The chief activator of our defects has been self-centered fear – primarily fear that we would lose something we already possessed or would fail to get something we demanded. Living on a basis of unsatisfied demands, we were in a state of continual disturbance and frustration. 12 + 12 p.76. Fear Without Danger Especially for people…
how can we tell if this spiritual life is being enlarged and perfected? Is staying sober, in and of itself, the only outcome that is indicative of a flourishing spiritual life? Or, are there other indicators?
Perhaps the most valuable nugget I gained in my first year of sobriety was to discern opinion from experience. Thinking about something versus actually doing it is one of those distinctions that if you’re not on the lookout for it, you might miss it. It is a subtle, yet potentially significant difference. Experience is Valuable I…
Everyone seems to love and often quote pages 86-87: On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. Under these conditions, we can employ our…
Recently, the topic of the meeting was pulled from the Daily Reflections; the passage was on “kindness.” What Does Kindness Have to do with Staying Sober? The new person might ask, “what does kindness have to do with staying sober?” Great question. According to the Big Book (in the part that is read at every…
DelAs an oldtimer who has attended well over 5,000 meetings, I suspect I have heard over 50 thousand 3-5 minute pitches. Bad Pitches are Easy to Spot Some pitches are a magnificent encapsulation of the incredible beauty, grace, and power the 12-step program offers. Other shares are horrible, meandering, unsupported nonsense that has nothing to…
Often I want to know, “how I’m doing?” I want to do a quick check-in. Simple as this sounds, I’ve found for an alcoholic like me, this is dangerous. Self-Assessment is Hard This danger is because, often, I am not correct when I do a self-assessment (especially in my head, by myself). I can draw conclusions that are…
I came up with a few silly True or False Questions. Enjoy! It’s important to brag about your humility during an AA pitch. True or False? Sharing at a meeting, then leaving before the meeting is over is a super cool move. True or False? Dr. Bob thought Bill was “a bit of a psychotic…
Leadership is a good thing. So is structure. Leadership in Meetings When I got sober, secretaries led meetings. They chose topics and called on people. They did this without apology. Pretty simple and straightforward. Having a meeting with a clear structure was very comforting to me as a newcomer. All I had to do was…
The last three decades have seen many studies and much reporting on the topic of happiness. What does it mean to be happy and how do we get there?