2 Months of Sobriety

[madison1101]

I posted this on the Alcohol Abuse forum and just realized I had forgotten to post it here.

I celebrated 2 months of sobriety on Wednesday, March 11th. I could not have done it without God, my sponsor and the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Thanks for being here to help me when I am unable to use my phone.

Trish

 

[BlessEwe]

Happy Dance!

You have been through a very hard time in these last few months of recovery too, proud of you!



You Go Girl!

 

[madison1101]

Thanks for the Irish Dancers. I appreciate your support in helping me stay sober. I am definitely learning that I cannot do this alone.

Trish

 

[devonian]

Congratulations Madison!
I'm glad that you are using and applying the 12 steps this time. (I think I read in one of your other posts, that you didn't do the steps thoroughly the first time through.)

If you are on steps 10, 11, & 12, please don't let yourself down by forgetting to continue doing them. Everyone I talk to, who have relapsed after thoroughly following the steps, relaxed on these steps... myself included. I now know that I have to keep doing them, but find my life more enjoyable if I do continue to do them.

By the way, no where in the big book does it say you have to wait a year to sponsor someone. If you have thoroughly completed steps 1 through 9, look for other people to sponsor now. There is great satisfaction in helping someone else recover, and there are many suffering alcoholics in the meetings.

 

[madison1101]

Congratulations Madison!
I'm glad that you are using and applying the 12 steps this time. (I think I read in one of your other posts, that you didn't do the steps thoroughly the first time through.)

If you are on steps 10, 11, & 12, please don't let yourself down by forgetting to continue doing them. Everyone I talk to, who have relapsed after thoroughly following the steps, relaxed on these steps... myself included. I now know that I have to keep doing them, but find my life more enjoyable if I do continue to do them.

By the way, no where in the big book does it say you have to wait a year to sponsor someone. If you have thoroughly completed steps 1 through 9, look for other people to sponsor now. There is great satisfaction in helping someone else recover, and there are many suffering alcoholics in the meetings.

Thanks Devonian,
I am currently doing a 4th step, using the Big Book this time. My resentment list is not as long as I thought it would be, probably because I had done some work in therapy. But, I do have to be thorough with it none-the-less. I do a little each day, I have a really good sponsor this time, and she is the only sponsor who has actually ever really taken me through the steps from the start.

I will not worry about when I can sponsor yet, I just look forward to doing so once I am ready. One of my favorite forms of service before was doing prison commitments, and I regret that I won't be able to do that till I have one year, as that is the requirement given my Intergroup and the prison here. I look forward to doing that again.

Again, thanks for the support. I appreciate this forum and the Alcohol Abuse forum a great deal.

Trish

 

[devonian]

I am currently doing a 4th step, using the Big Book this time. My resentment list is not as long as I thought it would be, probably because I had done some work in therapy. But, I do have to be thorough with it none-the-less.

In talking about resentments the big book says "We listed people, institutions or principles with whom we were angry. We asked ourselves why we were angry." (Pg. 64.) Don't only look for things that you are resentful, look at any time you ever were angry. Look all the way back to your earliest memories. You may no longer think these are resentments, but if you still remember them, they really are resentments. This will probably make your list much longer... it did for me. I thought I worked through them, but I really hadn't.

Also, this step is where the book says "Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action". (Pg. 63) Don't let your sobriety lull you into thinking you can take your time. This step needs to be completed as quickly as possible, while still being thorough. Bill W. did it in 3 days.

 

[BlessEwe]

I have heard that too that when we think of something more than a couple of times and we are angry, it is probubly a resentment.

Also I know many who have been through the steps many times. Each time if goes a bit deeper like peeling an onion It is like God bringing up what we have pushed down when we are ready for it.

Madison has been very ill ( from surgery) so it is good she takes the time to heal. What a great sponser you will make, too.

Nice to meet you Devonian It sounds like you have alot to offer others here with your knowledge and walk in AA. God Bless!

 

[madison1101]

In talking about resentments the big book says "We listed people, institutions or principles with whom we were angry. We asked ourselves why we were angry." (Pg. 64.) Don't only look for things that you are resentful, look at any time you ever were angry. Look all the way back to your earliest memories. You may no longer think these are resentments, but if you still remember them, they really are resentments. This will probably make your list much longer... it did for me. I thought I worked through them, but I really hadn't.

Also, this step is where the book says "Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action". (Pg. 63) Don't let your sobriety lull you into thinking you can take your time. This step needs to be completed as quickly as possible, while still being thorough. Bill W. did it in 3 days.

I am working as quickly as I can on my 4th Step. I am in treatment at night and work full time, and still making my meetings. Not to mention having had surgery and being sick. No excuses, just living in reality. I am working on this as much as I can.

I wonder if Bill Wilson was working those three days. Would be interesting.

 

[madison1101]

I have heard that too that when we think of something more than a couple of times and we are angry, it is probubly a resentment.

Also I know many who have been through the steps many times. Each time if goes a bit deeper like peeling an onion It is like God bringing up what we have pushed down when we are ready for it.

Madison has been very ill ( from surgery) so it is good she takes the time to heal. What a great sponser you will make, too.

Nice to meet you Devonian It sounds like you have alot to offer others here with your knowledge and walk in AA. God Bless!

This is definitely not my first 4th Step. I have done about four so far in the 19 years I have been around AA. This is the first time I have used the Big Book directions on anger/resentments/fears/etc.

Now, I am back in treatment four nights a week, on top of working full time. Exhaustion is the word for today.

Thanks Bless Ewe.

Hugs,
Trish

 

[devonian]

Nice to meet you Devonian It sounds like you have alot to offer others here with your knowledge and walk in AA. God Bless!

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement.

 

[devonian]

I am working as quickly as I can on my 4th Step. I am in treatment at night and work full time, and still making my meetings. Not to mention having had surgery and being sick. No excuses, just living in reality. I am working on this as much as I can.

As much as you can is exactly what is needed. It took me a couple of months myself, and I didn't have the distractions you have.

I wonder if Bill Wilson was working those three days. Would be interesting.

I don't think he was.

 

[Autumnleaf]

I am working as quickly as I can on my 4th Step. I am in treatment at night and work full time, and still making my meetings. Not to mention having had surgery and being sick. No excuses, just living in reality. I am working on this as much as I can.

I wonder if Bill Wilson was working those three days. Would be interesting.

Bill was poor for the most part in the early AA days. I read about how lots of reformed AA drunks started making big bucks and felt sorry for old Bill who was still poor after he got them sober. Maybe him not having work to distract him helped AA to grow faster than it otherwise would have.

 

[healy]

TRISH!

you are inspiration here. have fallen but I know this is attainable.