The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
The first 12 words of Step 1 hold incredible power for our entire life if we choose to use them.
First, personal surrender: 'admitted we are powerless over alcohol', and then acknowledging we have not yet learned how to handle our life optimally:'...that our lives have become unmanageable.'
A new life can develop if we let go of what we cannot control, and we change our world by admitting this and realigning our own thinking.
Reminder: I will apply this wisdom of Step 1 to my relationship with the alcoholic, then also with other people and things in my life. I will not try to control what I cannot or should not, but only my own life...mine alone.
"There's only one corner of the world you can be sure of improving and that is your own self." - Unattributed -------------------------- The personal work I saw ahead of me when I read through the 12 Steps on the wall at my first meeting, seemed a bit overwhelming at first. I can still make things complicated at times...
All 12 steps are necessary for complete spiritual balance and recovery, but the power of these first 12 words is where it all starts.
Step 1 and the Serenity prayer are quickly accessible for me, easy to remember, and do of a ton of heavy lifting when it comes to realigning my perspective and reeling in my overreach.
It works when I work it
__________________
Paul
"...when we try to control others, we lose the ability to manage our own lives." - Paths to Recovery
Thanks Paul for your service and what a timely reading and share for me personally. My A has been really sick, went to Urgent Care and received an antibiotic for 5 days. But my A decided not to take the meds, as they possibly could be upsetting to one's stomach. I have been taking care of my spouse, very worried, and lacking sleep due to the coughing. I go so ANGRY when I realized the meds were sitting in their box unopened. It took me several hours to calm down yesterday. And guess what, I was using Step 1, the 3 C's, the Serenity Prayer, Bless them change me, and eventually I calmed down. Without this program, surely I would have exploded with unkind words upon my spouse. I'm always amazed, but alanon does work when I work it, and of course, I keep coming back. Grateful.
Good Day Everyone and thank you, thank you Paul for this post filled with much needed wisdom. I am dangerously close to losing my serenity. I've been putting in full-time hours even though I returned to work on a part-time basis. I have not been to a F2F meeting in weeks. I 'm back to mothering/managing my spouse because I don't trust HP to get it right. I am back to believing in my own ideas. Cunning, baffling, powerful. It's time to re-assess my priorities and get back to basics . Lyne, I hope your spouse gets better soon. And Debbie, I like the sound of "encourage"-sure beats what I've been doling out. lol Have a great day.
