Youngaddictionwarrior

Hi is anyone able to help me I'm up to step 3 and around 70 days sober

Gottalife

What is your objection to usiing a face to face sponsor? You seem to live in an area that will gave an AA presence.

Youngaddictionwarrior

No objection just prefer to do it out of the comfort of my home

RDBplus3

I have a format for Working the Steps thru the website. I will do it thru this thread, so anyone interested can utilize it, and I will send a PM with each Post, which will be periodically as we progress thru the Steps.

RDBplus3 ... Happy, Joyous and FREE

kahlia - Let's start at Step 1, hope that's ok

RDBplus3

Step 1:
"We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable"

Do the following WORK simultaneously:

+ Click the link below and download. It contains a pdf, "Daily Prayers", and 3 Speaker Messages that focus on Step 1.

+ Listen to each of the Speaker Messages.

+ Read Step One in the book, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions. Highlight anything that stands out or seems relevant.

+ Start reading the Book, Alcoholics Anonymous. Highlight anything that stands out or seems relevant.

+ Repeat the Prayers at least once a day, and the 3rd Step Prayer at least twice a day. From my perspective, I do not think of the Prayers as 'praying to a magic genie in the sky that will magically zap me and I will be completely fixed' ... my perspective is that they introduce new concepts that awaken an important part of me that is buried under the onslaught of drinking / using, and the continual madness that is spinning in my head.

+ Say a personal prayer each morning on awakening, and each night before going to sleep - something like, "God, I'm not sure what to pray or if this even makes any sense, and I somehow don't even know if this is going to do anything, but I am willing to let you work something new in me."

+ Step 1 is where we acknowledge and determine how are lives have become unmanageable, how our drinking / using has become unmanageable, how we have been unable to fix ourselves and our current condition of life, both in outside circumstances and most importantly on the inside, and how we have not let 'others' fix us. Step 1 is where we 'wallow' in our unmanageability and the 'hopelessness' of not having been able to 'fix' ourselves. This is the IMPORTANT starting point where we move to the only next step this Program directs us to, Step 2.

Click this link, or copy and paste in web browser:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8lz8h66ut...cG0ZZsfka?dl=0

Step 2 will follow after Doing The Work stated for Step 1.

Note: for any Drug issues - keep in mind Alcohol is just another drug. This program was worked out initially with people whose drug problems were with alcohol. These principals and steps work the same with any drug. Just mentally replace the term Alcohol with whatever Drug, or if like me, a combination of Any / All drugs and alcohol.

RDBplus3 ... Happy, Joyous and FREE

Ken33xx

Interesting.

Another sign o' the times

tomsteve

At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.

Youngaddictionwarrior

Thank you so much it means the world.
I feel others are judging me for not going to the meetings. I spend all my time with my supportive partner, sr and psychologist. If I'm feeling physically vulnerable I will then attend a meeting although my higher power has helped me through times and I feel I am safe away from addiction. I understand how quick it can slip up as I have been in recovery before and just had a food setback. Alcohol is my demond and I wish to do the steps and Benifit off them

SeaOfSerenity

quoting the book is cool and all but the internet wasn't around when it was written.

any resource that aides abstinence and recovery should be utilised. good luck kahlia and well done on seeking a better way

Youngaddictionwarrior

Thank you so much 😊 73 days today x

Redmayne

Best sponsors I had and still have are these two gentlemen wh've helped lots of people all over the world! You can hear them by listening to,'Joe & Charlie's:Big Book Study Meeting.' You can check them out online, buy a recording of them speaking or a transcript of it, highly recommended...

It worked for me back in Feb.,2008 and does to this date...

RDBplus3

Hello Redmayne,
... Joe & Charlie Big Book Study ... a most excellent walk thru the AA Big Book in alignment with the Steps as they progress thru the Big Book. Their Big Book Study has had a tremendous influence on my Sobriety, and my understanding of the AA Program, as laid out in the Big Book.

RDBplus3

Gottalife

Most of the work in the program is done away from meetings, so I dont see any problem completing the steps without meetings.

IME, though, it may not be possible to complete sobriety without giving back, and meetings are a good means to do that.

Youngaddictionwarrior

I am looking at doing a diploma of community service if my criminal record allows it.

Redmayne

As someone who spent 28 years working on both sides of the criminal justice system here in the UK I commend your aspirations, particularly if you approach from the view of being 'a gamekeeper turned poacher' as I was once referred to in a local radio interview...

Youngaddictionwarrior

Thank you. My game plan fell into place today. What does that mean

RDBplus3

Step 1 / 1.1 - RDB
Additional Work for Step 1

Read the following in the AA Big Book:

+ The story about The Jaywalker - bottom of page 37 thru page 38. This illustrates the absurdity of the insanity to drink or drug, in someone with an advanced condition of alcoholism (or addictivism). Notice any parallels or identification with this behavior? Or, just recognize this insanity is where the progression leads to, in many / most of us that have this condition in our lives.

+ The illustration about the Stage Actor and Self-Will-Run-Riot - bottom of page 60 thru 3/4 of page 62. This gives a view into ways we set up, contribute to, and perpetuate, unmanageability in our lives.

RDBplus3

Redmayne

Great response, to which I'd add,'You must control events otherwise events will control you,' - Sun Tzu,'The Art of War,' which is about life itself really, and is a good benchmark to see how your recovery is progressing...

Dave42001

Wishing you the best.. I had to have a face to face / in person support group for my soberity to stick, but that's just me!

I work with a good friend here on SR and we've become best friends and he's never been to a meeting and has 15 months clean.. it can be done, it just wasn't the path I took!! Go for it!!

Marjoram

This is a great thread, and greatly appreciated to Kahlia01 for starting it. I won't go into my history as it would take pages, but I will say that the Big Book should have been picked up by me more seriously in the past. In my heart AA's foundation is so important, and utilizing today's technology may help people that would otherwise not consider a meeting. I'm going to a meeting tomorrow night for the first time again in some time, but I also want to tag along on this thread as RDBplus3 and others are offering some direction that is well needed. I am blessed with a brother that is over 15 years sober. He has never given up on me, and that is him practicing part of his AA responsibility to this day - giving back to others in need. That's what everyone here is trying to do as well. Very grateful. Congrats on over 70 days sober Kahlia01. I'm looking forward to that feeling of freedom again.