Be A Better Person

And so another year has come. If you have already fallen shy of the goals and commitments that you set for yourself when the year began, don’t be discouraged. The process of exchanging good habits for destructive old habits is, unfortunately, laborious. The good news is that you don’t have to wait for another year, or decade to roll around to have a fresh start. Taking some time before you go to bed each night to honestly review your actions can literally allow you a fresh start each day. This process invites you to live more truthfully instead of sleep walking in the autopilot of old habits.

It's not a new idea. One of the most successful systems for change in this generation has been The 12-Step Program, where addicts of one kind or another initiate change one step at a time in order to free themselves of harmful habits. A crucial step on the path of recovery is taking Evening Inventory, which consists of asking yourself a few soul searching questions at the close of each day. The intent of this step is to unburden yourself of the things that ultimately will keep you stuck in old habits and behaviors.

When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we have done better? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could pack into the stream of life? But we must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our usefulness to others. After making our review we ask God’s forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken. (Big Book, page 86)

Evening inventory has one objective: spiritual and emotional wholeness. It is on developing, through honesty and integrity, a better person from the inside out.

These MP3s from mythoughtcoach.com can be a great jump-start to freeing yourself of any harmful habits in your life. And they're free all month. Just click on the links below:

Evening Inventory
Serenity Prayer