“A moment of clarity is all it takes for the divine purpose to be revealed. Twenty three years ago, I woke up in unfamiliar surroundings with no recollection of how I got there. I wandered outside into the sunlight and for a millisecond experienced a moment of clarity that I acted upon. That was the day I surrendered. I admitted I was powerless over addiction and asked for help. That is the day I became willing to listen. During that split second of space between the endless string of my connected thoughts, the grace of God entered my consciousness. The clarity of that moment has changed my world.”

Understanding the journey of Brian McAlister, author and CEO Full Recovery Wellness Center, begins with recognizing the power of transcendent experiences. Recently, we had the opportunity to learn from Brian how “little moments” can lead to major transformations in a person’s life.

Do you think moments of clarity are rare for people to have?

Not at all. We all have experienced such moments of clarity. They arrive as hunches, a gut feeling, or a good idea that pops into your head. It might be the arrival of someone into your life at just the right time, or that twinkle in someone’s eye when love comes to call. It's that sixth sense, deep premonition, or feeling of déjà vu that most of us have felt at some time. It is at this time that the universal consciousness is reaching out to us.

Did a moment of clarity lead you to write Full Recovery?

Yes. Both writing Full Recovery and then opening the Full Recovery Wellness Center.  It was in 2008, and I was alone in my home. The television news was spewing tales of impending doom, and the financial collapse of the economy was in full swing. I had a mountain of debt, my construction projects dried up, and in the middle of this realization I received a call that a business associate of mine had just died.

How did you react to the news?

I turned off the TV and pondered my life. I decided to relax and meditate. While I was in a state of mindful awareness, this question came to me: If, instead of your associate, it were you who had died today, what would you regret? What disappointments would you take into eternity? The answer was immediate:  I would regret not writing the book Full Recovery. I would regret not sharing a working truth that has allowed me to handle success and disappointment with the same sense of serenity that only understanding the truth could provide—that gratitude is stronger than fear.

How has a commitment to gratitude changed your life?

I have been given more than I will ever be able to repay. I have been saved from the hell of addiction. I have a beautiful wife and son. I have been allowed to experience material and spiritual abundance.

I also have been allowed to experience loss, and though sometimes challenging, it is also a gift for which I am grateful. Through gratitude, all the experiences that make up a life allow me to stay connected with the body of humanity. I am an individual; part of the whole. I can relate to my fellow men and women through the gift of compassion that develops from shared mutual experiences. Part of the shared human condition is experiencing loss.

How does feeling grateful help you deal with loss?

The pain is in the resistance. It is much easier to meet challenges with a hearty “yes” than to let my ego struggle against life forces that are beyond my control. My business can be an overwhelming success or it might collapse. A relationship may lead to marriage or it may dissolve. Of course, there are numerous possible outcomes for every situation. By accepting this truth, that life happens, as it will, I stop my controlling ego from assuming the position of the locus of power. I take the appropriate actions in my life as it unfolds and I leave the results to a power greater than myself. I embrace the fact that I am in control of but one thing—my own choices. I am the cause for the “effect ” the world has on me.

You make it sound easy. Is it really that simple?

To embrace this way of thinking requires a moment of clarity. It means responding to life with an enthusiastic “yes.” A moment of clarity that lets us know there are powers at work that are beyond our ego. They are working in our best interest and for the greater good of humanity.

I have experienced many moments of clarity.  What began as moments of clarity has become clarity of vision. A vision once narrowed by small ideas, addiction, and pettiness has grown into a broad view of the horizon and the unlimited possibilities of life.

What is the message of this vision?

That we are all kindred spirits. The ability to overcome life’s challenges is part of our birthright. Dare to reach your potential. Share your knowledge and wisdom and more will be reflected back to you. Believe in yourself and expect a bright future. Trust the power of prayer to free you from your self-imposed limitations. Pray for your demonstration. Listen for direction. Take action and live a full recovery.

Brian McAlister is a bestselling recovery author and CEO of the Full Recovery Wellness Center located at 333 Route 46 in Fairfield. For more information, call 973-244-0022 or visit FullRecoveryWellnessCenter.com.