It’s only a matter of time before I have to work closely with someone I don’t especially like. Maybe they wear their belief system on their sleeve, and I don’t share it. Maybe they’re just not very nice. Whatever they’re doing, I don’t enjoy spending so much of the day with them.

In recovery, we often hear things like, “If I am disturbed, the problem lies in me.” This thought can help me move through difficult situations by focusing on the things in myself that need my attention–things I might never have noticed if I hadn’t met this difficult person.

Today, I won’t attempt to do this alone. I will use a recovery tool with someone else, maybe doing a Fourth Step with a sponsor. I will practice gratitude for the opportunity to look more deeply at myself, and practice “principles above personalities” for the times I don’t feel so grateful.