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Post by Lin on Jun 11, 2007 4:35:21 GMT -5
A is for Addictions...we all have them. My family members were addicted to alcohol, but I was addicted to the alcoholics.
LIN
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Post by caressa on Jun 20, 2007 0:08:58 GMT -5
B is for Belief. I had to find a belief in a Higher Power. Through that HP, I was able to learn to believe in myself.
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Post by caressa on Jun 24, 2007 1:10:00 GMT -5
C is for Choice. I am given freedom of choice. It was very freeing to find that each day was a new beginning, and when I live in the moment, I was able to learn to make healthy choices and change old patterns and behaviors.
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Post by caressa on Jun 25, 2007 14:14:11 GMT -5
D is for Devotion. I must devote some time every morning to do meditation, read my literature and pray and ask for help just for today, to stay clean and sober. My meditaiton books have varied over the years. At the moment, I am using "The Language of Letting Go," "Courage to Change," and "In God's Care." I have bought three Just For Today books and have given them all to sponsees over the years.
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Post by caressa on Jun 28, 2007 14:36:39 GMT -5
E is for Everyone. Everyone can take a turn sharing here, it isn't always easy talking to myself. The addict in me likes the sound of my own voice too much. I can go back to living in the EGO (Easing God Out). I share because I care, I hope you do too.
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Post by Lin on Jun 29, 2007 7:37:23 GMT -5
F is for FELLOWSHIP. I find so much fellowship at y meetings...online as well as f2f.
LIN
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Post by caressa on Jul 1, 2007 17:20:38 GMT -5
G is for Gratitude. It is important to put some gratitude into my attitude. Not just say I am grateful, but to show it. One of the ways I like to show my gratitude is to share with others and give back what was given to me.
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Post by caressa on Jul 2, 2007 1:24:33 GMT -5
H is for Higher Power. I made to make sure this power was indeed Higher, I listened to my Lower Power for many years. One thing I knew for certain, it couldn't be me. When I got here I was feeling low as the low and my score card read zero as it says in AA literature.
I was raised with a religious God. Everyone told me who God was. I had to make my God personal. I went on a spiritual journey and found that everywhere I went, I found this power working in my life, doing for me what I couldn't do for myself. When I surrendered to this Higher Power, I was empowered to do what I needed to do for myself. This power raised me from the lowest of the low to an all time high.
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Post by caressa on Jul 3, 2007 6:48:34 GMT -5
I is for Institutions. They say if we don't find recovery, we will end up in jails, institutions and death. I was never in a jail prior to recovery, yet I was a prisoner of my own mind for many years. Since two years clean and sober, I have been going into jails to carry the message of recovery. At the moment, I do it for Al-Anon. I was in a treatment facility. It helped me in my recovery. A girl that was there at the same time was 27, and it was her 9th recovery house. In today, she is still out there using. The institution that caused me the most problems and were very abusive was that of marriage.
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Post by Lin on Jul 4, 2007 18:04:01 GMT -5
J is for JUST FOR TODAY.... today I can try my best to live my program.
LIN
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Post by caressa on Jul 5, 2007 1:34:20 GMT -5
K is for Knowledge. All the knowledge you can acquire can't keep you clean and sober if you don't follow it up with action.
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Post by caressa on Jul 6, 2007 20:26:14 GMT -5
L is for Love. Love of self, and self-care were difficult for me. I didn't even like myself. I was told to treat myself the way I treated others. Once a caretaker, always a caretaker. Once a caregiver, always a caregiver, unless I decide to make changes. My sponsor told me, it is okay to be a caretaker as long as you take care of yourself first. You fill yourself up and you only give away the overflow. groups.msn.com/TheTwoofUs/lightinmylife.msnwAs they say in Al-Anon, "You will come to love us as we have already come to love you." |
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Post by caressa on Jul 7, 2007 15:58:56 GMT -5
M is for Mother. It is difficult to define the line between good mother and good Al-Anon member. My son is always telling me, "It's your job Mom!" For many years, I believed it! Learning to say, "No" was not easy.
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Post by caressa on Jul 11, 2007 1:48:50 GMT -5
N is for Newcomer. It is important for me to be around them. They carry a great message, one I must never forget. Whether, new to the program or to a meeting, please make them welcome. I need them to keep coming.
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Post by caressa on Jul 12, 2007 2:13:14 GMT -5
O is for Openmindedness. My best thinking got me to the doors of recovery. I had to open my mind to new ideas and concepts and realize that my way didn't work. As they say, "What brought you here will take you back out if you don't look at it. I had to be open to the fact that I often made wrong and unhealthy choices.
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Post by caressa on Jul 20, 2007 14:51:28 GMT -5
P is for Progress. It was a gift to know that I didn't have to be perfect, that all I had to do was to aim toward it. I have indeed made progress over the years, but the more the fog lifted, the more I could see, how far from perfect I really was. My disease told me that I was the great "I" am, my attitude was, "I'm a leading authority on everything, just ask me," and my reality was, "I am far from perfect and need help."
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Post by caressa on Jul 21, 2007 8:20:32 GMT -5
Q is for Quality. Quality sobriety makes for serenity. Quanity doesn't always mean healthy sobriety. At certain times during recovery, we can become complacent, forget where we came from, stop going to meetings and not making a spiritual connection with others.
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Post by Lin on Jul 21, 2007 13:42:58 GMT -5
R is for REFLECTING...I often reflect on my actions and my choices and it help[s me make better ones the next time.
LIN
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Post by caressa on Jul 22, 2007 4:18:54 GMT -5
S is for Sobriety. My sponsor told me many years ago, that sobriety to him meant "soundness of mind." No matter what substance I use, I can loose this state of mind and lose my serenity.
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Post by caressa on Jul 23, 2007 19:53:53 GMT -5
T is for Trust. Trusting myself and others has been an ongoing process. I am grateful for the trust received through the program. Tonight I was nominated Assistant GSR of my group. I have also been trusted by Earthlings outside of the rooms of recovery as a result working the steps and healing, one day at a time.
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. I will be back looking for Lin and others.
Jun 20, 2021 7:32:46 GMT -5
. I will be back looking for Lin and others.
Jun 20, 2021 7:32:46 GMT -5