Recovery ABCs
 

A is for Attitude. It takes one to know one. The best way to get an attitude adjustment is to go to a meeting or visit a palliative care unit of the hospital and put some gratitude into your attitude.

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B is for Be

Be grateful, and when you are not....make a Gratitude list. You will find things to be grateful for.

C is for Call. Call upon your Higher Power at all times of stress and worry. Worry is fear that hasn't said it's prayers. Courage is fear that has said it's prayers.

Call your sponsor or a fellow member in the fellowship. We are no longer alone.

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D is for Denial

Denial kept me sick for a long time!

The turning point for me was when I accepted that I needed help and acknowledged that I was an alcoholic. I went into treatment and my sobriety journey began 7 years and 1 month ago. I am grateful to be alive and sober today!

E is for Evidence. My aunt at a plaque that said, "By the stack of evidence (meaning dirty dishes) God is very good to us.

Sometimes there is evidence that we are not working our program very well, and by my attitude, I show that I need to go to a meeting.

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F is for Find. Find another recovering person and try to be there for them over the holiday. The best way to get out of Self is to help someone else. I think if we do this, we will feel better and get through the holiday much easier than if we isolate.

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G is for Gratitude. Grateful for the holiday cheer. The clean and sober variety. Friend and family, and people getting together with others.

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H is for Honest. When I am honest with me, I can be honest with you.

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I is for Identify

Identify your triggers and use the tools of recovery that you have to handle them.

J is for Justification. This was a big defect of character for me. I felt like I had to justify my very existence. I can't always say, "Well I am only human," and continue on in my old ways of living. The old ways lead to drinking and more and the insanity of my disease would take over my life.

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K is for Kindle. Kindle the love around you. Kindle the love for yourself. You are worthy of recovery. Don't let the flame of life go out.

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L is for Live

Live today, not yesterday, not tomorrow.

M is for Move. Don't become complacent, get back to basics. Move from one Step to another. Some days I need all Twelve. Move to other meetings and if you can, go to meetings out of town.

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N is for Now. Live in the now. Live each day to it's fullest. When we live in the now, we don't get tangled up with our past or worried about our future.

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O is for Options. Using is not an option. It isn't even open for discussion. In my honest opinion, even though I don't have much, this program has given me a lot. The biggest of this is myself. I thank my God over and over again for my sobriety. I take advantage of all the hugs I can get. I do give people an option. I say, "Do you do hugs? or "Do you need a hug?"

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P is for Progress

Progress is made One Day At A Time!

Q is for Quest. I went on a spiritual quest when I came into recovery. I was raised in a religious home, and religion didn't stop me from becoming an alcoholic/addict. My doctor put me on Valium at 16 because I had a nervous disorder and a digestive problem, as well as migraines. Spirituality enhanced my religious beliefs and visa versa. I feel doubly blessed that I have both in my life. I couldn't stop using until I found the spiritual aspect of the program. I had to apply the program to all areas of my life. When I walked into my first Al-Anon meeting, I was told that I was doubly blessed. I could see life from both sides of the track.

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R is for Recreation/Leisure Activities

It is important to find recreational/leisure time activities that you like to do and get involved with them. Pick up an old hobby that you used to do. Find some new interesting things to do. (It is all a part of taking care of yourself in sobriety.)

S is for Sobriety. Sobriety means soundness of mind for me. I have to work on my emotional sobriety today. That is the difference between being sober and having sobriety. Sobriety to me, means continually working the Steps and applying them to my life.

This is a Spiritual program, and that means change. Change me instead of trying to change everyone else.

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T is for Treat. Treat yourself. It doesn't mean have a drink or overeat. Every pay day I try to buy myself something. When finances are slim, I can't always afford butter. If bacon is on special, I buy it. Everything tastes better with butter and/or bacon. The only thing I needed to be mindful of spoiling myself rotten.

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U is for US

This is not a me program. It is an "US" program. You are never alone.

V is for Validate. Validate yourself. You don't have to go outside looking for validation. As the slogan says, "Let it begin with me."

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W is for Wake. When you wake up each morning, do a meditation and put your day in God's Care. It can be short or long, as long as you take time to talk to your God. If you need to, pray and ask for the willingness to be willing. Awaken to the gifts of recovery.

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X is for X-ray. Look within, don't just make the surface attractive. Our emotions can make themselves known physically.

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Y is for Yellow. Yellow is the sign of caution. Have you become complacent. Have you stopped going to meetings. Have you stopped talking to your sponsor. Have you quit working the Steps. When you get to Step 12, you start all over again, because you have a new understanding as a result of working the Steps, so you will see your life anew, and you will have a new perspective on things. Recovery is a living thing, a program works if you continue to work for it.

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Z is for Zip. Long-timers say if your are new to the program, you should zip your lip. You don't know anything about recovery, so you should shut up and listen. Listen to learn, Learn to listen. They often tell it as it is, and for the most part, we don't want to listen. If we shut out them, then we shut out other things that we don't want to hear. Your best thinking and actions got you to the doors of recovery. You had no other place to go. So listen to what we have to tell you. We have found a better way to live.

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A is for Abstinence

Today I will not drink. This is a "One Day at a Time!" program. Stay sober for you...not someone else...otherwise it won't work.

B is for Believe. Find a Higher Power that works for you. Someone who is bigger than you. Believe in your Higher Power and trust that He/She/It will be there for you in all times of strife and sorrow. Believe that you are never alone. Your HP led you to it and will see you through it.

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C is for Courage

Have the Courage to Speak and the Wisdom to Listen at AA meetings. You can share your experience, strength, and hope. You can listen and learn in order to take home tools of recovery that you can use in your every day life.

D is for Day. All I have is this day, this 24 hours, to stay clean and sober. One days experiences, thought, feelings, joys and sorrows. One day's ups and downs, which become not to high or low as they were in early recovery, by working your program, one day at a time.

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E is for Everlasting. The program doesn't grow old, it is just as valid in today as it was 70 years ago. Each day is a new beginning. What I do today will not help me stay sober tomorrow, but it will give me hope for a better tomorrow, if I continue to apply the program to my life, one day at a time.

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F is for Forgiveness. We need to forgive our self as well as forgiving others.

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G is for Gratitude. We finished our meeting with a gratitude meeting. What a great time of the year to stop and think about what we have to be grateful for.

God is Good. Good is God. May you show your gratitude by giving thank for His wonderful Grace and Blessings in today, so we can finish the year off with goodness in our hearts.

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H is for Help. Don't be afraid to ask for help. This is a "We" program. We are no longer in the self-centered mode of thinking we can do it all ourselves mode. We can do what I can't do alone.

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I is for Integrity

Learn to walk your talk!

J is for Joy. May you celebrate the holiday clean and sober. Just for today, I choose not to use. If you aren't enjoying yourself, what are you doing wrong. Perhaps you need a meeting, a change in attitude, a talk with your sponsor, a hand to give to a fellow friend who is struggling too.

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K is for Keep

Keep it Simple.

L is for List. List the reason why you are grateful. List your character defects that can turn into short coming. List what needs to be changed that no longer serves me in today. List what my God has done for me. Things that I can`t take credit for. List the ways your God has done for you what you were never able to do for yourself. So much to be grateful for. My God`s Love and Support, let me count the ways.

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M is for More. My drug of choice was more. In today, I try to think more recovery. When I apply my program on a daily bases, I have a good day. It is one day at a time, no less or no more. It is a 24 hour program, not a 2-4 hour program.

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N is for New. This is the last day of 2017, tomorrow God Willing, we will start a new day. Be here for the newcomer today, so he can stay clean and sober to start a new year.

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