As I was going through some materials last week I ran across an email a friend had sent to me over a decade ago.  It contained a survival kit for everyday living from an unknown author and I believe it is worth sharing.  We so often rush through our day refusing to take a moment to consider the “ahs” that surround us.  Particularly within addictions where people tend to move away from their lives.  Addicts continue to go through life without any kind of safety net; not even a little survival kit.  Interesting, isn’t it, how we are willing to risk so much for so little?  People have this wonderful capacity to embrace life fully if they allow themselves to do so.  It is simple, really!  So we encourage you to start here with the survival kit for everyday living:

Items Needed and Why:

TOOTHPICK:  To remind you to pick out the good qualities in others.

RUBBER BAND:  To remind you to be flexible, things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out.

BAND AID:  To remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else’s.

PENCIL:  To remind you to list your blessings everyday.

ERASER:  To remind you that everyone makes mistakes and it is OK.

CHEWING GUM:  To remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything.

MINT:  To remind you that you are worth a mint.

CANDY KISS:  To remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday.

TEA BAG:  To remind you to relax daily and reflect on all the positive things in you life.

Once you have decided to “survive”, it is a short step to “thrive”.

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.”  –  Aristotle