Originally Posted by
Centered3 
Whenever I have thoughts that pop up in my mind that tell me it wasn't that bad, I pause and ask myself, "Was that a thought from ego/my mind or was that a thought from God/higher power?"
....I hope you can find someway to separate your mind from your true self...
If I discipline myself to connect with God..., then I am okay. If I listen to my mind that tells me that I really wasn't that bad, then I will relapse.
Centered3, I realize that you are in AA, so the terminology is different, but your post struck me because the mechanics you describe are nevertheless similar.
I filter any thoughts that support the addiction, and attribute them to one entity. All the other, non-addiction-supporting thoughts belong to another entity.
You apparently use God/HP vs Ego/Mind, whereas I prefer to use It vs Me, or I vs IT. I have not run across many in AA who will describe this sorting process, but you are not the first, either.
Beyond stubbornly not drinking, I've always suspected there may not necessarily be "many ways" to abstain, as is often claimed. It is possible that there is a common thread.