From: mwk20@ccc.amdahl.com (Michael W Knowles)
Newsgroups: alt.recovery
Subject: How to Love Unconditionally
Date: 10 Nov 92 17:01:48 GMT
Reply-To: mwk20@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (Michael W Knowles)
Followup-To: alt.recovery
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

This was an assignment for me in the recovery center I went
to.  Turns out it was my own Rx, and it has helped me very
much.  I thought it might be of use to someone out there,
so here it is.  Feel free to redistribute it in any form,
provided you do so as is.

                       How to Love Unconditionally:
                           A Technical Manual
           (C) 1992 Michael Knowles.  All Rights Reserved.



1.  If you love yourself, review Step 2 then perform Step 3.

    Otherwise, perform Step 2 before it's too late.

2.  Learn to love yourself.  Perform the following steps until you 
    die, and NO SKIPPING!

    a.  Upon rising in the morning, look into a mirror and say,

           You are okay just the way you are.  I love you.

        Repeat 10 times.  Don't worry if at first you do not mean it.
        You'll catch on.  If you feel you cannot look yourself in the 
        mirror, surrender and do it anyway.  You've done crazier things
        before, haven't you?  Lighten up and don't worry -- you'll 
        catch on.

        If you are so stubborn that you still can't look at yourself,
        you have a lot of surrendering to do.  So do it -- where's the
        harm?

        If you believe that loving yourself is a bunch of hogwash, 
        then you REALLY need to perform this step.

        If you cry, perform this step 20 times.

    b.  Should you feel worthless, pitiful, lonely, or stupid at any
        time during the day, go back to Step 2a.  Oh, and ask someone 
        you trust for a hug.

    c.  Hug yourself.  If doing so seems unnatural, pick up the nearest 
        pillow or teddy bear, give it your name, and hug it until the 
        stuffing comes out.  If you cry, you're on the right track.  If 
        you don't cry, you're on the right track.

        If you are bashful or uncertain, do it alone.  Who's to know?  
        If you feel silly, you are.  Now you really need to hug yourself.

    d.  If you get hung up on things you want to change about yourself,
        go back and perform Steps 2a through 2c.  Because you're okay 
        just the way you are.

        Anyway, you won't have much luck working on personality defects
        unless you love yourself.  Defects are manifestations of unclear
        thinking brought about by not loving yourself.

    e.  Spend some time looking at anything in nature.  Observe its beauty.

        Reflection:  Whatever made that beautiful made you beautiful, too.

    f.  If you find yourself resisting, stop it.  Right now.  If you 
        continue to resist, you will die in pain and loneliness.

        If you like feeling pained and lonely, you are really hurting.  
        Repeat Step 2a.

        If you continue to resist, you are not making an effort.  What are
        you anyway, a rotten person?  If you think so, you are thinking 
        too much.  Repeat Step 2e until your resistance weakens.  Then go 
        back to Step 2a and start again.  Pass Go and collect some good 
        feelings.  It's okay to feel good -- no one but you has to know.

    g.  If you are angry, sad, frustrated, tired, bored, or irritated, 
        that's okay.  So long as you perform Steps 2a through 2f 
        relentlessly, you'll be just fine.

3.  You are ready to love now.  But if you've made it this far, you 
    already know what to do.  Just remember one thing:  ask for 
    nothing in return for your love.  Give it freely and often.
    Don't worry if others resist it or resent you for it.  After all,
    you're okay just the way you are.

    But never stop performing Step 2.  Just in case.


-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Knowles                 Won't that road twist you up
mwk20@amail.amdahl.com              like a rubber band?
408-746-3305

Standard disclaimer applies.  Bye Now...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: alt.recovery