Problemchild
....Slipping for 2 days is not great
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Born in Long Island NY/Mtns of N.C Is my home now
Posts: 405
Yes i agree that zero slips is the best, but what i was making that comment about was my past history there and due to the fact i was surrounded by alcohol 24/7 i feel i did pretty well considering. I want to be able to go there and come back with no relapse something to shoot for next year..
Take care,
John
Take care,
John
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Born in Long Island NY/Mtns of N.C Is my home now
Posts: 405
Hmmmmmm after thinking about it more , my way of thinking kinda stinks. I know im not where i should be in recovery but i am trying. Guess the miracle has not happened yet and the struggle with the higher power is hard for me due to my church upbringing..Whew so much on the mind....
Take care,
John
Take care,
John
where the light is
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,763
My own path to sobriety included instances when I chose to drink - an evening of drinking after weeks or months of not drinking. Compared to the worst days, these occassions were tame (an evening of drinking vs. a 3 day, out of control/blacked out bender). There was some progress here I suppose but it did lead me to believe that I could control my drinking and my last bender was horrendous. Something I had to learn, that I am truly powerless over alcohol.
Regarding my Higher Power, what really helped me was to try and keep it simple, accept that I could not stop drinking on my own. Initially, I was trying to fully define & comprehend my Higher Power which I now know is impossible:
"We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God."
I had to keep moving forward with the steps and not get hung up on steps 2 or 3. Just did my best with what I had at the time.
Glad your vacation went well and you are working on your sobriety. Take care.
All BB quotes are from the First Edition of the BB
Regarding my Higher Power, what really helped me was to try and keep it simple, accept that I could not stop drinking on my own. Initially, I was trying to fully define & comprehend my Higher Power which I now know is impossible:
"We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God."
I had to keep moving forward with the steps and not get hung up on steps 2 or 3. Just did my best with what I had at the time.
Glad your vacation went well and you are working on your sobriety. Take care.
All BB quotes are from the First Edition of the BB
Day One's Can RIP!!!
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Far & Wide
Posts: 244
Glad you're trying again . . . .
I didn't go away on a "formal" vacation until I had been sober for about 18 months. Vacations were huge triggers for me. I took days off from work but stayed close to home and meetings until I felt I could handle a vacation without drinking. And by then, I didn't have to vacation with people who drank. They were all gone from my life.
I didn't go away on a "formal" vacation until I had been sober for about 18 months. Vacations were huge triggers for me. I took days off from work but stayed close to home and meetings until I felt I could handle a vacation without drinking. And by then, I didn't have to vacation with people who drank. They were all gone from my life.
Awaiting Email Confirmation
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,942
"the struggle with the higher power is hard for me due to my church upbringing.."
It will be a struggle as long as you want it to be a struggle, and your 'upbringing' is long gone so think about putting it in the past where it belongs.
Just my own opinion, but my religious 'upbringing' is about as far from my Higher Power as it can get. There is no relationship what-so-ever.
Why? Becasue I don't choose to make any association.
You've got some choices too.
It will be a struggle as long as you want it to be a struggle, and your 'upbringing' is long gone so think about putting it in the past where it belongs.
Just my own opinion, but my religious 'upbringing' is about as far from my Higher Power as it can get. There is no relationship what-so-ever.
Why? Becasue I don't choose to make any association.
You've got some choices too.
problem with authority
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 870
The crucial part of step two for me was the second part of it: "could restore me to sanity."
Believing that I could be restored to sanity at all was a major hurdle for me to jump. Once I believed that I could be restored, it became quite obvious that I needed to rely on powers greater than myself to do it. What are some of these powers?
AA
The Rooms
My Sponsor
My Sober Network
Things I Have Not Experienced Yet
Trying Something New
The Possibility That I Don't Have All the Information About Everything
Letting It All Unfold
Taking an Action Even Though I am Skeptical
The Idea That Maybe It's Not As Bad as I Think It Is
I also grew up in the church and I later became an atheist, so the god thing was not happening for me.
Believing that I could be restored to sanity at all was a major hurdle for me to jump. Once I believed that I could be restored, it became quite obvious that I needed to rely on powers greater than myself to do it. What are some of these powers?
AA
The Rooms
My Sponsor
My Sober Network
Things I Have Not Experienced Yet
Trying Something New
The Possibility That I Don't Have All the Information About Everything
Letting It All Unfold
Taking an Action Even Though I am Skeptical
The Idea That Maybe It's Not As Bad as I Think It Is
I also grew up in the church and I later became an atheist, so the god thing was not happening for me.
Originally Posted by gravity 
My own path to sobriety included instances when I chose to drink - an evening of drinking after weeks or months of not drinking. Compared to the worst days, these occassions were tame (an evening of drinking vs. a 3 day, out of control/blacked out bender). There was some progress here I suppose but it did lead me to believe that I could control my drinking and my last bender was horrendous. Something I had to learn, that I am truly powerless over alcohol.
Regarding my Higher Power, what really helped me was to try and keep it simple, accept that I could not stop drinking on my own. Initially, I was trying to fully define & comprehend my Higher Power which I now know is impossible:
"We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God."
I had to keep moving forward with the steps and not get hung up on steps 2 or 3. Just did my best with what I had at the time.
Glad your vacation went well and you are working on your sobriety. Take care.
All BB quotes are from the First Edition of the BB
Regarding my Higher Power, what really helped me was to try and keep it simple, accept that I could not stop drinking on my own. Initially, I was trying to fully define & comprehend my Higher Power which I now know is impossible:
"We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God."
I had to keep moving forward with the steps and not get hung up on steps 2 or 3. Just did my best with what I had at the time.
Glad your vacation went well and you are working on your sobriety. Take care.
All BB quotes are from the First Edition of the BB
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