Robert is the Recovery Guy. Getting clean and sober on April 25, 1986 has given me the insight and practical skill set to not only stay sober, but to also re-invent myself to the person I always wanted to become. Showing others how to do this is my life goal.
My restoration to sanity was my mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical transformation from that mindset. Today I know what to expect when I do certain things. I know what to expect if I behave negatively and I know what to expect when I behave positively. My silver bullet is the answer to all my concerns.
In simple terms, obsessive compulsive disorder is a disorder in which people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations/ obsessions that make them feel driven to do something repetitively and compulsively. OCD is common, chronic and a long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts/ obsessions and or behaviors/ compulsions that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over. This defined me perfectly. It was my trap that I thought I was going to die in.
The greatest gift that my recovery has given me is the Promises. I needed to know that the work I was expected to do for my recovery would revolutionize my life. These are the promises as listed in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The importance of becoming grateful is far greater than most of us can appreciate especially when we are new to or resisting recovery. In the beginning, we are often too angry, frustrated, or confused to recognize how vital gratitude is in our lives.
Whether you agree with the Big Book or not, I believe you will agree with the principles as they are laid out. The word recover, recovered, and recovery are used throughout the book.
Without faith, we would never become who we are designed to become. Faith is fuel to the power that we will need to breakthrough our negative lifestyle into a life of victory and personal accomplishment. One of the things that I have found in my personal journey, is my personal faith serves to encourage others.
When it comes to the plan of recovery and most specifically the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, they are divided into three categories. The first category is me, the second being God and the third category being others. Once we solve and reconcile these three areas, we are on the road to recovery. Everything in our life, both important and non-important, will stem from me, God, and others. If I fail to address any of these with a sense of urgency and completeness.
There is a well-known phrase that reads “Absolute Power, Corrupts Absolutely.” This quote is attributed to Lord Acton. It is stated that John Edward Acton, the first baron, has expressed this opinion in his letter written to Bishop Mandell. The letter was written in 1887. The original statement reads; “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” However, it is stated that Lord Acton is not the primary originator of this quotation.
English politician, William Pitt the Elder, Earl of Chatham and former Prime Minister of England from 1766-1778. He is stated to have said in the parliament that “Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it”, which is where we get, “absolute power corrupts absolutely”. As we dive into today’s podcast let’s look at what absolute means.
It is hard to have a positive assertion or a personal affirmation when we are inundated with so much negativity.
In this podcast, Robert lends a glimpse into his 35 plus years of personal recovery. Robert shares his journey from childhood to what it’s like today. He all talks about his relapse and fortunate return to the rooms of AA. Please listen, subscribe, and share.
Once I then add the spiritual as an essential influence to my view of me things begin to become even more distorted. Since the spiritual is intangible and therefore can’t see it, the likelihood of that perspective overriding the other three is near impossible.
As a Person of Recovery and a former obese person I understood how neglecting my body can cause such great present and even future damage. The emotional dimension is often based on who I see in the mirror.