NOTICE: I am NOT writing this review to suck up to my grandma. She bought the book, she is a representative and HR member of this organization. HOWEVER, I took the time to read this book after she shared her story of addiction with me.
ANYWAYS, let's get to business.
I thought Just For Today...
Was a surprisingly interesting book. Under each and every page, was a quote starting with "Just For Today..." my favorites being the ones on pages 202 and 203, speaking about things that truly hit home. For me, this book was like going on one of those self-care trips that privileged people with money and resources can do when they don't wanna work but can't retire. (No offense to y'all that do, just sayin'...)
Anyway, let's touch a bit more on the MAIN IDEA of the book.
Narcotics Anonymous' "Just For Today" is a great book ready to envelop anyone who needs to recover from their narcotics addiction. Ranging from meditations, inspirational quotes, coping mechanisms, planning methods, and their renowned self-reflection periods, this book is a showstopper for anyone looking to truly REFLECT.
The basic premise of the book is simple. It says that when we meditate we can begin to recover from our addictions. However, to achieve this, we must first begin to address the root of our problems. For example, when we are having a bad day, we may reach for our bottle of beer, and then may reach for another. We may be sick, so we reach for the prescription meds. Our "Just For Today" is the beer, the pills, or the cigarette. The problem is that this is what we have been reaching for a long time, and yet we still decide that, we can put it off for another day.
However, on page 108 the quote "I will imagine what my life would be like without my character defects..." allows the reader to get a perspective on what NA (Narcotics Anonymous)'s mission was, to help steer you from that addiction.
The book is divided into many sections. Each section focuses on a different aspect of recovery. There is a short section for each, which each include personal stories, AND, reflections from NA members themselves.
The first section talks about vigilance. It includes quotes about how the power of routinely checking up on yourself was expressed in each person's life and how it influenced them to be a better, and more consistent. person. (pg1~about pg30/32)
Another section is about the power of Self Acceptance. It includes an idea of what acceptance is, how the acceptance of personal accountability can be utilized, and what this can do for our minds.
This book was like, here's a coping mechanism, here's another, and another, with a side of a coping, and a dash of mechanism. Rapid-fire with so many different ways that they are here for you, but also, how you can be here for YOURSELF. You can tell that the entire point of this book was to give you time to reflect on yourself. There were a lot of NA mentioning themselves, but that was to just give you that sense of family and belonging that they had with one another. They wanted YOU to feel a connection to YOU! This is why there were so many ways for you to try something Just For Today.
Anyway, if you're me, and you psychoanalyze things when you're bored, pick this book up. If you need a self-care day,( or days, or weeks, or maybe a month (or two, I mean the book isn't long at all but...) pick this book up. It'll be a good read!