Thought for today:
Who knows why we became so mysteriously compelled to be indebted to others? The source of our compulsion to debt may remain a mystery forever – but that’s not important. What is important what DA teaches us: that no matter what happens in our lives, there is never a need to choose unsecured debt.
A member shares:
“The first time I came into DA I had a quick fix mortgage refinance after a year, converting my unsecured debt into secured debt quickly. I thought that was all I needed, that I didn’t need DA anymore, because I was ‘all better’.
“But the compulsion to debt kept calling me, and I eventually stopped keeping my numbers. It was as if I needed to maintain fogginess about money, as if it was a hypnotic drug.
“I continued to refinance my mortgage every couple of years, until one day the bank stopped loaning me the money, which was a dreadful shock. What was I going to do without my annual ‘quick fix’?
“Having selectively forgotten everything DA taught me, I decided to use credit cards as my ‘Plan B’. The plastic was readily available and the bank encouraged it, so why not?
“I never gave a thought to what years of 20%+ interest would cost me and my family. This was the beginning of my long, miserable decline into inevitable compulsive debt. I thought I was going insane.
“Eventually I sold that house and returned to DA, with six figures of negative net worth. With my tail between my legs, I came back, and admitted I needed help.
“I now realize that I had to learn my lessons the hard way. It was better to learn slowly, and let the lesson seep in to every area of my life.
“Now, after seven years of solvency, I have the positive net worth I was looking for. It took a long time and I’m not totally out of debt yet, but I’m stable, and back in the black.
“I hope I never forget how DA saved my life. No matter what, I don’t have to debt.”
Growing beyond the compulsion to debt:
With slow growth in DA, we allow the roots of recovery grow deep enough to weather any storm. In this way, recovery will last a lifetime.
We can turn to the DA Tools to find the answers and ask for help. We can bookend with someone in recovery, and together, unravel what is compelling us to debt. Unsecured debt is never the answer, because it is as toxic to us as battery acid.
We can always use collateral to secure a debt if we have to. Or, we can choose to do without. If that is hard to do, we can reach out again for support and guidance on how to get through those feelings that we absolutely must have something. The feelings aren’t real, they are just feelings, and they will pass.
Honesty and humility will guide us to understand that we don’t need a “quick fix” or an expensive debt consolidation to be free today!
Ask:
Do I now see clearly that DA is the only true answer to an insane compulsion to debt?
Meditation for today:
Nothing can force us to debt. Neither deaths, nor job losses, births, promotions, successes, failures, holidays, holy days, weddings, funerals, graduations, or accidents can. Only our inner compulsion has that power, if we choose to forget all we have learned. No matter what happens in our lives we don’t have to debt or overspend one day at a time – today (and it’s always today).
Affirmations for today:
“I love myself. I am OK as I really am. I accept healing in my life.”
“I can support myself.”
“This day I will stay solvent, because I am restored to sanity.”
Recommended Reading:
Books from Alcoholics Anonymous:
For basic texts on recovery from addiction, check out the free version of the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous here. Also, read the free AA Twelve and Twelve. Hard copy or kindle versions are available by clicking on the book image below:
Here is a link to the basic text of Debtors Anonymous:
See our Fourth Step Template which helps us to take a fearless moral inventory.
Some members, with the help of their Pressure Relief Group, take a moratorium from debt payments in order to get their spending under control. See this Debt Moratorium sample letter to creditors for one example.
If you are new to this blog, check out our overview of the program of recovery from compulsive debting. If you like this post, please click one of the like/share buttons on the site. If you would like to receive daily “Thoughts for today”, enter your email and a username in the subscription form at the top of this page. Some links on this page bring you to other sites. Clicking a book title or image brings you to information about purchasing it. If you buy something it will help support this blog with a small commission – which does not add to your cost!
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