Hi, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and Iâd like to welcome you to this weekâs Wisdom quote.  Iâll be reading today from my new book of Wisdom Quotes â âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Twoâ which is now available on Amazon.com and from my website.

Iâm offering a special on signed copies of this beautiful book when you place an order from my website right now.  You can now enter the coupon code â volumetwo â thatâs all one word â volumetwo -  during check out and youâll immediately save $2.00 per copy.

Remember, these books make wonderful gifts for those you know in and out of recovery, and now with this special coupon, they are just $12.95 for signed copies.  Make sure and order yours in time for Holiday delivery and you and yours will enjoy them throughout the year.

OK, now on to todayâs quote which is from this new volume of Wisdom Quotes and it is:

Give all your problems to God - He'll be up all night anyway!

When I first heard this saying I instantly thought of all the nights I used to lay in bed worrying, rehashing, or trying to solve all my problems. In fact, before recovery it was actually easier to sleep because I would use drugs or alcohol or even enmeshment with other people to help distract me. But when I entered the program, it seemed like it was just me and my problems - I didn't get a lot of sleep!

It took a long time for me to develop enough faith to turn my will and my life (and problems) over to my Higher Power. The idea of it sounded good, but it proved very difficult to do in practice. Oh I could turn it over in my morning meditation, but by noon I had usually taken it all back. And by night? Whew! It was just me and my problems again!

As I progressed in my recovery, I learned that the definition of faith is believing what you cannot see, and the reward of faith is seeing what you believe. Through faith and through developing a practice of turning situations, people and problems over to God, I've been rewarded with a life that is, for the most part, happy joyous and free.

And now when I go to sleep, I give all my problems to God because my faith tells me He will be up all night anyway!

Reflection Questions

Did I have problems getting to sleep in early recovery?

How did I deal with this?

Do I still lay in bed at night worrying about my problems?

How successful am I in turning my will and my life over to my Higher Power each morning?

What kind of a difference does this make for me?

Am I living a life that is happy, joyous and free?

I hope you have enjoyed todayâs Wisdom quote from the new book âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two.â  Once again, signed copies are available right now from my website for just $12.95 when you use the special coupon code â volumetwo.  I have copies in stock and ready to ship today.

Also, please keep sending me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I welcome quotes from all 12 Step program.  You can email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Until next week, enjoy the peace of your spiritual journey.

Hi, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and Iâd like to welcome you to this weekâs Wisdom quote.  Iâll be reading today from my new book of Wisdom Quotes â âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Twoâ which is now available on Amazon.com and from my website.

Iâm offering a special on signed copies of this beautiful book when you place an order from my website right now.  You can now enter the coupon code â volumetwo â thatâs all one word â volumetwo -  during check out and youâll immediately save $2.00 per copy.

Remember, these books make wonderful gifts for those you know in and out of recovery, and now with this special coupon, they are just $12.95 for signed copies.  Make sure and order yours in time for Holiday delivery and you and yours will enjoy them throughout the year.

OK, now on to todayâs quote which is from this new volume of Wisdom Quotes and it is:

If I'm not the problem, then there is no solution.

When I came into the program, I had a lot of problems and most of them were your fault. My girlfriend didn't understand me; my boss didn't appreciate me; the police didn't like it when I drove after just a few drinks (I was fine!), and on and on. If everyone would just get off my back, then Iâd be fine I thought.
 
When I began working my program, I was introduced to the 4th Step - made a searching and fearless moral inventory - and my sponsor showed me how to make a list of all the persons and institutions I resented. Finally I could put down on paper and document how I had been wronged. Perfect! I thought. But then he slipped in a fourth column called, "My Part", and told me to document my role in all my resentments and interactions.
 
Now that was a tough pill to swallow. With his help, though, and a willingness to be fearless and thorough, I was able to see that I HAD a part in them all. And what a gift that turned out to be. I discovered that if it was all your fault, and I certainly couldn't control or change you, then I would forever be a victim and nothing would change. But if I took responsibility for my part, which was something I could control and change, then I was released from the bondage of resentment and was finally free to live a new and better life.
 
Today I understand the wisdom in the quote: "If I'm not the problem, then there is no solution."

Reflection Questions

How much finger pointing did I do before recovery?

Did I ever take responsibility for my part back then?

What was my reaction to my first 4th step?

How hard was it for me to come up with my part?

Was I able to see how taking responsibility for my part was the shift that set me free?

Am I quick to see my part in situations today?

I hope you have enjoyed todayâs Wisdom quote from the new book âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two.â  Once again, signed copies are available right now from my website for just $12.95 when you use the special coupon code â volumetwo.  I have copies in stock and ready to ship today.

Also, please keep sending me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I welcome quotes from all 12 Step program.  You can email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Until next week, enjoy the peace of your spiritual journey.

Hi, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and Iâd like to welcome you to this weekâs Wisdom quote.  Iâll be reading today from my new book of Wisdom Quotes â The Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two, which is now available on Amazon.com and from my website.

Iâm offering a special on signed copies of this beautiful book when you place an order from my website right now.  You can now enter the coupon code â volumetwo â thatâs all one word â volumetwo -  during check out and youâll immediately save $2.00 per copy.

Remember, these books make wonderful gifts for those you know in and out of recovery, and now with this special coupon, they are just $12.95 for signed copies.  Make sure and order yours in time for Holiday delivery and you and yours will enjoy them throughout the year.

OK, now on to todayâs quote which is from this new volume of Wisdom Quotes and it is:

Keep the lesson, but throw away the experience.

Boy this quote gave me a jolt when I first heard it. For years I'd been so wrapped up in the drama of my life, I never stopped to look at what I could have learned from it. Events seemed to descend on me, each like the one before it, but because I wasn't learning the lessons, I didn't know I was destined to keep repeating the experiences.

When I was new in recovery, I used to complain to my sponsor all the time. "And then this happened to me, and she didn't do this, and they told me this..." and on and on. He would listen very patiently then ask, "And what is your part again?" After I'd figure out where I was at fault, I'd find the solution - and that always led to the lesson.

Today I don't have to keep reliving experiences, and I don't have to drag the past into the future either. Because of the 10th Step, each night I get to review the experiences of the day, look at my part, and discover and grow from the lesson. It's always there if I'm willing to be honest.

Today, I've learned to keep the lesson but throw away the experience.

Reflection Questions

How often does the drama in my life obscure the lesson?

Have I made the connection between having to repeat experiences until I learn their lessons?

How quick am I to look at my part?

Do I see how my part leads to the solutions and hence the lesson?

How often do I write a 10th step inventory?

Have I learned to keep the lesson but throw away the experience today?

I hope you have enjoyed todayâs Wisdom quote from the new book âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two.â  Once again, signed copies are available right now from my website for just $12.95 when you use the special coupon code â volumetwo.  I have copies in stock and ready to ship today.

Also, please keep sending me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I welcome quotes from all 12 Step program.  You can email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Until next week, enjoy the peace of your spiritual journey.

Hi, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and Iâd like to welcome you to this weekâs Wisdom quote.  Iâll be reading today from my new book of Wisdom Quotes â âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Twoâ which is now available on Amazon.com and from my website.

Iâm offering a special on signed copies of this beautiful book when you place an order from my website right now.  You can now enter the coupon code â volumetwo â thatâs all one word â volumetwo -  during check out and youâll immediately save $2.00 per copy.

Remember, these books make wonderful gifts for those you know in and out of recovery, and now with this special coupon, they are just $12.95 for signed copies.  Make sure and order yours in time for Holiday delivery and you and yours will enjoy them throughout the year.

OK, now on to todayâs quote which is from this new volume of Wisdom Quotes and it is:

Trying to understand God just makes His job harder.

I can't tell you how much time I've spent trying to figure out who or what God is. I've spent years trying to understand the Catholic God I was raised with, and more years trying to define God from a philosophical perspective, then years denying the whole idea of God by becoming an agnostic and even a part time atheist. It seemed the more I tried to understand God, the further away from Him I got.

Even in early recovery I tried to figure God out - this time through the 'open assignment' of defining a God of my own understanding. You can imagine how that went. I thought about, analyzed and tried once again to understand who or what God was. After a while I grew just as despondent and felt just as far away as before. And that's when I finally surrendered. 

Once I gave up trying to understand God and instead looked at the evidence of God's presence in my life, I began to develop a knowing that went beyond understanding. Suddenly I just knew that a force was working miracles in my life, that it was always available to me, and that it would never let me down. 

This knowing is what I now call faith, and now I understand why trying to figure God out just makes His job harder. 

Reflection Questions

How much time have I spent trying to figure God out?

How has this gone for me?

Did my experience change when I entered the program and worked steps two and three?

Have I given up trying to understand God yet?

What is my faith like today?

How would I describe a God of my understanding?

I hope you have enjoyed todayâs Wisdom quote from the new book âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two.â  Once again, signed copies are available right now from my website for just $12.95 when you use the special coupon code â volumetwo.  I have copies in stock and ready to ship today.

Also, please keep sending me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I welcome quotes from all 12 Step program.  You can email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Until next week, enjoy the peace of your spiritual journey.

Hi, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and Iâd like to welcome you to this weekâs Wisdom quote.  Iâll be reading today from my new book of Wisdom Quotes â The Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two which is now available on Amazon.com and from my website.

Iâm offering a special on signed copies of this beautiful book when you place an order from my website right now.  You can now enter the coupon code â volumetwo â thatâs all one word â volumetwo -  during check out and youâll immediately save $2.00 per copy.

Remember, these books make wonderful gifts for those you know in and out of recovery, and now with this special coupon, they are just $12.95 for signed copies.  Make sure and order yours in time for Holiday delivery and you and yours will enjoy them throughout the year.

OK, now on to todayâs quote which is from this new volume of Wisdom Quotes and it is:

Would you rather be right, or would you rather be happy?
 
Now that was a hard one to answer when I was new. In fact, my answer back then was, "But I was right! He/she/they were wrong! It has nothing to do with being happy!" How wrong I was. By clinging to my self-righteous pride and ego, I fought a lot of people and a lot of things to maintain my right to be right.
 
And I paid a steep price for this stubbornness. Living in opposition to a lot of people, places and institutions takes a lot of energy, and it constantly creates a lot of resentments. And resentments will kill me. In order to stay alive, I've had to learn to forget about who's right or wrong, and instead to focus on my part. Mine is the only part I can control, and if my side of the street is clean, then I become open to the only real solution to any situation: forgiveness, surrender and acceptance.
 
Today I know that while I rarely have the opportunity to be right, I always have the choice to be happy. By doing a 10th step each day and looking at and correcting my part, I get to forget about who is right, and I get to be happy and free instead.

And today I'd rather be happy than right. 

Reflection Questions

How did I feel about this question the first time I heard it?

Do I still righteously hold on to my right to be right?

What is my experience when I do this?

How often do I focus on my side of the street?

Do I now understand that I always have the choice to be happy?

Do I choose to right or happy today?

I hope you have enjoyed todayâs Wisdom quote from the new book âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two.â  Once again, signed copies are available right now from my website for just $12.95 when you use the special coupon code â volumetwo.  I have copies in stock and ready to ship today.

Also, please keep sending me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I welcome quotes from all 12 Step program.  You can email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Until next week, enjoy the peace of your spiritual journey.

Hi, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and Iâd like to welcome you to this weekâs Wisdom quote.  Iâll be reading today from my new book of Wisdom Quotes â The Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two, which is now available on Amazon.com and from my website.

Iâm offering a special on signed copies of this beautiful book when you place an order from my website right now.  You can now enter the coupon code â volumetwo â thatâs all one word â volumetwo -  during check out and youâll immediately save $2.00 per copy.

Remember, these books make wonderful gifts for those you know in and out of recovery, and now with this special coupon, they are just $12.95 for signed copies.  Make sure and order yours in time for Holiday delivery and you and yours will enjoy them throughout the year.

OK, now on to todayâs quote which is from this new volume of Wisdom Quotes and it is:

Listen for the similarities not the differences.
 
I was given this suggestion right before my first ever meeting, and not only did it allow me to pay closer attention, but it also helped me to identify and come to see how I fit in. I relied on this and kept listening for the similarities during other meetings, and each time I did I found pieces of myself and my story come out of the mouths of others.
 
Besides identifying with others in this way, I also began identifying with the different stages of recovery. Each time someone shared their experience of using the steps to meet life on life's terms, I could begin relating my own journey of recovery and this gave me hope and the strength to keep going.
 
Like many of the lessons I have learned in recovery, I now apply this one in all areas of my life. Listening for the similarities in others experience at work, at home, and in all my relationships has increased my empathy not only for others, but also for myself.

Today, I'm quick to see how my experience and life journey is similar to others and this helps keep me connected, humble and happy.

Reflection Questions

How often do I find myself listening for the differences rather than the similarities?

Can I see how I do this to judge others and build myself up?

How do I feel when I do this?

What is my experience like when I listen for the similarities instead?

Why donât I do this more often?

Am I willing to ask God to direct my thinking each morning?

I hope you have enjoyed todayâs Wisdom quote from the new book The Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two.  Once again, signed copies are available right now from my website for just $12.95 when you use the special coupon code â volumetwo.  I have copies in stock and ready to ship today.

Also, please keep sending me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I welcome quotes from all 12 Step program.  You can email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Until next week, enjoy the peace of your spiritual journey.

Hi, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and Iâd like to welcome you to this weekâs Wisdom quote.  By the way, my new book, The Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two is now available, and this weekâs quote is from this new volume of Wisdom quotes.  

I encourage you to visit my website, www.thewisdomoftherooms.com where you can get a signed copy of the book, or visit Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com.  With the holidays right around the corner, people tell me they make great gifts not only for yourself, but also for those you know in and out of recovery. 

OK, on to todayâs quote which is:

"When one door closes, another opens, but it's hell in the hallway."

Boy do we hate change. Before recovery I had few tools or healthy ways of dealing with change. If something ended in my life, it often felt like the end of my life. Once I entered the hallway, it was dark indeed.
 
As I worked through my program of recovery, I learned many valuable life lessons. The first was 'One day at a time.' Although seemingly simple, this reminds me that I can do anything just for today, and get through it if I keep my focus on today. The hallway doesn't look so long or so dark when I do this.
 
Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned is that "This, too, shall pass." No matter how bad things are, or what is happening, it too will pass and things will change. And with change will come new openings, new opportunities, and new beginnings.

Today, when one door closes, I have the tools to deal with the hallway while I wait and watch for the new doors to open.

Reflections Questions:

How do I feel about change today?

How do I currently deal with the hallway?

What tools do I use to keep myself focused on today?

When Iâm deep in the hallway, am I able to remember that this, too, will pass?

What experiences can I draw on to remind me that new doors do indeed open?

Do I now embrace change and recognize it as the force of renewal and release that it is?

Wisdom End

I hope you have enjoyed todayâs Wisdom quote from my new book of Wisdom Quotes: The Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two.  Once again, it is available right now from my website and Iâm offering $3.00 off if you want to get both volume one and two together.  I do hope youâll stop by and have a look.

Also, please keep sending me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I welcome quotes from all 12 Step programsâ just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Until next week, stay close to your Higher Power, and Iâll talk to you then. 

Wisdom 36: Many of us get to Heaven by backing away from Hell

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 36 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

 
"Many of us get to Heaven by backing away from Hell"
 
At a meeting the other day someone was going on and on about how he hated being an alcoholic. What a curse he kept saying, why couldn't he be like normal people? Someone else then shared about the extreme gratitude she felt being an alcoholic, and she said that if having alcoholism was the only way of finding and establishing a relationship with God, then she would have gladly chosen to be an alcoholic.
 
This made me think about my own journey and attitude about my disease. In the beginning, I, too, was resentful I had to work a program and attend meetings, and I could never understand when someone identified as a 'grateful alcoholic.' Grateful for what, I'd wonder.
 
Now that I'm sober a while though, I have come to understand and appreciate what the Big Book means about how our past becomes our greatest treasure. This has many implications, of course, but one is that if I hadn't been dying, and if alcoholism hadn't driven me to perdition, I may never have reached out for life, for the program and for God. It is indeed true that many of us get to heaven by backing away from hell. Today I know what it means to be a grateful alcoholic.

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

Wisdom 35: The degree of my anxiety is a measure of my distance from God.

Well, happy October everyone, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome you to this weekâs Wisdom Quote. 

I have some exciting news for you today â my new book of Wisdom Quote is at the printers right now, and it is available for order on my website.  This is a brand new volume of quotes and reflection questions, and itâs called, âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, A Year of Weekly Reflections, Volume Two,â and itâs truly wonderful.

The people who have already read it just love it, and if youâve been enjoying these Wisdom Quotes, then I encourage you to order your copies now.  They make great gifts for the holidays for people you know in and out of recovery. 

So visit my website, www.thewisdomoftherooms.com and you can read all about it. 

In fact, todayâs quote is from this new volume, and it is:

"The degree of my anxiety is a measure of my distance from God."

Before recovery, anxiety was the master of my life. Without a relationship with God, I faced life alone and was in constant fear of not getting my needs met or of losing something I had so desperately fought to get. The past was a constant source of regret and shame, and the future was filled with countless unknown dangers that would surely overwhelm me. All this made the present intolerable.

When I entered recovery, I brought my constant obsession with the past and future into the rooms with me. Thankfully my sponsor taught me about living one day at a time and showed me that was where I would find God - today, right here, right now. He told me that if I could get present, and so be in the presence of God, my anxiety would go away.

This was simple advice, but not so easy to do. The more I worked at practicing it, though, the more I found it to be true. Over the years Iâve found that the more I use the tools of the program â prayer and meditation, pausing and asking for Godâs guidance, and acknowledging in the moment that God is here â the more I find myself in the peace and serenity of Godâs presence.

Today I use the degree of my anxiety to measure my distance from God. 

Reflection Questions

What was my anxiety level like before recovery?

How would I define my relationship to God before recovery?

When I entered recovery, did my anxiety level go up or down?

How hard was it for me to be present?

Is it still hard for me to be present?

How do I feel when Iâm able to be in the presence of God?

I hope you have enjoyed todayâs Wisdom quote from my new book of Wisdom Quotes: The Wisdom of the Rooms, Volume Two.  Once again, it is available right now from my website.  I do hope youâll stop by and have a look.

Also, please keep sending me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I welcome quotes from all 12 Step programsâ just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Until next week, keep close to your Higher Power.  Iâll talk to you then. 

Wisdom 34: I learn to stop trying hard, and learn to try different

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 34 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

"I learn to stop trying hard, and learn to try different."

We alcoholics are a stubborn lot. When I entered the program, there was only one way to do something - my way. And if that didn't work I would just try harder. Bolstered by a seemingly limitless supply of self will, I was convinced that I could and would get something done. Exhausting though it may have been (for me and those around me) sometimes I even succeeded.

When I entered the program, I was told I needed to change my thinking and abandon my old ideas. While I changed some of them, I still thought that my will, my determination, and my way of doing and getting things would still work. I tried hard to let go, and when that didn't work, I tried harder. In recovery, though, my tolerance for pain isn't as high, and I feel the affects of trying hard much sooner, and more importantly, recovery began to show me that there might be another way.

When my sponsor first suggested that I pray about a problem or situation, and then turn it over to my Higher Power, I first thought, "Well that's not going to work. I've got to.." When I tried it I found that it did work, and over the years I've discovered many other ways of handling things. Now when I'm struggling with a problem or situation, I stop trying so hard, and I've learned to try different. And it works (when I work it).

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 33 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

 
"God is the answer, so now, what is the question?"
 
When I was new, I had a hard time with the God part of the program. "Higher Power" made it a little easier, and at first the group of drunks (G.O.D.) in the meetings were my Higher Power because they could do something I couldn't - stop drinking.
 
So in the beginning I became willing to turn that portion of my life over, but I held on to most of the other areas. I mean, "God wasn't paying my rent, was He?" I'd think. "I'm the one who has to make everything happen" was my early attitude. But this changed, slowly, as I saw that the more I turned over, the better things got.
 
Today I understand the wisdom of the third step, and prefer to turn all my will and life over to God. Without exception, any answer in my life that comes from God turns out to be the best for me and all involved. Now when I'm anxious or frightened or worried, I turn to God, and if I dwell there long enough I usually forget the reason why. God truly is the answer, so now, what was the question?

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

Wisdom 32: How do you know when you've hit bottom? When you stop digging.

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 32 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

 
"How do you know when you've hit bottom? When you stop digging."
 
For years I was driven by an obsession to drink. In the beginning I tried to control it, but after a while it had complete control of me. Alcoholism took me to a deep emotional, spiritual and physical bottom, and only when I surrendered to this program did I begin to recover.
 
In sobriety I've found that the obsessive thinking of this disease is still with me, and there have been other areas in which I've hit a bottom. In early recovery the obsessive thinking often took me down, and when I finally did let go there were usually deep claw marks in whatever it was that I was releasing.
 
One of the gifts of my recovery is that I've learned that I have the choice of when to stop digging. When my obsessive thinking starts, I now have tools I can use to be restored to sanity. By turning my thinking over to my Higher Power, sharing my thoughts in meetings, with my sponsor or others, I avoid the old bottoms and can live a much freer life. How do I know when I've hit bottom today? When I choose to stop digging!

 I hope you have enjoyed todayâs quote and once again Iâd like to thank you all for joining me.  Please encourage your friends to sign up for these quotes by going to my website.  By signing up theyâll receive a free Wisdom Quote each Monday morning.  As many of you know, itâs a wonderful way to begin the week. 

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

My recovery changed when I forever gave up the hope of having a different past.

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 31 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

 
My recovery changed when I forever gave up the hope of having a different past.
 
I have spent a lot of time thinking about my past. Alternately feeling sorry for myself or being outraged at the wrongs - real or
imagined - that were done to me, a constant theme in my thinking is how much different, better, happier I would be if only I hadn't had these parents, or stepparents, or those siblings, or on and on.
 
But it will never be different. My past will be my past always, and, good or bad, it is uniquely mine. When I got to the program I was taught that in recovery we stop fighting everybody and everything, in other words we surrender. One definition of surrender is to lay down our arms and join the winning side. By surrendering my old feelings about my past, I start to see it in a new light, and a new miracle has begun.
 
By working my program, I am able to make peace with my past, to look at my part and see the lessons and gifts it has to offer. In time, I come to see how valuable my experiences are, and how I can use them to help another. "One's deepest wounds, integrated, become our greatest power." Once I have healed my past, I begin to see how it can help heal another.

 I hope you have enjoyed todayâs quote and once again Iâd like to thank you all for joining me.  Please encourage your friends to sign up for these quotes by going to my website.  By signing up theyâll receive a free Wisdom Quote each Monday morning.  As many of you know, itâs a wonderful way to begin the week. 

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

Wisdom 30:  God, help me to go from where I am, to where I need to be, for who I am.

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 29 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

God, help me to go from where I am, to where I need to be, for who I am.
 
This is a beautiful 11th step prayer. Although compact and seemingly simple, it is one of the purest ways of working this step. In the first part, "God, help me to go from where I am," I am strengthening my conscious contact as I partner with my Higher Power and invite Him to guide me on my spiritual journey.
 
The second part, "to where I need to be," reveals the wisdom of this prayer as it shows that I have truly turned the result of my journey over to God. Like all great spiritual treatments, the power here comes from me getting out of the way - thus removing my limited thinking and self will - and allowing God's limitless power and infinite resources to do for me what I can't do for myself.
 
The last part, "for who I am" reinforces the power of faith. Trusting that God's ultimate knowledge and will for me will reveal my true purpose gives me the greatest gift of all - a real chance at the fulfillment, peace and happiness I seek.

 I hope you have enjoyed todayâs quote and once again Iâd like to thank you all for joining me.  Please encourage your friends to sign up for these quotes by going to my website.  By signing up theyâll receive a free Wisdom Quote each Monday morning.  As many of you know, itâs a wonderful way to begin the week. 

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

Did God introduce me to the program, or did the program introduce me to God?

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 29 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

Did God introduce me to the program, or did the program introduce me to God?
 
In the beginning of my recovery, I spent a lot of time resenting that I had to go to all these meetings and do all this work. "Why can't I just lead a normal life?" I cried. It took quite a while before I began to appreciate how fortunate I was to be on a spiritual path that led to a relationship with God, as I understand Him.
 
I now know that the greatest gift I've received in recovery has been my relationship with my Higher Power. The freedom, the serenity, the ability to finally live life on life's terms are all parts of the indescribable miracle that has come as the result of finding God through my 12 step program.
 
So now whenever I cry about being so different and about having to keep going to meetings, I ask myself, "If the program was the only way I would have found God, would I have chosen to be an alcoholic?" My answer is a resounding YES. I now know that it doesn't matter whether God introduced me to the program or if the program introduced me to God. All that is important is that I found Him.

 I hope you have enjoyed todayâs quote and once again Iâd like to thank you all for joining me.  Please encourage your friends to sign up for these quotes by going to my website.  By signing up theyâll receive a free Wisdom Quote each Monday morning.  As many of you know, itâs a wonderful way to begin the week. 

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

Let go of your old ideas - even the good ones

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 27 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

"Let go of your old ideas - even the good ones."
 
When I was new in recovery, my sponsor always used to ask me what my "back pocket" plans were. These were the plans and ideas I had that were so good I thought I didn't have to run them by him. Once I did though, I was amazed by how all of my thinking was screwed up - not just the parts that were obvious.
 
What I have come to learn in recovery is that my thinking has to change if I want to get better. All of the thoughts, ideas and plans I had before recovery (even my best thinking), could not get me well. "My best thinking got me into the rooms" is a quote that constantly reminds me of this.
 
For me, recovery means abandoning myself to this program and letting go of all of my old ideas - even the good ones. In fact today when I have a good idea it's a tip off that I'd better run it by someone. And when I do, I'm reminded that my thinking still isn't quite right. Thank God I don't have to do this alone!

ÂWhat were some of my âback pocketâ plans in early recovery?

ÂWhat are some of my current good ideas -- ideas so good I haven't yet told anyone about yet?

ÂWho do I regularly check in with and run my thinking by?  Have I done this lately?

ÂNow that I have some recovery and been restored to sanity around my addiction, can I see how my thinking is still affected by the disease?

ÂWhat old ideas do I have that I'm secretly holding on to?

What would take for me to become willing to let go of these?

Am I willing to pray for God to help me to be of service, and am I open to looking for these opportunities in my daily experience?

 I hope you have enjoyed todayâs quote and once again Iâd like to thank you all for joining me.  Please encourage your friends to sign up for these quotes by going to my website.  By signing up theyâll receive a free Wisdom Quote each Monday morning.  As many of you know, itâs a wonderful way to begin the week. 

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

What other people think of me is none of my business

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 27 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

"What other people think of me is none of my business."
 
How much of my time have I spent worrying about what other people think of me?  Too much is the short answer.  Before recovery in Al-Anon, I had no boundaries, no sense of self, and how I felt about myself and my life was largely determined by whether or not you approved.  With no internal awareness, other people's likes and dislikes, moods and opinions were the compass I used to direct my emotional life.  It was exhausting.
 
âPut down the magnifying glass and pick up the mirror.â  One of the most precious gifts I have been given in Al-Anon is the freedom and encouragement to discover and validate my feelings.  And this process began when I was taught to take the focus off of others and to look within for my own truth.  At first this was an unfamiliar and uncomfortable process, but it was the only path to the security, confidence and peace I have always craved. 
 
Today I know that my feelings are valid, and I've come to trust and rely on them.  I know that other people have their own thoughts and opinions and know they are valid for them as well.  But today there is a boundary between the two, and my sense of self is no longer linked to other people's approval.  Today I enjoy the freedom and empowerment that comes from having and respecting myself.

ÂHow much do other people's opinion of me influence how I feel about myself? 

ÂHow do I feel about my emotional boundaries today?

ÂHow much do I respect my own feelings and opinions today?

ÂDo I have ways of arriving at and validating my own truth?

ÂHow I define my sense of self today? 

ÂWhat ways do I have of building my self-esteem today?

Am I willing to pray for God to help me to be of service, and am I open to looking for these opportunities in my daily experience?

 I hope you have enjoyed todayâs quote and once again Iâd like to thank you all for joining me.  Please encourage your friends to sign up for these quotes by going to my website.  By signing up theyâll receive a free Wisdom Quote each Monday morning.  As many of you know, itâs a wonderful way to begin the week. 

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

You Have to Feel to Heal.

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 24 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

"You Have to Feel to Heal."

Before recovery, I would use just about anything not to feel.  Drugs, alcohol, relationships, food, TV -- the list was endless.  Without tools to deal with my feelings, I was uncomfortable and afraid of them, and they often became overwhelming.
 
In early recovery my sponsor always used to tell me that feelings were not facts.  They were just feelings.  It took me a long time to understand that, but now I know that as bad as some of my feeling are, they won't kill me.  Recovery has taught me that I can now sit with my feelings and learn what they are trying to teach me.
 
Today I have come to welcome my feelings rather than run from them.  Today my feelings are like little guides that lead me to the depths of who I am, and I am no longer afraid to go there.  Today I know that to feel is to heal in a sacred and profound way.  Today I am grateful for my feelings.

ÂWhat are the things I use to still run from my feelings?

ÂWhy am I afraid of them?

ÂWhat happens when I actually work through them and let God into that process?

ÂWhat is my experience when I share my feelings with others in recovery?

ÂWhat have my feelings taught me?

ÂWhat are some of the healthy ways I've developed for dealing with my feelings today?

Am I willing to pray for God to help me to be of service, and am I open to looking for these opportunities in my daily experience?

 I hope you have enjoyed todayâs quote and once again Iâd like to thank you all for joining me.  Please encourage your friends to sign up for these quotes by going to my website.  By signing up theyâll receive a free Wisdom Quote each Monday morning.  As many of you know, itâs a wonderful way to begin the week. 

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

The most spiritual thing you can do is to help someone.

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 24 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

"The most spiritual thing you can do is to help someone."
 
One of the most important things I've learned in the program is that whenever two alcoholics get together, God is present.  I feel the energy of God flow through me as I talk with, listen to and help another person.  It often takes contrary action for me to reach out, but I am always rewarded with a sense of peace and serenity as I connect with and help another.
 
It wasn't always like this.  Selfish and self-centered in the extreme, I crawled into the rooms emotionally bankrupt and in a state of perdition.  I dammed God's energy up inside me, and it almost destroyed me.  Even today I have to guard against my tendency to isolate and self obsess.
 
Indeed, one of the greatest lessons I've learned (and seemingly have to re-learn!) is that God's purpose, and so my purpose, is to be of service.  It is the way out of the prison of self, and it always sets both our spirits free.

ÂHow much do I tend to isolate rather than reach out to another?

ÂHow do I feel when I isolate and self obsess?

ÂDo I get relief and feel better when I reach out and help someone else?

ÂHow can I get in the habit of reaching out to others on a daily basis?

ÂWho can I call right now, today?

Am I willing to pray for God to help me to be of service, and am I open to looking for these opportunities in my daily experience?

 I hope you have enjoyed todayâs quote and once again Iâd like to thank you all for joining me.  Please encourage your friends to sign up for these quotes by going to my website.  By signing up theyâll receive a free Wisdom Quote each Monday morning.  As many of you know, itâs a wonderful way to begin the week. 

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!

Well hello, this is Michael Z with The wisdom of the rooms.com, and welcome to week 24 of the Weekly Wisdom Quotes. 

As you know, the wisdom of the rooms is dedicated to collecting and distributing some of the best 12-step quotes and saying that are heard in the rooms of recovery from around the world.  I believe that these sayings are part of our âcollective experienceâ as we work the spiritual program that is the 12-Step journey. 

Again, I want to thank all those of who have sent me testimonials for the upcoming Vol. II. Of the Wisdom of the Rooms, they are wonderful.  For those of you who are still thinking of sending me one, please do.  Just email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com

I want to thank you in advance for all your support, and Iâll be on the lookout for themâ

Today I will be sharing another new quote from the new Volume of the âThe Wisdom of the Rooms, The Second Year of Weekly Reflectionsâ, and the quote is:

When one door closes, another opens, but it's hell in the hallways.

Boy do we hate change. Before recovery I had few tools or healthy ways of dealing with change. If something ended in my life, it often felt like the end of my life. Once I entered the hallway, it was dark indeed.
 
As I worked through recovery, I learned many valuable life lessons. The first was 'One day at a time.' I still have to remind myself that I can do anything just for today, and get through it if I keep my focus on today. The hallway doesn't look so long or so dark when I do this.
 
Perhaps the biggest thing I learned is that "This, too, shall pass." No matter how bad things are, or what is happening, it too will pass and things will change. And with change will come new openings, new opportunities, and new beginnings.

Today, when one door closes, I have tools to deal with the hallways while I wait and watch for the new doors to open.

I hope you have enjoyed todayâs quote and once again Iâd like to thank you all for joining me.  Please encourage your friends to sign up for these quotes by going to my website.  By signing up theyâll receive a free Wisdom Quote each Monday morning.  As many of you know, itâs a wonderful way to begin the week. 

Also, please send me some of your favorite 12-Step quotes.  I needs quotes from all 12 Step programsâ Please email them to me at: MichaelZ@thewisdomoftherooms.com and please put the word wisdom in the subject line. 

Once again, thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed this weekâs Wisdom Quote.  I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast and please tell a friend. 

Once again, please send me your testimonials for the new Vol. Of Wisdom Quotes.  In the meantime, I look forward to next week and hope you will tune in again, and in the meantime, have a great week!