GOD
SAYING THIS WORD I AM ADMITTING THE EXISTENCE
OF A CONSCIOUSNESS OR? OF? A HIGHER POWER THAT IS GREATER THAN I.
GRANT
SAYING THIS SECOND WORD, I AM ADMITTING THAT
THIS CONSCIOUSNESS OR HIGHER POWER IS ABLE TO BESTOW AND GIVE TO ME AND
TO OTHERS.
ME THE
I AM ASKING SOMETHING FOR MYSELF. HOLY BOOKS
SAY THAT IF I ASK SINCERELY, IT SHALL BE GIVEN. IT IS NOT WRONG TO ASK
FOR IMPROVING MYSELF. FOR WITH THE IMPROVEMENT OF MY CHARACTER, BOTH I
AND PEOPLE AROUND ME WILL BE HAPPIER, AND MY RELATIONSHIPS WILL HAVE A
BETTER CHANCE TO IMPROVE.
SERENITY
I AM ASKING FOR CALMNESS, COMPOSURE AND INNER
PEACE IN MY LIFE WHICH WILL ENABLE ME TO TRANSCEND MY EGO, TO THINK STRAIGHT
AND TO GOVERN MYSELF PROPERLY.
TO ACCEPT
I AM RESIGNING MYSELF TO CONDITIONS AS THEY
ARE RIGHT NOW. I AM LIVING IN THE NOW, THE PRESENT MOMENT.
THE THINGS
I ACKNOWLEDGE MY TRAGEDY, DEATH, SUFFERING,
ILLNESS AND PAIN, AS A PART OF MY LIFE, NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD. I ACCEPT
MY HUMANNESS AND FALLIBILITY. I AM ACCEPTING MY LOT IN LIFE AS IT IS. UNTIL
I HAVE THE COURAGE TO CHANGE ANY PART OF MY LIFE I DON'T LIKE, I MUST ACCEPT
IT, WITHOUT DOING SO GRUDGINGLY.
I CANNOT CHANGE
I CAN'T PREVENT THESE EVENTS OR CONDITIONS
FROM HAPPENING TO ME OR TO OTHERS.
COURAGE
A QUALITY WHICH ENABLES ME TO DEAL WITH THE
PROBLEMS AND REALITIES OF LIFE WITHOUT RELIANCE ON ALCOHOL OR DRUGS. A
DETERMINATION TO STAND MY GROUND AND "SLUG IT OUT" WITH ALL ISSUES, PLEASANT
OR OTHERWISE, THAT MIGHT RETURN ME TO DRINKING OR USING. A STRENGTH OF
MY SPIRIT TO FACE AND HANDLE THE NEGATIVE. FEARLESSNESS IN THE PRACTICE
OF FAITH, HUMILITY AND HONESTY.
TO CHANGE
IN FACING THESE NEGATIVES DIRECTLY AND HONESTLY,
I AM ASKING FOR MYSELF AND MY LIFE CONDITIONS TO BE DIFFERENT FOR ME. I
AM TAKING AN ACTIVE PART IN THIS CHANGING.
THE THINGS I CAN
I AM ASKING FOR HELP TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
EVERYTHING IS NOT THE WAY I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE IN MY LIFE. I MUST CONTINUE
TO FACE REALITY AND CONSTANTLY WORK TOWARD MY CONTINUED GROWTH AND PROGRESS.
AND WISDOM
I AM ASKING FOR THE ABILITY TO RISE ABOVE MY
EGO AND FORM SOUND JUDGMENTS ABOUT MYSELF AND MY LIFE. I THEN USE MY ABILITY
TO ASK FOR GUIDANCE FROM MYSELF, OTHERS AND A HIGHER POWER.
TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND CLEARLY TRUTHS
OF FACT. I WANT TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY IN MY LIFE SO THAT I WILL BE
MORE AWARE OF MYSELF AND OF OTHERS. I NEED TO SENSE A DEFINITE VALUE IN
LOVING OVER BEING SELFISH.
From: "Alcoholism & Spirituality"
by Charles Whitfield
90 TOOLS FOR SOBRIETY
1 ) Stay away from that first drink, taking
the 1st step daily.
2 ) Attend AA regularly and get involved.
3 ) Progress is made ONE DAY AT A TIME.
4 ) Use the 24 Hour plan.
5 ) Remember, your disease is incurable, progressive
and fatal.
6 ) Do first things first.
7 ) Don't become too tired.
8 ) Eat at regular hours.
9 ) Use the telephone. (not just after the
fact but during too.).
10) Be active - don't just sit around. Idle
time will kill you.
11) Use the Serenity Prayer.
12) Change old routines and patterns.
13) Don't become too hungry.
14) Avoid loneliness.
15) Practice control of your anger.
16) Air your resentments.
17) Be willing to help whenever needed.
18) Be good to yourself, you deserve it.
19) Easy does it.
20) Get out of the "IF ONLY" trap.
21) Remember HOW IT WAS. Your last drunk,
the feelings etc.
22) Beaware of your emotions.
23) Help another in his/her recovery, extend
your hand, listen.
24) Try to turn your life and your will over
to your High Power.
25) Avoid all mood-altering drugs, read labels
on all medicines.
26) Turn loose of old ideas.
27) Avoid drinking situations/occasions.
28) Replace old drinking buddies with new
AA buddies.
29) Read the Big Book.
30) Try not to be dependent on another (sick
relationships).
31) Be grateful and when not make a GRATITUDE
list.
32) Get off the "Pity Pot"...the only thing
you'll get is a ring around your bottom if you don't.
33) See knowledgeable help when troubled and
or otherwise.
34) Face it! You are powerless over alcohol,
people, places and things.
35) Try the 12 and 12, not just 1 and 12 or
1, 12 and 13!
36) Let go and Let God.
37) Use the God bag and the answers: yes,
no or wait I have something better in store for you. Don't forget to say
thanks.
38) Find courage to change through the example
of others who have.
39) Don't try to test your will power - give
an alcoholic one shovel and one pail and in one hour he/she will need 100
wheel barrels.
40) Live TODAY, not YESTERDAY, not TOMORROW
- projection is planning the results before anything even happens.
41) Avoid emotional involvements the first
year - you end up putting the other person first and lose sight of "your"
program.
42) Remember alcohol is - cunning, baffiling
and powerful.
43) Rejoice in the manageability of your new
life.
44) Be humble--Humility is not in thinking
of your self more, but in thinking more of yourself less often. Watch your
ego.
45) Share your experience, strength and hope.
46) Cherish your recovery.
47) Dump your garbage regularly - GIGO = Garbage
In Garbage Out.
48) Get plenty of "restful" sleep.
49)Stay sober for you - not someone else -
otherwise it won't work.
50) Practice rigorous honesty with yourself
and others.
51) Progress is made ONE DAY AT A TIME, not
10 years in one day!
55) Make no major decisions the first year.
56) Get a sponsor and use him/her. (not just
selectively share).
57) Know that no matter what your problems,
someone's had them before. Don't be afraid to share, as a problem shared
is one 1/2 solved.
58) Strive for progress not perfection.
59) When in doubt ask questions. The only
stupid question is the one not asked. You weren't afraid to speak before,
so why start now.
60) Use prayer and meditation...not just pillow
talk, get on those knees. Put your shoes under the bed just in case someone's
looking.
61) Maintain a balance: spiritual, physical,
emotional and mental.
62) Don't use other substances as a maintenance
program.
63) Learn to take spot check inventories.
64) Watch out for the RED FLAGS ... things
that give excuses for poor behavior and inevitable relapse.
65) Know that its okay to be human ... just
don't drink over it.
66) Be kind to yourself; it's about time,
don't you think.
67) Don't take yourself so seriously- take
the disease seriously!
68) Know that whatever it is that's causing
pain - it shall pass.
69) Stay as away from the DRY DRUNK SYNDROME
as humanly as possible.
70) Don't give away more than you can afford
too, your sobriety comes first and must be the number 1 priority. Protect
it at all costs.
71) Take down those bricks from the wall around
you; you'll be able to see the daylight better. Let people know who you
are.
72) Get a home group and attend it regularly.
73) Know that the light at the end of the
tunnel is not an oncoming train, but actually a ray of hope. Drop the negativity.
74) Know that you are not alone, that's why
the "We" is in the steps.
75) Be willing to go to any lengths to stay
and be sober.
76) Know that no matter how bleak and dark
your past may be, your future is clean, bright and clear if you don't drink
today.
77) Stay out of your own way.
78) Don't be in a hurry--remember "TIME =
Things I Must Earn".
79) Watch the EGO. "EGO = Ease God Out".
80) Protect your sobriety at all costs. Keep
the light on you.
81) Learn to listen, not just hear. Be open-minded
and nonjudgmental.
82) Know that if your insides match your outsides,
everyone looks good.
83) If the rest of the world looks bad, check
yourself out first.
84) Gratitude is in the attitude.
85) When all else fails ... punt! Up the number
of meetings!!!
86) Remember FEAR = FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING
REAL!
87) Remember FINE = Fouled up, Insecure/insane,
Neurotic and Emotionally imbalanced...watch the FINE.
88) Handle what you can and leave the rest,
don't overtax yourself. You can only accomplish so much in a given 24 hours.
89) Honesty and consistency are key factors
in recovery.
90) Let the little kid in you out - learn
how to laugh from the gut.
-Anonymous
ORIGINAL STEPS - Written by hand by Bill W.
Step 1: Admitted hopeless
Step 2: Got honest with self
Step 3: Got honest with another
Step 4: Made amends
Step 5: Helped others without demand
Step 6: Prayed to God as you understand him
