michaelg

While I had heard numerous people with long term sobriety tell me so in the beginning, it just didn't register to me that I really needed to make my recovery priority #1. Until I began to notice, through personal experience, how fragile sobriety is if I am not plugged in. If I am not Committed. If I am not in the middle of the herd.

How could I place sobriety ahead of family, work, and personal interests I would ask myself?! It became easy once I realized that all of those things, which had been renewed for me, would quickly dry up and fall away if I were sucked back into the sea of addiction. And I've only ever found one solution to walk the shores of sobriety. Our program.

There has to be some balance with the outside world. I was not given this gift to hide out from society in the rooms. But sobriety comes first. I have to build a life around recovery. Rather than recovery around my life.

RDBplus3

thanks michaelg,

I can do soooo much more now that I am FREE from the active drinking behaviors, mental obsession & craving cycle of that damned addiction. I still have to do the WORK every day to stay FREE, because LIFE HAPPENS EVERY DAY to me, and sometimes it ain't pretty ... but by doing the Daily Steps Work, I remain in an elevated Spiritual Condition where the onslaughts of Life's events don't get TRACTION with the grinding gears of my old Self/Flesh Nature.

RDBplus3 ... Happy, Joyous and FREE ... it's a WONDERFUL place to be.

Music

The fact is, although AA isn't thought of as a program of rehabilitation similar to a treatment program, that's exactly what AA is, hence the idea that I have to put my sobriety ahead of everything else.....at least for a while. I have to "rehabit" myself in order to effect that psychic change the Big Book talks about. I have to completely change my way of thinking, and for me, that took a meeting every day, a complete change in my thinking about what friends are and how to have fun without alcohol. That psychic change can't happen if I interrupt the process with excuses about having to run here or there and do this or that. Of course, there are responsibilities I can't ignore but as I was reminded so often when I first got sober, I made time to drink, I can make time to get sober, and although there are many people in AA who don't believe they have a choice about drinking, I say they're wrong! AA gives me that choice! I can choose to drink, or I can choose to make use of the tools laid at my feet which are the twelve steps and the experience, strength and faith of those who've been sober for a long while. The reason I keep in touch with AA meetings and AAs is because although I can't imagine what it would be, there may be something out there somewhere that may give me the idea that a drink might make things better. I have to stand guard at the portal of thought and remain constantly vigilant.

mary2788

I am going through that mind set of how do i place this first over eveyrthing else.. I am trying to finish my degree, work and maintain a social life..

I have so far realized that my true friends will still be there even if I dont go partying with them every weekend as I normally would.. Its still VERY early for me so I am struggling with this a bit as I know I will lose "friends" over this or so called "drinking buddies"
For once in my life I am trying to put myself first and give myself the lvoe and devotion that I deserve..

I feel as through if I stay sober everything else will just fall into place

Love your post! it is very helpful I am as serious as a heart attack about staying sober even though there a voice inside of me thats saying lets numb out! I really don;t want to.

NestWasEmpty

Great post michaelg, and so true - Always everyday Sobriety has to be #1

Ken33xx

Exactly.

I`m sober my hats in the ring. I start drinking and all bets are off.