my eyes to my pride and my overly optimistic expectations.  I let go of pride and sold the house (which was bigger than I needed), and recouped my investment, just before the market turned, (which was luckily).  Luck seems to follow you when you start doing the right things…

“With discipline, I started feeling abundant for the first time in my life.  I lived within my means, and it felt great, except when people started noticing the change in me.

“It’s so funny today when people envy me, admire me as if I’m a ‘self-made man’, or look up to me and what I’ve achieved in my time in DA.  If they only knew what I had been through, how I was brought to my knees and then back from total humiliation, they would probably think differently.”

What happens when in DA we finally start to feel prosperous again?  For one thing, we lose a great excuse for self-pity.  No one feels sorry for someone who is prosperous.

Some of us grew so accustomed to being impoverished with grand schemes that actual prosperity felt like a letdown!  Others of us were so shocked when friends suddenly became jealous of us that we quickly ran back to poverty, sabotaging our own success.

Recovering debtors are often so uncomfortable with success that they walk away from it.  Owing “someone” was our “modus operandi”, and it takes  radical transformation to become people who don’t need to debt.

The peace of mind DA brings is priceless. With it, every negative turns into a positive.

Have I checked my motives today?

Meditation for today:

Consider the feeling of prosperity to be the ability to live in the present moment, to not be worrying about the past or fearing the future. This “being present” is part discipline, and part art.

Try to “be present” by thinking of one thing. Your mind will drift, but the very act of trying will make you feel better, because your Higher Power is in the present moment. You will not be alone there!

Seek the present moment and you will find your Higher Power.

Affirmations for today:

“I am debt free.”

“I have infinite resources.”

“I will live in this moment, right here, right now. I will set aside my fears of the future and my regrets of the past, accepting everything exactly as it is at this moment.”

Prayer for today:

I pray that I turn my life and my will, my thoughts and my actions, over to the care of DA and my loving Higher Power.

“Extra Credit” reading:

The The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
“If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.”

“Okay, folks, do you want to turn those fat and flabby expenses into a well-toned budget? Do you want to transform your sad and skinny little bank account into a bulked-up cash machine? Then get with the program, people. There’s one sure way to whip your finances into shape, and that’s with The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition.

“By now, you’ve heard all the nutty get-rich-quick schemes, the fiscal diet fads that leave you with a lot of kooky ideas but not a penny in your pocket. Hey, if you’re tired of the lies and sick of the false promises, take a look at this—it’s the simplest, most straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. And it’s based on results, not pie-in-the-sky fantasies. With The The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness, you’ll be able to:

• Design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt—meaning cars, houses, everything
• Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths (these will kill you)
• Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement!”

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