New Year's Living "Just for Today:" Intention With Serenity Prayer

Start the New Year with the intention to live "just for today." This short meditation and centering prayer teaches us to begin to focus on the present, with each day of the coming year. It reminds us that serenity is within our reach by accepting what is within our control, neither focusing on that which we regret in the past, nor that which we are anticipating in the future.

Transcript

Welcome to another guided meditation in the 12 step tradition.

Today we'll be taking time to set our intentions for 2019.

Our intention to live just for today.

Let's take a moment to focus on our breath.

Straight back,

Hands gently resting in our lap.

Eyes closed or gaze focused on something simple,

Nature or an object around us.

Can't help but have a good meditation.

Your intention to have a meditation to dedicate time to yourself just in doing so serves others,

Brings about more peace and serenity in the world around you.

So let's begin.

Yesterday is gone forever.

Tomorrow may never come,

But today is yours.

So use it.

Serenity prayer.

God,

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.

Other people,

Places,

Things and situations.

Basically anything outside of myself.

The courage to change things that I can.

My attitude,

My actions,

My willingness and the wisdom to know the difference.

Today,

I'll try to live through this day only.

Not tackle my whole life problem at once.

I can do something for 12 hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for today,

I'll be happy.

This assumes to be true at Abraham Lincoln said that most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.

Just for today,

I'll adjust myself to what is,

Not try to adjust everything to my own desires.

I'll take my luck as it comes and fit myself to it.

Just for today,

I'll try to strengthen my mind.

I'll study.

I'll learn something useful.

I will not be a mental loafer.

I'll read something that requires effort,

Thought and concentration.

Just for today,

I'll exercise my soul in three ways.

I'll do someone a good turn,

Not get found out.

I'll do at least two things I don't want to do,

Just for exercise.

I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt.

They may be hurt,

But today I will not show it.

Just for today,

I will have a program.

I may not follow it exactly,

But I'll have it.

I'll save myself from two paths,

Hurry and indecision.

Just for today,

I'll take a quiet half hour,

All by myself to relax.

During this half hour,

Sometime I'll try to get a better perspective on my life.

Just for today,

I'll be unafraid.

Especially,

I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful,

To believe that as I give to the world,

So the world gives back to me.

Just for today,

I'll be agreeable.

I will look as well as I can,

Dress becomingly,

Talk low,

Act courteously,

Criticize not one bit,

Not find fault with anything,

Not try to improve or regulate anybody except myself.

As we begin 2019,

Let us remember that there are two days in every week about which we should not worry.

Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these is yesterday,

With all its mistakes and cares and faults and wonders and aches and pains.

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.

We cannot undo a single act that was performed,

Nor erase a single word we said.

Yesterday is gone,

But on the other hand,

Tomorrow is the other day we shall not worry about.

With all its possibilities,

For adversities or burdens,

Or great promises,

Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise,

Either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds,

But it will rise,

And until it does,

We have no stake in tomorrow,

For it is yet unborn.

This leaves only today.

Anyone can fight the battle for just one day.

It's only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities of yesterday and tomorrow that we will break down.

It's not the experience of today that drives people mad or remorse for something that happened,

Dread for tomorrow.

It's not living in today.

Let us therefore live,

But one day at a time,

Through all our tomorrows.

May you have a blessed and peaceful start to the new year.

Reviews

Just what I needed, just for this day. Thank you 🙏

Once again it’s a beautiful meditation on the twelve steps tradition

Thank you for the time, attention and care that went into this helpful grounding meditation 🧘🏻‍♀️ 🙏🏼✨💗

A wonderful meditation for any day or any year. Thank you.

A nice spinning a traditional prayer

🙏🏾🙏🙏🏻🕊🛐

I needed that reminder of just for today. Thank you

Such wisdom 😌🙏 I will listen to this often. Love the serenity prayer and intention of taking things one day at a time. My psychiatrist sent me this after I spoke about difficulty staying in the present due to constant urge to plan/figure everything out days/weeks in advance.

Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou for your wonderful meditation on Just for Today May God bless you and keep you always Love and Blessings xxx 💖

I really found this so helpful, thank you. 🙏

I am very grateful for finding this meditation today! Thank you. 🌺🌸 I am just finding this meditation at the end of 2019. Please do not delete it—it is just what I need to use every day in my life right now.

Liked the serenity prayer. Thanks

Your pacing was spot-on, voice, lovely and clear. Thank you.

Very nicely done. Thank You

Great! I finally really heard the meaning in the serenity prayer. ❤️

Hi! Really enjoyed this intention setting. Where is this from? Is it on the big book?

This was very helpful. Thank you.

I really love this and I will come back to it

So sincere.. beautiful

Amen. So be it.