ABCs of Recovery

[majestyjo]

A is for Attitude.  What needs to be changed in my attitude.  It takes one to know one.  If I see it in another, there is a good chance it is a message that mine needs adjusted too.  The best way to change your attitude, is to go to a meeting.

As my NA Sponsor and spiritual adviser said many years ago, "If you have one hand in the hand of a newcomer and the other hand in the Hand of your Higher Power, you won't have any hands left to pick up.

[majestyjo]

B is for Best. All we can do is our best. We may fall short of our expectations, but it is best to put them aside, lower them, so your goals are attainable. Best doesn't mean better than others, best is our potential and our dreams and all we are ask to do is try.

[majestyjo]

C is for Call. Call your sponsor in good times and not so good times. Call a friend, invite them to a meeting. Call a newcomer and take them to a meeting. Call upon your God and He/She will see you through each day.

[majestyjo]

D is for Do. Do what you need to do for your own sobriety. Do what you need to find your own program, don't piggy back on someone elses, it might not work for you. What we share is our experience, strength and hope, but that doesn't mean it will work for you, take it under purusal and talk it over with your Higher power and then come to a decision as to what you need to take for your recovery and put the rest on the shelf, incase you need it later or you need to pass it onto another drunk or drug addict.

[majestyjo]

E is for Emotions. They can be overwhelming. We need to learn how to deal with them and not let them run our life. As they say, just because you have a feeling, you don't have to act on it. Easier said than done. We need to acknowledge the emotion, for me I have to look at where it came from. Yesterday I let an old tape get in my way from going to the hosital, which brought about fear and exhaustion. I argued with myself for a long time about going. As my spiritual advisor says, "If you don't know, then don't, when the time is right, you will know.

[majestyjo]

F is for Find. Fin a Higher Power of your own understanding. Find a program that works for you. It is a program of suggestions. Find yourself a home group, a sponsor, and a service job to do in your home group.

As it says in the Bible, "Seek and ye shall find." We can't find with a closed mind, tunnel vision, and rose-coloured glasses.

When you find it, don't just say thank you, show it!

[majestyjo]

G is for Go. Go to a meeting. If you need an attitude adjustment, go to a meeting. If you need to get out of Self, go to a meeting. If you don't want to go to a meeting, run don't walk to the nearest meeting.

Go to God for some Good Orderly Direction as to what you need in today.

[majestyjo]

H is for Honesty. Not just cash register honesty, but self-honesty. Where am I at in my recovery today? What defect of character do I need to work on today. What Step am I on and what Step(s) do I need to work on for my sobriety in today.

[majestyjo]

I is for Interest. The way I heard it was "Every time you go to a meeting, you make a deposit on your life insurance. I am so glad to have lived long enough to get dividends and compile some interest, one day at a time.

[majestyjo]

J is for Just for Today. Just one day's feelings, thoughts, actions, situations, etc. to deal with. Yesterday is the past, the future hasn't got here yet, so just be in the moment and enjoy today.

[majestyjo]

K is for Kind. Keep making healthy choices. Give to yourself what you give to others.

[majestyjo]

L is for Love. The people in the rooms loved me back to good health. Their love was unconditional and loved me for who I was in today,even when I couldn't love myself.

[majestyjo]

M is for Memories. Grateful for the memories of what EOR, use to be like and sad that people no longer come to the site.

Grateful for the remember whens of prior to recovery and the ones in early recovey, and so grateful that I don't have to go back there if I remember to not pick up that first drink. I need to get out of the ISMs of my disease, "I, Self, and Me," and think of others.

If you need me, I'll be there.

[majestyjo]

N is for Nice.  Play nice, remember you have the tools of recovery.  You are aiming toward spiritual perfection.  Have yourself a nice day.

Attachments:

[majestyjo]

O is for Overtime. I was living on borrowed time prior to recovery. Now thanks to recovery, I am living overtime. I have out lived all my relations, except for my aunt who lived to be 83. The program has given me a second chance at life. I didn't think I would live to be for, and here I am at 74. The mind is willing and the flesh is weak, but we get there one day at a time.

[majestyjo]

P is for Patience. I won't panic, I will pause, say the Serenity Prayer and wait on God's Time, instead of forcing things in my time.

[majestyjo]

Q is for Quiet. Listen for the quiet. Empty your mind and be still. That is when we can communicate with our Higher Power. How can I hear His voice over my internal chatter if I don't turn it off and be quiet.

[majestyjo]

R is for Rest. Don't rest on your laurels. Rest in the safety of your Higher Power's protection, and know that he will restore you to where you need to be. Allow Him to resolve your issues, and He will direct your path. Remember we are works in progress.

[majestyjo]

S is for Singleness of Purpose. To carry the message of recovery. You have to have it to give it away, so I need to top myself up and only give away the overflow. It isn't about what I get back when I give, but about giving away to maintain my sobriety.

According to Jamie Sams, the dear means to be gentle with yourself.

[majestyjo]

T is for Think. In Al-Anon, they have just one Think. Think before you open your mouth and question whether your words are honest, best left undsaid, and ask yourself, "How important is it?" In AA, it is Think, Think, Think. Give little thought to your past, don' project into the futute, and think in today. I like the slogan, "Hesitate and Meditate. Give thought to your day, ask for your God's Will for your day instead of taking your life back into your own hands.