We are worthy - YOU are worthy of a fantastic life.

It’s not always easy to believe that.
Most of us have done things that we are ashamed of.

Our shame can keep us in the cycle…
We cannot undo what we have done…but in order to move forward, we must find a way to rid ourselves of the shame.

Confession and restitution….making amends.

It is not always possible to make amends directly to the individuals we have harmed.

I heard a speaker, who spoke of some waitress that he was really ugly to….or maybe just waitresses in general….and…once in recovery…since there was no way that he’d be able to locate the individuals that he’d harmed…soooooo…..in order to make amends for prior behavior…this guy became the biggest tipper…he would never ever complain to a waitress…about ANYTHING, EVER….

And he was able to forgive himself.

That is the opposite of shame…forgiveness.

Identify the things we are ashamed of…make a list (another writing exercise)….I still come up with something new from time to time…things that I’ve done long ago…but just now recall…and I add them to my list….and then I think of things that I can do…to rectify them.

For instance….one of mine….My children don’t know about my gambling addiction…well…I imagine they DO know..but we do not discuss it.

When they were young…they waited on me often. I was always late picking them up. When they were at karate…all of the other moms would sit there and watch their kiddos for an hour…I would leave…to gamble.

I was never back before they finished up….that was for EVERYTHING…when I picked them up from school, from a party, from a sleepover…ANYTHING…I was late.

Today, my children do not wait.
Today, I will move mountains to be sure that *I* am the one waiting on *them*.
I have, on occasion, been held up, due to circumstances beyond my control…and…a part of me would want to get upset about it…about making them wait..but then…I try to calm myself down…I try to relax…and know that…all I can do is the best I can do…and…while I can still recall visions of those little guys…noses pressed up against a glass door…looking for their mommy…and while that STILL saddens me…I know that I am a better mom because of it….and today…I am doing the right thing….and I know…

I know..that regardless of what I have done in the past
TODAY I am doing the right thing
And I am worthy of a fantastic life.
You are too.

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"Forgiveness is not an emotion, it's a decision."-- Randall Worley