Learn How A Prayer Used In Addiction Recovery Can Help You Too

In the rooms of recovery, the serenity prayer connects people to themselves and each other at the beginning and ending of a meeting.

However, the universality of the serenity prayer helps to provide a template for how to mindfully pause throughout the day.

There is a designated space for the serenity prayer while in recovery meetings, but ultimately, it can be recited and upheld in life too.

To begin implementing the serenity prayer; it is helpful to have the words. The short prayer is easy to memorize, and just when you think you may have forgotten, it can surface in the most difficult moments.

“God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference”

Even though the prayer calls on God, many people replace God with a word that feels most comfortable to them like; Universe, Higher Power, or Goddess. The point is not to get hung up on the details but to offer yourself the gift of pause in real time.

The prayer can help develop a built-in pause during moments when overwhelm floods your body.

Catching yourself before you say something you may regret, making a big decision for yourself or others, and quelling nerves before a presentation or public speaking engagement can all be worth a pause.

Once the serenity prayer becomes second nature, the pauses won’t feel so lonely. It won’t feel like everything is on your shoulders.

Inviting a pause also welcomes a power greater than yourself to help ease some of the tension. With a person’s willingness, these are moments where courage can lead to change.

The more willing we are to pause, the more we can accept that the need for pause won’t ever go away. There will always be things that cannot be controlled by a person.

Nothing external will ever make us happy in the long-run. Sometimes, outside circumstances can provide momentary comfort; however, change happens within ourselves and often takes courage.

It may be saying no when our people pleasing tendencies tell us to say yes. Or, it can be a leap of faith when our fear tells us no.

Without a pause, it is difficult to discern where the courage starts and ends within ourselves.