blueprint for living Archives

Reflections in the Mirror - You and Yourself

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July 13, 2010

Are you doing the same old thing expecting a different outcome?

The first time I heard that the definition of insanity was repeating the same behavior, over and over again, expecting different results; I knew my name had been called. I simply had never known I could make an entirely new choice in how I interpreted what others were doing or saying. Nor did I understand that I could choose a decidedly different response to the data presented to me. My learning curve was steep, I must say. How lucky I feel that my journey was to include the 12 step path. It's nice to be able to acknowledge that I have grown with the help[...]

Karen's Musings

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July 10, 2010

Marking the 75th Anniversary. . .

I just returned Tuesday night from the 75th AA International Convention in San Antonio, thus my absence from the blog site. It was a wet, very humid event but filled with great talks, lots of encounters with friends, new and old, and for me, 9 hours of greeting friends and signing books at the Hazelden site in "tent city." I was overwhelmed, again and again, by the wonderful conversations with friends and new acquaintances. San Antonio is a lovely city. The Riverwalk is bordered by great restaurants and every thing was in easy walking distance, once you got[...]

What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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May 1, 2010

Fear can stop us from all growth. . .

The first three decades of my life, fear dogged me constantly because I was always trying to be what I imagined some one else wanted me to be. Or the converse; rebelling against the expectations of others. The love I sought felt conditional so my behavior was always a reaction to some one. Letting others define us, or determine our thoughts or behavior in any situation, never results in a life free of fear. Unfortunately, this had become my well practiced habit from childhood on, but in 1971, while teaching a writing class at the University of Minnesota, I[...]

What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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April 21, 2010

There are two voices calling to us all the time. . .

I became "a student" of A Course in Miracles more than twenty-five years ago. Along with the twelve steps, which I laid claim to in 1975, my life is quite peacefully guided every moment of the day if I adhere to the principles each offers as the blueprint for contentment. Alas, if only I'd adhere to the principles. They are quite simple, really. Live and let live. One day at a time. Let go and let God. Seek forgiveness for the times we have injured others. Pray and meditate as if our lives depended on it. Claim our powerlessness over others and b[...]

Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community

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February 9, 2010

The count down has begun. . .

I go into the hospital for hip replacement surgery February 11th. My gait gives it away to onlookers. I have been hobbling for some time now. It began with a simple pain that worsened into a constant ache. It's reminiscent of my condition about a decade ago. It was my left hip then. The only time it didn't hurt was when I rode my Harley. No Harley these days and the ache is nonstop. I had thought I could postpone this surgery until December. I have workshops already committed to and didn't want any interruptions. But my body called and fortunate[...]

Reflections in the Mirror - You and Yourself

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January 20, 2010

Not being overly attached to others is a sign of growth. . .

Detachment is taking responsibility for our own life. Not blaming others for anything that has happened to us in this life is the mark of spiritual maturity. It’s also a goal that most of us have to spend years striving to attain. It’s not unusual to want to make others responsible for our failures or for our insufficiencies. Being told that the circumstances of our birth, the unloving parent or spouse, or the inability to master the educational system can’t be blamed aren’t easy pills for us to swallow. But until we say to ourselves and others, “I am[...]

Your Experience, Strength and Hope

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December 12, 2009

Simple things we can do to become more hopeful. Now. . .

1. Ask God for help. 2. Let go! 3. Surrender. 4. Do one thing to inspire joy in some one else’s life each day. And make a note of this in a small note book. 5. Choose kindness with every response and feel it change your heart. 6, When feeling hopeless, choose a fond memory to change your perception. 7. Make a gratitude list to help you recall the good that has already happened. 8. Praying for others will change our hearts. 9. Peaceful acts create more hope in us and the world. 10. Using a gentle voice, always, can create more hope in us and others too[...]

Your Experience, Strength and Hope

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November 26, 2009

My gratitude is overflowing. . .

I woke up this morning so happy to be alive and so grateful that I have been given, through my books and personal interactions at workshops and lectures, millions of opportunities to connect with all of you. In 1974 when I first entered a 12 Step room in Minneapolis, MN, I was terrified and hopeless. I couldn't fathom that I'd ever feel the way all of you looked that night. The laughter didn't penetrate, at first. I was convinced there was nothing to laugh about. But the message to come back got through to me. And I have been coming back ever since. A[...]

Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community

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November 25, 2009

Deciding to be grateful can change the tenor of every moment. . .

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day but I feel a strong sense of gratitude every day of my life. I have recently started another 4th Step inventory, recalling fond memories from my childhood. The less fond ones don't need my attention any more. But I do think each memory, those painful ones as well as the happier ones, have served a very important role in my life and for all of them I now practice gratitude. Who ever we are today is a composite of the entire drama of our lives. And I like who I have become. Being able to say this is very important I think. A[...]

Your Experience, Strength and Hope

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October 19, 2009

Getting back to basics. . .

I just returned from a wonderful week end retreat in Nags Head, North Carolina, with 160 fabulous women. I led the group through a series of presentations on a journey for creating more hope in our lives. And true to form, my own level of hope for making the changes, creating the possibilities for further enlightenment that I desire, materialized. What we give away does come back to us, ten-fold. And what we share with others we generally need to be reminded of ourselves. This is an axiom that has rung true in my life ever since introduced to it in the room[...]