My Early AA Thoughts

[retteacher]

My Early AA Thoughts

Everyone: This is such an interesting discussion! Yes, to the denial reasons:
-no one knows the extent of my drinking.
-no one wants to see an non-codependent Mary develop.

As far as how to "do" the steps: My sponsor has given me an assignment for step 1. We'll be working on it all this week. So far, I've read step 1 every day in some form of the literature. Then I write in a journal for 15 min. My assignment is to make a list of all the people, things, issues, & situations that I have no control over (but still try to control or at least worry about). This helps me to see the impetus behind my drinking. At some point, I will take step 1 & admit I am powerless over AL & my life has become unmanageable. Taking the step doesn't necessarily mean that I won't try to take back control. It just means that I understand what the goal is. If I could do step 1 perfectly, there wouldn't be a need for any of the other steps.

I don't know if that makes "doing the steps" any clearer. I assume that there will be other assignments for the other steps. I'll take the step by understanding its goal & working to fulfill it every day.

Anyhow, for me, it just feels so good knowing I have help w/this. I'm not alone or in charge.

Mary

[gyco]

My Early AA Thoughts

this must stay continuous ,i also have been attending AA,meetings of late,not that i get it,some never do,march the 7th if im correct would have been 10 years,as my sponsor said last night,once your in these rooms ,you really never leave,he s never known in 33 years of sobriety anyone that came, that didnt belong there,actually the rooms seem to be getting more crowded with young people,pretty sad in ways,but at least they got a grip early,in there live s,as i said b4,these places wont teach you not to drink,they will teach you how to live sober.gyco have a wonderful day

[Marshy]

My Early AA Thoughts

Hi all,

I called AA today and someone will be taking me to my first meeting sometime (we haven't arranged details yet). I still have lots of questions but they were fine with that and said I could ask my "chaperone" anything I want to when we meet up.

DG - following on from your comment about some people's disbelief when you said it was your first meeting and you were nine months sober - the woman I spoke to on the phone today said she was sober for four years before she went to her first meeting. Imagine the disbelief that greeted her!!

[Joanna]

My Early AA Thoughts

Too many people

I went to my first AA meeting last week. There were 50 people there!! It just seemed far too many as you couldn't see or hear everyone and the room was quite small. Is this the norm? I might have felt more comfortable speaking if it was smaller partic as I bumped into someone I knew straight away!

[Marshy]

My Early AA Thoughts

Joanna - did you call the AA helpline number first and have someone take you? When I called today, the woman I spoke to said they'd find a meeting that was as "suitable" as possible for me - she mentioned meetings that attract newcomers, women etc. I didn't specify any of this, she just said some meetings are more suitable for some people and not for others etc

So I'm wondering if you called them, they might know about smaller meetings you could try?

[AAthlete]

My Early AA Thoughts

A.A. Thought For The Day

Some people find it hard to believe in a Power greater than themselves. But not to believe in such a Power forces us to atheism. It has been said that atheism is blind faith in the strange proposition that this universe originated in a cipher and aimlessly rushes nowhere. That's practically impossible to believe. I think we all can agree that alcohol is a power greater than ourselves. It certainly was in my case. I was helpless before the power of alcohol. Do I remember the things that happened to me because of the power of alcohol?


The Thought For The Day seemed kind of appropriate for this thread today. Was at a meeting this morning and we were discussing turning over our entire lives to our Higher Power, and how we difficult that can be sometimes. I good friend then spoke and said that he was told to imagine what the perfect God would look like to him. Not the one you read in the bible or here someone talk about, but one that he imagined, and when done that was his vision of a Higher Power.

I needed to hear all of that this morning, as I had started to have a little debate in my head about it and this cleared it right up.

[Seacailin]

My Early AA Thoughts

Thank you for sharing that Mary. I am going to do your assignment one Step one if you don't mind. It sounds like a good idea.

[retteacher]

My Early AA Thoughts

Sea: I just called my sponsor. I'm still working on the powerless list...it's long. In addition to being powerless over the path AL leads me down once I take that first sip, I'm powerless over my other addiction (activity & trying to please everyone).

I think also as part of this step, I'll have to look at how my life is unmanageable. My sponsor alluded to that today. So, it seems there is no shortcut to doing step 1...at least as far as my spons is concerned.

Mary

[AAthlete]

My Early AA Thoughts

Mary, I would agree with your sponsor on this one. Step 1 is the cornerstone to the rest of the program and without fully conceding to it your sobriety may be tenuous at best. What we are really doing is admitting to ourselves that we can't do this alone anymore and that we need help. We're not committing to a HP - that comes later - this is just our first attempt at true honesty (at least it was for me).

Heck, that was what kept me out of AA for years - the thought that I didn't need any help and could stop if I wanted to.... Well, I finally realized that I couldn't, at least not in a way that would give me freedom from the obsession to drink and the ability to accept things for what they were. To me that was the key - I don't have to fight it anymore....

[Joanna]

My Early AA Thoughts

Thanks Marshy; no I didn't. I wasn't aware you could do that but it sounds really helpful. I'll give it a try.

[Doggygirl]

My Early AA Thoughts

Hi everyone! Yepper - AA was the organization I loved to hate. I wonder if that had anything to do with AL buzzing around in my head not wanting the fixes to end?

AA when I read your post with the daily affirmation I was thinking "geez that sounds familiar" then I realized I heard it this morning at the meeting. :H Today 2 medallions were given out - one for 90 days and one for 6 years. For the moment I'm just enjoying the range of sobriety there, and trying to soak it up. Ripples you are right - these folks see right through the drinking BS. Same story, different day. We are certainly not alone.

DG

[AAthlete]

My Early AA Thoughts

Too funny DG!

Hey, here is the site that I ready every morning and gain a lot of inspiration from. Mostly AA stuff but also some inspirational quotes as well.

Daily Recovery Readings

[cpn1004]

My Early AA Thoughts

All,
Glad to see so much on AA. I have been to a couple of meetings and said "Hi my name is Phil and I'm an alcoholic.." and felt better after the meeting.
I have a friend that is in the program and doing quite well after many struggles, cocaine, vodka, etc. I guess I'm not ready to commit to the program..yet..but am interested in y'all's experience.
Thanks for all you do.
Love and Peace,
Phil

[retteacher]

My Early AA Thoughts

Phil: We'll let you know. BTW, going to meetings doesn't necessarily mean you have joined. Mary

[retteacher]

My Early AA Thoughts

Everyone: I just checked in w/my spons. Still working on Step1. The second part is to look at how my life has become unmanageable. That shouldn't be too hard. It's quite powerful seeing all this in black & white. Mary