Because I was no longer drinking, I had time to do all (or most) of the things suggested by Horselover. But, I also chose to make AA a big part of my life, since my kids were grown and I no longer had a husband to occupy my time. I had always known how to stop drinking...I had done it many times over 32 years...I never knew how to stay stopped until AA. Once I learned how to stay sober, I found it enhanced my sobriety to pass on the AA message to others. One of the basic principles of AA is that "we keep it by giving it away."