A legitimate day off - kick start the studying and to my home group

I didnt pull a sicky today
to do an exam revision
I took a days holiday
I had a yoga session at lunch time
coffee after with study group
and then shopping for
ingredients for next recipe
Found a load, still more to find though
Its not that easy... but theres tomorrow
Found the oat bran today!

Had quite a few phone calls today
invites for lunch and hot choc
new people struggling
pictures of boss skiiing
friend going away for a while
tying up lose ends

Home group tonight
God I have never had such a warm welcome
ANYWHERE
Its great to go back after 3months away
to find 3/4 of the people are still sober and still there!!
warm and friendly, message of hope and recovery
I love it
And I got a lift home tonight
talking about
hair, nails, manicure, eyelashes
we girls have turned into women!
planning girlie time out at the local gym,
sauna and a steam
meal after...

see its NOT all about
Gripping on by the finger nails
hanging onto for grim life
polystyrene cups and church halls
and plastic chairs
IT APPEARS to be at the beginning
but recovery... is so much more

Life begins, when we make that
decision to try and stay away from that
FIRST DRINK a day at a time
and we mean business!

I made a (ANOTHER) decision
to try and have
more face to face relationships this year
grow and maintain friendships
with those who want to
and continue to leave those that prefer texts
emails and yeh "we must do coffee" and
are ALWAYS to busy to themselves
leave them be

I am not the centre of the universe
I am not everyones cuppa tea
and likewise not everyone is mine!

As was reminded to me tonight and I will pass onto
you, here are some daily suggestions
which helped some of us get started on the programme
and help some of us stay sober today
whether you are on day 1 or day 1000
if you are restless irritable or discontented
these will help

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

The Above Suggestions Brought to Life!! By An Irish Friend Of Bill

The Six Things. To do every day.

1. Check in with a sponsor (ideally,) or another long time sober person. Or a very cool ‘Spiritual Friend’.

2. Phone a newcomer. Give it away to keep it. THIS IS YOUR MOST POWERFUL DEFENCE AGAINST DRINKING.

3. Hit your knees. Ask YOUR concept of ‘a power greater than yourself’ (It can be the power of AA as a whole, or the power that makes the earth turn) for a sober day, and say thanks at night. It HAS to be a LOVING concept of a HP. (see Trad 2.) If it is even a little bit judgmental, it’s no good. Ask for help with whatever roadblocks you are experiencing at present,

4. Gratitude list. Work against your natural tendency to take things for granted. Is the glass half empty or half full? Write down 6 things that make you laugh, smile or feel glad to be alive.

5. TRY to do one of the things on the just for today card. Think of it as a portable programme. Carry it with you throughout the day. If you become negative, try applying any one of the instructions on the card to your situation.

6. Read a page of the big book or Go to a meeting. Look out for newcomers and long time sober members. Try to be of service in some form or other while at the meeting. If you want to share, sit at the front, and share first. Start with saying I enjoyed your share and I identified with you.

An Irish Friend Of Bill