Journal: 3 Simple Tips to Improve Your Writing
The act of writing in a journal makes me feel better. Whether I am in the midst of a hard time in my life or experiencing a moment of unbridled joy, journaling makes my world seem more real and manageable. As the saying goes, “Life has a way of making other plans”. While I would […]
Was I Really an Alcoholic?
Leave the Door Cracked a Little Bit This year marks my 27th year of continual sobriety. On September 9th, I will celebrate not drinking since I was 27. I will have NOT had a drink for as long as I had been drinking, but was I really an alcoholic? In the past 27 years, I […]
If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes
At the ODAAT group in Plano, Texas the noon meeting had several crusty old retired guys (who were about my current age!) that laid out the same ol’ wisdom every time they shared. We newcomers laughed that even though the topic changes, the words remained the same. We thought about having an AA Saying Bingo […]
HALT! Don’t Go There!
It should go without saying that a person in sobriety should not get Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired (HALT), but that is where we find ourselves quite often. One (or all) of these can lead to a loss of serenity, or worse… a relapse into our addiction. Why HALT? As an alcoholic, self-awareness was never […]
Sober? Have a Drink Tomorrow!
I am going to let you in on a secret: Not all days I have been sober have been happy, fun and life-affirming. In sobriety, I have been through the deaths of family and friends, relationship breakup, loss of a job, toxic work environments and so much more! It wasn’t all bad though! My sober […]
Step 4: Searching and Fearless
People approach Step 4 with either fear or hope; no one is on the fence about doing a personal inventory. That said, the step lays the foundation for a solid journey to recovery. Coming right after Step 3 that has us letting go of our recovery and turning it over to our higher power, it […]
3rd Step: Turning My Will and My Life Over Was Easy
Many of my fellow addicts and alcoholics come to the 3rd step and think there is something insurmountable about it. How can THEY, all-powerful as they are, turn their will and life over to a force greater than themselves? Surely, this could never happen! They are in complete control over every aspect of their daily lives!
Step 1: I Admitted I Was Powerless
What an order! I can’t go through with it! The end had come: I had come to a place where I could not keep going the way I had. Losing sight of who I was, what I believed in and who I wanted to be; I had reached the ‘jumping-off place”. Step 1 happened and […]