Compiled most likely at the time of the Lake Tahoe meetings, USA with Frank Buchman and his team in 1940.
Most likely an adaptation of a famous set of inspirational guidelines written by Sibyl F. Partridge around the 1920s. Originally a pocket card, it gained massive popularity across the US in the 1940s and was widely adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous as a daily tool for recovery. The original text, sometimes called the "Just for Today" poem or creed, encourages readers to live life one day at a time without obsessing over the past or worrying about the future.
The text asks the reader to focus on the present moment and follow these foundational guidelines:
"Adapt to the present: “Just for today I will try to live through this day only and not tackle my whole life problem at once.
”Improve attitude: “Just for today I will be happy. Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.
”Self-acceptance: “Just for today I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust all things to my own desires.
”Personal growth: “Just for today I will have a quiet half hour to myself and relax. In this half hour sometime I will try to get a better perspective of my life.
”Its Legacy in Recovery" - Though not originally written for addiction recovery, the philosophy of taking life "just for today" became one of the most foundational slogans in the 12-step movement. It allowed people struggling with alcoholism to break down an overwhelming lifelong challenge into manageable, bite-sized, 24-hour periods.
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