Exchange to Ensure Change – I found out early on in my recovery that just merely not doing something gets me well. I went into treatment Feb 17th, 1986. I stopped drinking and using and thought everything was going to be perfect moving forward.
I had grown so tired of my addiction and I seemed to find a great group of understanding people who introduced me to AA and NA. I went to meetings, met many new friends and even heard “my story” once or twice.
I had a new beginning and I was very excited. With all of that, on April 20th of that year, I would relapse.
I ended up in a place referred to as Heroin Heights at the Rhett Butler Hotel on 15th and Fremont in Las Vegas.
I had grown empty all over again and needed to fill the hole. I stayed in that hotel room trying to recapture that feeling of being an “almost”. I was once again contemplating suicide, but on day five I decided “why not give AA one more try?”
I went back to the Alano Club and met up with my sponsor. My sponsor began to help me further understand that not drinking was not the key to sobriety. It was only the basic requirement. The key to sobriety was exchanging what I thought for how AA thinks. How sobriety works is what I now call an “Inside Out Approach to Wellness.”
I began to learn how to exchange everything I was giving up for something God was offering me through the 12 Steps of Recovery. Over 31 years later I am still exchanging the things I don’t want in my heart, mind and life for the things that God reveals to me. I want what He wants me in my life.
So, if you find yourself struggling and wondering why your life is not what or where you want it to be ask yourself this; Have I merely stopped drinking/using and left a void? The likely answer will be YES! If you are being honest and your answer is yes, then do what I was taught. Take what you don’t want to be and exchange it for one of the steps.
Whatever you do, understand it is not enough to merely stop doing something to change. I MUST exchange my old behavior, thoughts, friends and places for a new one that is consistent with recovery.
Now, go make a positive significant difference in the life of a least one person today.
Robert Pardon
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.
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