How do I get my thinking back on track?

These are my person’s ideas for achieving peace.

I spent my first ten years soberly chasing the squirrels running around in my head. Lucky for me, they went to sleep at night. Then the alarm would sound, and they came out again. I was worried about, number one, picking up a drink, number two, losing my job, and, down the list, the car breaking down on the way home. The list went on and on.

Somewhere around ten years sober, I still hadn’t picked up a drink, hadn’t lost my job, and the car was still running. The other thing that was still running was my mind.

One morning, at a meeting, I worked up the courage to ask for help. At the beginning of the meeting, the chair would ask if anyone had a topic for this morning. At first, I bit my lip and stayed quiet. Then I took a breath, and out it came. “I’m having trouble quieting my mind. It is constantly racing. Has anyone had that problem?” Well, wouldn’t you know, most of the room had at one time the same issue. I received several ways to solve my problem. If you have a minute, I will share some of them with you.

Bob was first and suggested staying in the present moment. He said, “You are here, safe, in the meeting while your problems are outside waiting for you. You don’t have to grab them when you leave. Stay in the present moment.”

Terry then jumped in with another great suggestion. “Stay in the solution. When you focus on your troubles, your troubles grow. If you focus on looking for a way to solve your problems, that is a positive thought, and it grows.

Old John stood up as he always did when he spoke. He had the best suggestion of all. He said, “We often forget one of the most powerful tools in the box. Because that one is in the box, I call it my Power Toolbox. Well, the one that works every time is our Serenity Prayer. It never lets me down, especially if I think of each of the three sections as a separate request. Accept the issue, whatever it is, as it is right now. I can’t fix anything that I haven’t accepted. Then I ask for help and move forward by changing my attitude from defeat to asking what lesson I need to learn. There is always a lesson in each challenge. When I do this, it is all positive, and my troubles fade away. Well, they may not all fade away, but a light will shine, lighting the path to take. It always takes work. God will do for you what you cannot do for yourself.”

Those three men were amazing. It was as if the Universe were speaking through them. When the meeting closed, we all shook hands, and they wished me luck. I didn’t think about my problems all the way home, but I pondered what they said.

Now, when I am having a difficult day of thinking, I remember what I was taught at that meeting. I never know when the message I need to hear will be presented. Now I pay attention at meetings and focus on each person’s message, no matter what the topic. I always have something to learn, and today the squirrels are living in someone else’s head. I hope that person can find their answer at a meeting as I did.