Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Some Suggestions that helped some us get sober and help some of us stay sober today

These are suggestions given to newcomers
and inbetweenies
and anyone that wants them really
By my homegroups

They are like the stabilisers
You have attached to your back wheels when you first learn to ride a bike
They are a good beginning, gateway into the 12 steps
They are a structure for the day which most of us need when in early recovery
They are things to do whilst looking for a sponsor
They are things to do if just going to meetings isnt enough
They are things to do when life sucks
They are things to do if the days gone well
They are things to do everyday until you feel better
they are things to do when you dont know what to do
They are things to do when you cant bring to mind what you know you should do

Contempt prior to investigation!
If you are feeling restless, irritable and discontented
Its worth a try until something else comes along

I am daily now referring people to An Irish Friends sidebar
So its time for me to take responsibility and make a post!

As one of our old timers another Irish Friend
as it happens, regularly says
"We cannot think our way into right acting
We have to act out way into right thinking"

Give them a whirl

Trust God
Pray on knees to a Higher Power
- Morning: "please keep me sober today and please look after me today"
- Night: "Thank you for keeping me sober today"

Meditation
- Morning: Read the "Just for Today" card
- Night: Write a list of things to be grateful for (gratitude list) and thank your Higher Power for what you have been given

Sponsor
Phone your sponsor daily and do what suggested. If anything is unclear or if you have problems, this your chance to unburden them. The sponsor is not the higher power, but the programme passed onto us by the sponsor is. we trusted our sponsors first,

Read the AA Big Book
A couple of pages a day (more if you can). This reminds us of what a great life is on offer and reassures us that our sponsors are giving us the real deal.

Service
We aim to do some AA service everyday
- Commit to two weekly meetings - "Home groups" pitch in and be helpful and aim to get two service commitments.
- Phone a couple of newcomers (newer than you) each day. especially helpful on the days when we dont go to a meeting.

Frightened or anxious?
Say the Serenity Prayer

Angry or Annoyed at someone ?
Pray for him/her For example: "Please God bless xx and let him have health, prosperity and happiness" or "Please God, give me tolerence, pity and patience I would cheerfully grant a sick friend" or God, give xx everything I would wish for myself"

And to bring them to life abit more - read this

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Angry or annoyed?
I like, pray.
I also like, naps. :)

Thanks for this post. Excellent!

Pammie said...

A design for living is what I was lacking when I came into the program. And it was handed to me on a silver platter! I'm always grateful to those who came before me, and taught this beautiful program to me.

Syd said...

Thanks for these reminders. I am thankful for a great sponsor who shared many of these with me early on. It really works.

Determined1 said...

Thanks for going back to basics.

Mama Dukes said...

We also have a Design for Living

1 Go to meetings
2 get a sponsor
3 work the Steps
4 Take commitments
5 sponsor others
6 pray on knees

Keeps me emotionally sober when I do it

molly said...

thanks for the post :) Much needed! And thank you for commenting on my blog with words of encouragement and advice. Much appreciate while I am trying to find a sponsor. Bless you.

Anonymous said...

thank you so much as always for your kind words and wonderful advice.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unknown said...

Great post. Always great reminders.

Have a great day.

Gwen~