Powerlessness is one of the paradoxes of the program. By admitting to our powerlessness over alcohol we gain a new strength and power in our lives if we choose to utilize it.
I often hear people in the program say "I choose not to drink today." I think this plays into the powerlessness aspect of the program and has the potential to set one up to drink again since it takes the power away from our Higher Power and puts it back into our hands and if we truly believe the 1st Step then we can not take that power back. I avoid saying "I choose not to drink today" because I know that alone I am powerless over alcohol even after nearly 13 years of sobriety the daily choice I have is to pick up the tools of the program (The Steps, my Higher Power, The Big Book, & Traditions) each day and apply them to my life so I don't drink.
The choice I make is not whether to drink, since I have no power over that, but rather to utilize the tools provided not to drink, since those I have power over.
I may be wrong in my interpretation but so far it has worked well for me.