Defects of Character

[MajestyJo]

Open Minded/Stubborn

Early in recovery, I kept hearing the phrase "Keep an open mind." I don't hear it as often in today. A lot of things are this is what you should do and you need to do this. There are suggestions, but there are some darn well betters or you lapse back into old patterns or end up relapsing and picking up your drug of choice.

The stubborn part of me things, "Don't tell me what to do!" Which can be an attitude that sabotages my recovery and it is the attitude that needs to change to find spirituality. My father use to say I was more contrary than stubborn. I argued for arguments sake. It wasn`t so much stubborn in my belief, but not agreeing with you, because it meant I was wrong.

As it says in the Big Book, "...that the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery...."

I stubbornly refused to go back to where I came from. I saw so many relapsing, I had a healthy fear; until such a time I could turn it into trust in the program and know it would work for me.

My best thinking got me to the doors of recovery, so it seemed reasonable to open my mind to other concepts and ideas.

My life has been very much enriched as a result of opening my mind, remaining teachable, and willing to listen to others as to how the program worked for them.



The eagle means spirit. It also means freedom to me. Open mindedness is what brought that to me.