Came to believe a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
The Recovery Guy Blog
Goodby is Seldom Easy
This is a letter I wrote to share after the passing of my AA Sponsor and dear friend, Jack Fisher.
Guilt
The biggest challenge with guilt in recovery is that we hold onto it far too long. We often use guilt as a two by four to beat ourselves over the head with when we are looking for a reason to feel badly.
Baked into the Cake
Fortunately, baked into the cake a personal recovery is reconciliation.
Relapse is a Process Not an Event
The relapse process occurs in a series of steps and in the direction of a return to addictive or other self-destructive behavior. Along the way, there are opportunities to use new ways of thinking and acting to reverse the process, but we don’t implement them.
Addictive Disorders
I was in such a state of rebellious denial that I was far from admitting I had a problem and certainly not a problem as so seriously diagnosed. The fact that my depression or my addiction or the combination of the two did not kill me still baffles me to this day.
It All Matters
We have a saying in Al-Anon, “The family condition is bound to improve even if only one of its members is practicing the principles of recovery.”
All for One and One for All
A group of friends of mine and I went to the Los Angeles Coliseum and we saw this concert with about 100,000 people. As strange as it may seem, during this concert while I was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, I can remember feeling alone, and yet I knew I was amid 100,000 people.
Celebration
Before you and I came to recovery, it was not often or regularly that we had reason to celebrate. Even when we did, it was usually short-lived. After that, the reality of the direction our addiction was taking us brought us back to earth.
Hostage Taking
Even though I was 18 months sober I still had so much to learn and grow through. I tried to recognize and overcome my selfishness and self-centeredness.
Radically Accepting Powerlessness— Step 1
When we lose ourselves in trying to change someone else’s behavior, or manipulate circumstances, or obsess over fixing any particular situation, we will no longer have time for the things we can do to better any situation.
Nothing to Negotiate
One of the terms that is frequently used in various forms of recovery is the term “bottom “. A person who admits they are at the bottom would not seem to have anything left. If that person feels they do not have anything left than what lets them think they have a position to negotiate from. Negotiation is left to those who have something to offer.