DR – Jan 19, 2017

On By mikeykjrIn Alcoholics Anonymous

Daily Recovery Readings
January 19, 2017

Daily Reflection

ROUND-THE-CLOCK FAITH

Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day in and through us, or we perish.
— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 16

The essence of my spirituality, and my sobriety, rests on a round-the-clock faith in a Higher Power. I need to remember and rely on the God of my understanding as I pursue all of my daily activities. How comforting for me is the concept that God works in and through people. As I pause in my day, do I recall specific concrete examples of God’s presence? Am I amazed and uplifted by the number of times this power is evident? I am overwhelmed with gratitude for my God’s presence in my life of recovery. Without this omnipotent force in my every activity, I would again fall into the depths of my disease—and death.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“We think it no concern of ours what religious bodies our members identify themselves with as individuals. This should be an entirely personal affair which each one decides for himself in the light of past associations, or his present choice.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 2

Keep It Simple

Study sickness when you are well.—Thomas Fuller

Now is the time to learn about our sickness–chemical dependency. It is a chronic illness. That means it never goes away. We have to live with it the best we can. Luckily, we can live with it–very well! Our program of recovery is so simple, and it feels so good, that we think we’ll never give it up. But we can’t take our recovery for granted. Our disease is “cunning, baffling, and powerful.” The more we know about it, the less we’ll let it fool us. Some days we may find we’re headed toward a slip. We must learn to recognize the first trouble signs in ourselves so we can get help to stay sober.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, my addiction is “cunning, baffling, and powerful.” Don’t let me use alcohol or others drugs again. Thank you for my sobriety today.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll learn my warning signs: I’ll list ten old thoughts, feelings, and actions that were part of my illness. I’ll share this with my sponsor.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You will know if you recently overstepped your bounds by the severity of challenges you face today. An industrious Mars-Saturn square demands your immediate attention as it stresses your 6th House of Logistics. If difficult driving conditions require you to apply the brakes, do so willingly before anyone asks twice. Your resentment will show if you respond reluctantly and others will be even less supportive of your efforts. Sharing your ideas of success might arouse resistance but all that truly matters is your level of commitment.

DR – Jan 18, 2017

On By mikeykjrIn Alcoholics Anonymous

Daily Recovery Readings
January 18, 2017

Daily Reflection

WOULD A DRINK HELP?

By going back in our own drinking histories, we could show that years before we realized it we were out of control, that our drinking even then was no mere habit, that it was indeed the beginning of a fatal progression.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 23

When I was still drinking, I couldn’t respond to any of life’s situations the way other, more healthy, people could. The smallest incident triggered a state of mind that believed I had to have a drink to numb my feelings. But the numbing did not improve the situation, so I sought further escape in the bottle. Today I must be aware of my alcoholism. I cannot afford to believe that I have gained control of my drinking — or again I will think I have gained control of my life. Such a feeling of control is fatal to my recovery.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“We have seen the truth demonstrated again and again: ‘Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.’ Commencing to drink after a period of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever.” 
~~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 33

Keep It Simple

The reality is that changes are coming….they must come. You must share in bring them.
–John Hersey

Change. It’s scary. It’s hard. It’s needed. Sometimes it feels bad. But one thing is for sure: it keeps on happening. Just when our life seems settled, it changes. We can’t stop life. We can’t stay this age forever. The world changes. Life moves on. There are always new things to do and learn. Changes means we’re always beginners in some ways. We need to ask for wisdom and courage. We get it by listening, by praying, by meditating. When we ask, our Higher Power will teach us to be part of good changes.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me believe that Your plans call for good changes.

Action for the Day:
Today I’ll think about the changes in my life. I’ve lived through a lot. I’ll be okay when more changes come, with God’s help. I can keep on growing.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You may rush ahead and take unnecessary risks today, but impulsive actions only remind you that you do better when you consider your words and actions first. Warrior Mars rams into a clunky alignment with bombastic Jupiter, possibly inciting an argument or leading you in the wrong direction. It might not be easy to manage your intensity now, yet limiting the scope of your endeavors and tempering your language allow you to apply your passions more productively. George Lucas teaches, “Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”

DR – Jan 17, 2017

On By mikeykjrIn Alcoholics Anonymous

Daily Recovery Readings
January 17, 2017

Daily Reflection

HAPPINESS COMES QUIETLY

“The trouble with us alcoholics was this: We demanded that the world give us happiness and peace of mind in just the particular order we wanted to get it-by the alcohol route. And we weren’t successful. But when we take time to find out some of the spiritual laws, and familiarize ourselves with them, and put them into practice, then we do get happiness and peace of mind. . . . There seem to be some rules that we have to follow, but happiness and peace of mind are always here, open and free to anyone.”
— DR. BOB AND THE GOOD OLDTIMERS, p. 308

The simplicity of the A.A. program teaches me that happiness isn’t something I can “demand.” It comes upon me quietly, while I serve others. In offering my hand to the newcomer or to someone who has relapsed, I find that my own sobriety has been recharged with indescribable gratitude and happiness.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while.” ~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66

Keep It Simple

When all else fails, read the instructions. ~Agnes Allen

The instructions for recovery are in our Twelve Step program. Yet, there are times when we feel our program isn’t working. at these times, we need to read the instructions. Have you followed the “instructions,” the wise words are found in The Big Book, The Twelve and Twelve, and other recovery literature? When we do, we recover. It’s hard at times, and easy at others. Our problems go deeper than just staying sober. No matter what our problems, our program can help us start fixing them, if we follow the instructions. Don’t use alcohol or other drugs. Go to meeting. Talk often with sponsors and program friends. Work the Steps. Think. Easy Does It. First Things First. Listen. Let Go and Let God. One Day at a Time.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, tell me which instructions to read today. If I’m headed for trouble, help me out.

Today’s Action:
I’ll read the instructions today.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You’re not very interested in going out to change the world today. In fact, if you had your druthers, you would have the world come to you. However, you might end up feeling isolated if you sink deeper into your emotional safety zone. But don’t waste this opportunity to reflect on your personal life or even look back over larger reaches of family history. What you discover while exploring these inner worlds is magically projected onto the outer realms. Lao Tzu wrote, “Knowing others is wisdom; knowing yourself is enlightenment.”

DR – Jan 16, 2017

On By mikeykjrIn Daily Recovery Readings

Daily Recovery Readings
January 16, 2017

Daily Reflection

HITTING BOTTOM

Why all this insistence that every A.A. must hit bottom first? The answer is that few people will sincerely try to practice the A.A. program unless they have hit bottom. For practicing A.A.’s remaining eleven Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p, 24

Hitting bottom opened my mind and I became willing to try something different. What I tried was A.A. My new life in the Fellowship was a little like learning how to ride a bike for the first time: A.A. became my training wheels and my supporting hand. It’s not that I wanted the help so much at the time; I simply did not want to hurt like that again. My desire to avoid hitting bottom again was more powerful than my desire to drink. In the beginning that was what kept me sober. But after a while I found myself working the Steps to the best of my ability. I soon realized that my attitudes and actions were changing—if ever so slightly. One Day at a Time, I became comfortable with myself, and others, and my hurting started to heal. Thank God for the training wheels and supporting hand that I choose to call Alcoholics Anonymous.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Lack of power, that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power? Well, that’s exactly what this book is about.” 
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 45

Keep It Simple

Fair play is primarily not blaming others for anything that is wrong with us.—Eric Hoffer

It’s tempting to blame others for our problems. Recovery asks us to answer for our actions. Admitting we are powerless over our actions. Admitting we are powerless over our alcohol and other drugs is a start.

Each of the Twelve Steps asks us to answer for our actions in some way. And the program shows us how to do this. Over time, we see that being responsible for our actions is the best way to live. Our self-confidence grows as we become more responsible. We start to see just how much we can do. We have gone from being drunks to being responsible people. If we can do this, then we can do anything!

Prayer for the Day:
I pray to remember that I’m responsible for my actions. Blaming puts distance between me and other people. Higher Power, help me to play fair.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll list four times I’ve blamed someone else for a problem that was really my problem.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You may not be very happy today if circumstances rain on your plans. However, sometimes hearing no is a blessing in disguise, since practicing self-restraint can be helpful in the long run. Nevertheless, obstacles will fade if you apply what you learn in a methodical manner. Thankfully, you are strong on determination and endurance now, assuring that your actions will have the impact that you desire. Robert Collier wrote, “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”

DR – Jan 15, 2017

On By mikeykjrIn Daily Recovery Readings

Daily Recovery Readings
January 15, 2017

Daily Reflection

AN UNSUSPECTED INNER RESOURCE

With few exceptions our members find that they have tapped an unsuspected inner resource which they presently identify with their own conception of a Power greater than themselves.

— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp. 567-68

From my first days in A.A., as I struggled for sobriety, I found hope in these words from our founders. I often pondered the phrase: “they have tapped an unsuspected inner resource.” How, I asked myself, can I find the Power within myself, since I am so powerless? In time, as the founders promised, it came to me: I have always had the choice between goodness and evil, between unselfishness and selfishness, between serenity and fear. That Power greater than myself is an original gift that I did not recognize until I achieved daily sobriety through living A.A.’s Twelve Steps.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Neither could we reduce our self-centeredness much by wishing or trying on our own power. We had to have God’s help.”

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62

Keep It Simple

I shall tell you a great secret, my friend. Don not wait for the last judgment, it takes place every day. –Albert Camus

“Later.” How often have we said this? This trick help us avoid the tasks of the day. Life is full of task–many fun, some boring, others hard. Can I accept the task my Higher Power gives me, easy or hard?

When we used alcohol or other drugs, we’d avoid task, if they became hard for us. We believed we had more control than we really did. We started to believe we could control outcomes. What we really were doing was setting ourselves up for a great fall. We had to face the fact that when our Higher Power had given us a task, we said no, and turned away. Thus, we turned away from the guiding hand of our Higher Power.

Prayer for the Day:
God, help me face You and the tasks You give me. Make me a grateful student of life.

Today’s Action:
Today I will talk with friends. I will tell them what tasks I’m working on.

Horoscope  – Cancer

You like the idea of free-floating through the day without anything on your schedule. Nevertheless, creating an agenda enables you to make the most of your time. It may seem counter-intuitive to allocate space on your calendar for rest and recreation, but it’s wise to relinquish your resistance to organizing everything in advance. Even if you deviate from your initial arrangement, planning in advance gives you the widest range of choices. Prepare for the road ahead, even if it’s just leading to the playground or the couch.

 

A Bump On A Log

On By mikeykjrIn Personal2 Comments

There are times, typically several times everyday, I criticize myself for my own laziness. So what is holding me back?  Procrastination! I give myself 1000+ excuses finally coming to the conclusion, “I can just do it tomorrow.”  Right now, I just don’t have the motivation to do anything, for a variety of reasons.

For instance, my home is a complete disaster.  Obviously, I’m exaggerating.  It’s not like I’m a secret hoarder or have cockroaches running around. Or am I? [An example of my bad sense of humor].  No, I don’t.  But I want this, that, this, that and this done. I literally have a running list in my head categorized by room.  The list just gets longer instead of shorter. It’s frustrating.  After almost ten years here, I accumulated so much stuff and I need to just simply throw out. But I can’t even do ONE simple thing.

On a day like today, when I work, there are two or three hours to myself before I have get in my car for the hour and a half ride to work.  After an eight hour shift, I’m back in the car for the ride home.  Typically I sit my fat arse down in front of the TV watching late night television.  Fit in eight hours of sleep **quickly doing math**  and I have TWO HOURS A DAY left.

I have days off, typically twice a week.  But they are sporadic; never the same two days off nor two days in a row (an ideal weekend).  I haven’t had an ideal weekend since October 2016.  I joke with people, “My schedule changes like the wind.”  Literally, every day I have to check the schedule.  On many occasions it has changed without my knowledge or I’ve agreed to work such days weeks ago, yet forgotten.  But I’m a trooper getting to work early and working as scheduled without an argument.

Something has to change – soon!  Again, I say that but I’m so tired these days, I don’t have any motivation to do anything.  The new schedule came out at work – wait, what, seriously? I have a weekend in January and I have two days together off at the beginning of February.  YESSSS!  It just can’t get here so enough.

More About Alcoholism (AA)

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Chapter 3
More About Alcoholism

MOST OF US have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death.

We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery. The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed.

We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking. We know that no real alcoholic ever recovers control. All of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervals–usually brief–were inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization. We are convinced to a man that alcoholics of our type are in the grip of a progressive illness. Over any considerable period we get worse, never better.

We are like men who have lost their legs; they never grow new ones. Neither does there appear to be any kind of treatment which will make alcoholics of our kind like other men. We have tried every imaginable remedy. In some instances there has been brief recovery, followed always by a still worse relapse. Physicians who are familiar with alcoholism agree there is no such thing a making a normal drinker out of an alcoholic. Science may one day accomplish this, but it hasn’t done so yet.

Despite all we can say, many who are real alcoholics are not going to believe they are in that class. By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore nonalcoholic. If anyone who is showing inability to control his drinking can do the right-about-face and drink like a gentleman, our hats are off to him. Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to drink like other people!

Here are some of the methods we have tried: drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums–we could increase the list ad infinitum.

We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you can quickly diagnose yourself. Step over to the nearest barroom and try some controlled drinking. Try to drink and stop abruptly. Try it more than once. It will not take long for you to decide, if you are honest with yourself about it. It may be worth a bad case of jitters if you get a full knowledge of your condition.

Though there is no way of proving it, we believe that early in our drinking careers most of us could have stopped drinking. But the difficulty is that few alcoholics have enough desire to stop while there is yet time. We have heard of a few instances where people, who showed definite signs of alcoholism, were able to stop for a long period because of an overpowering desire to do so.

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The 12 Traditions of AA

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THE TWELVE TRADITIONS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
(SHORT FORM)

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon
A.A. unity.

2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as
He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but
trusted servants; they do not govern.

3. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.

4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups
or A.A. as a whole.

5. Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the
alcoholic who still suffers.

6. An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any
related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and
prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

7. Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside
contributions.

8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our
service centers may employ special workers.

9. A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards
or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A.
name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we
need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and
films.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us
to place principles before personalities.

Copyright © 1952, 1953, 1981 by A.A. Grapevine, Inc. and Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing
(now known as Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.)
All rights reserved.
Rev. 10/14 SM F-122

adobe_pdf_file_icon_32x32  The Twelve Traditions of AA in PDF format (aa_12_traditions.pdf)

AA Promises

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The AA Promises

1. If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed
before we are half way through.

2. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.

3. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.

4. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.

5. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience
can benefit others.

6. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.

7. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.

8. Self-seeking will slip away.

9. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.

10. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.

11. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.

12. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for
ourselves

Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us –
sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

Alcoholics Anonymous p83-84
Reprinted from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous with permission of A.A. World
Services, Inc.

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The Twelve Steps of AA

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THE TWELVE STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Copyright© 1952, 1953, 1981 by Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing
(now known as Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.)
All rights reserved.
Rev. 8/16 SM F-121

adobe_pdf_file_icon_32x32 The Twelve Steps of AA in PDF format (aa_12_steps.pdf)