A PATH TO FAITH
True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every A.A. meeting is an
assurance that God will restore us to sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to Him.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 33
My last drunk had landed me in the hospital, totally broken. It was then that I was able
to see my past float in front of me. I realized that, through drinking, I had lived every
nightmare I had ever had. My own self-will and obsession to drink had driven me into a
dark pit of hallucinations, blackouts and despair. Finally beaten, I asked for God's help.
His presence told me to believe. My obsession for alcohol was taken away and my
paranoia has since been lifted. I am no longer afraid. I know my life is healthy and sane.
Miracle House- Sober Living in Los Angeles, Clarity House- Sober Living for Women, New Life House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles , Reality House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles, Alcoholism, Addiction, Substance Abuse, 12-steps, Los Angeles sober living, treatment center, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous
Experience Strength and Hope submitted from Young Recovering Alcoholics and Addicts Blog from 12stepsahead.com
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Do My Actions Match My Beliefs?
This is a question that was posed to me several years ago and it has resonated with me since then. It is an absolute challenge to my belief system, my belief of myself, what I think is important, what I think matters, etc… For the alcoholic, who is asked to be honest, open minded and willing, it shakes me to the core. If I can muster up the courage, I get to see where I come up with these ideas, these beliefs. I am challenged to see how delusional, how fragile, my ego really is. It’s where the resistance to change begins with me. My belief system, how I protect my ego, begins with the ideas; I’m the best friend, best son, best boyfriend, best employee, etc… that anyone has ever had. When these beliefs get challenged (my boss asking why I’m late, my parent asking why I did this or that) my illicit reaction is “how dare you question me.” If my actions don’t match those beliefs, then what do I TRULY believe?? The ego, the false self, would have YOU believe I am the best (fill in the blank) the false self would have ME believe that I am the worst (fill in the blank) and the truth lies somewhere in between.
Working the steps of the program, specifically the fourth step (assuming I have worked the first three steps) I am challenged with asking myself the questions, what do I really believe? By working through the fear, I get past the lies, deceptions and roadblocks I have built up over time. I finally begin to start facing the truth of myself and the truth of my life. Then I can make a more clear and conscious choice of how I wish to proceed; continue walking around with blinders on, or begin facing up to living as a man among men, a worker among workers, or my favorite, just one of the herd. Moo
Submitted by Dave L.
Miracle House- Sober Living in Los Angeles, Clarity House- Sober Living for Women, New Life House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles , Reality House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles, Alcoholism, Addiction, Substance Abuse, 12-steps, Los Angeles sober living, treatment center, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous
Working the steps of the program, specifically the fourth step (assuming I have worked the first three steps) I am challenged with asking myself the questions, what do I really believe? By working through the fear, I get past the lies, deceptions and roadblocks I have built up over time. I finally begin to start facing the truth of myself and the truth of my life. Then I can make a more clear and conscious choice of how I wish to proceed; continue walking around with blinders on, or begin facing up to living as a man among men, a worker among workers, or my favorite, just one of the herd. Moo
Submitted by Dave L.
Miracle House- Sober Living in Los Angeles, Clarity House- Sober Living for Women, New Life House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles , Reality House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles, Alcoholism, Addiction, Substance Abuse, 12-steps, Los Angeles sober living, treatment center, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
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Gratitude- submitted by Matt
Six months and one week ago from today I was in an ICU another time because of a drug overdose. The way I saw it at the time, my disease was telling me it was easier to end it all and “off myself” rather than to go through the twelve steps and work a program. For the last fifteen years all my pain and emotions were dealt with through drugs. The only way that I knew how to deal with all the problems, issues and enjoyment in my life was to party and check out. I have been experienced a lot of physical bottoms in the past but always had it in me, after a little break to go on another “run.” This time something was different I look back and realized that this was my first emotional bottom.In my first few weeks and months, my head was the hardest thing to deal with after the physical detox. Keep in mind I have not been a person to believe in God prior to this run, but I was so willing to get my life back. I took suggestions because my way was out to kill me. I did what my sponsor told me from readings to prayers. All I prayed for in my first sixty days and even today was to give me peace of mind. I surrounded myself with real friends, people that hold me accountable for my actions and aren’t afraid to call me out. After time went on, it has gotten better. My focus has changed toward getting a life back and working on the reasons behind all my drug use, instead of just trying not to think about using drugs every minute of every day.
Life today after only six months of sobriety is better than I could have ever imagined. I have started making amends to my family because of all the damage I have caused over the years of not caring and the selfish ways I have manipulated them. I’m not saying all my problems are fixed, they’re far from it. But I have learned how to process the way I react to situation and deal with the people in my life. I have a full time job in Beverly Hills at an upscale Italian restaurant, which is something I never could have imagined. I have goals and dreams that I haven’t thought about since I was in college. All in all I just wanted to share a little gratitude about where I am at today. If you’re someone newly sober or thinking about getting sober, the best thing I can tell you is that life gets better if you’re willing to change and try something new.
Matt
Miracle House- Sober Living in Los Angeles, Clarity House- Sober Living for Women, New Life House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles , Reality House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles, Alcoholism, Addiction, Substance Abuse, 12-steps, Los Angeles sober living, treatment center, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous
2/8/2011 Daily Reflections
CONVINCING "MR. HYDE"
Even then, as we hew away, peace and joy will still elude us. That's
the place so many of us A.A. oldsters have come to. And it's a hell of a
spot, literally. How shall our unconscious--from which so many of our
fears, compulsions and phony aspirations still stream--be brought into
line with what we actually believe, know and want! How to convince
our dumb, raging and hidden "Mr. Hyde" becomes our main task.
THE BEST OF BILL, pp. 42-43
Regular attendance at meetings, service and helping others is the
recipe that many have tried and found to be successful. Whenever I
stray from these basic principles, my old habits resurface and my old
self also comes back with all its fears and defects. The ultimate goal of
each A.A. member is permanent sobriety, achieved One Day at a
Time.
from "Daily Reflections"
Even then, as we hew away, peace and joy will still elude us. That's
the place so many of us A.A. oldsters have come to. And it's a hell of a
spot, literally. How shall our unconscious--from which so many of our
fears, compulsions and phony aspirations still stream--be brought into
line with what we actually believe, know and want! How to convince
our dumb, raging and hidden "Mr. Hyde" becomes our main task.
THE BEST OF BILL, pp. 42-43
Regular attendance at meetings, service and helping others is the
recipe that many have tried and found to be successful. Whenever I
stray from these basic principles, my old habits resurface and my old
self also comes back with all its fears and defects. The ultimate goal of
each A.A. member is permanent sobriety, achieved One Day at a
Time.
from "Daily Reflections"
Miracle House- Sober Living in Los Angeles, Clarity House- Sober Living for Women, New Life House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles , Reality House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles, Alcoholism, Addiction, Substance Abuse, 12-steps, Los Angeles sober living, treatment center, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous
Monday, February 7, 2011
2/7/2011 Daily Reflections
A PATH TO FAITH
True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every A.A. meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to Him.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 33
My last drunk had landed me in the hospital, totally broken. It was then that I was able to see my past float in front of me. I realized that, through drinking, I had lived every nightmare I had ever had. My own self-will and obsession to drink had driven me into a dark pit of hallucinations, blackouts and despair. Finally beaten, I asked for God's help. His presence told me to believe. My obsession for alcohol was taken away and my paranoia has since been lifted. I am no longer afraid. I know my life is healthy and sane.
from "Daily Reflections"
True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every A.A. meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to Him.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 33
My last drunk had landed me in the hospital, totally broken. It was then that I was able to see my past float in front of me. I realized that, through drinking, I had lived every nightmare I had ever had. My own self-will and obsession to drink had driven me into a dark pit of hallucinations, blackouts and despair. Finally beaten, I asked for God's help. His presence told me to believe. My obsession for alcohol was taken away and my paranoia has since been lifted. I am no longer afraid. I know my life is healthy and sane.
from "Daily Reflections"
The Only Step We Have to do Perfectly is Step One
In the seven years of my sobriety, one thing I can say for certain is that I will never out grow this program. My experience shows that I only get a daily reprieve from alcoholism based on my spiritual condition. Spirituality was not an easy thing for me. I’m what the book would call, one of the “educational variety.” For me, spirituality took time; going through new challenges and experiencing the results of living a new way of life which truly helped me build faith in my Higher Power.What allowed me to try living a different way was the understanding that I was an alcoholic and the way I was living my life was truly unmanageable. Without that surrender and desperation, there would have been no way that would be open to the lifestyle I was taught in recovery. A lifestyle centered on self honesty, spirituality, and service.
The first step is the only step which even mentions alcohol, the remaining eleven are tools and practices to help us build upon a spiritual way of life. They focus on open-mindedness, honesty, faith and service. In order for me to be open to
spiritual way of life, I had to be willing. In order for me to be willing, I needed to be desperate. It was surrendering which enabled me to throw up my hand and say, “I’m done, my way is not working, you guys appear to have a way that is, I’ll give it a shot.”As important as the first step is, there isn’t much to discuss. The Twelve Steps and Twelve Tradition’s chapter on the first step is only two pages long. Short and simple.
The tools and insight I’ve learned through the 12-Steps are tools I continue to use in my daily life. I’m certain I may always be making amends here and there. There are plenty of inventories to write on and look at. That’s ok with me. As long as I remember what life was like prior to coming into the rooms, I hope to hold onto the willingness to continue practice these principles and remain sober.
-Avinash Satz
Miracle House- Sober Living in Los Angeles, Clarity House- Sober Living for Women, New Life House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles , Reality House- Sober Living for Young Adults in Los Angeles, Alcoholism, Addiction, Substance Abuse, 12-steps, Los Angeles sober living, treatment center, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous
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