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Old 05-27-2010, 07:01 AM
  # 21 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by DayTrader View Post
Sounds like the plans you've made so far aren't working out the way you hoped. Sounds like it's time to make some changes and maybe do some more of the stuff that isn't "easy." I'm not saying you've been taking the easy way out......IMO, only a fool would try the road less traveled first.

I used to pray a lot for some willingness.......just a bit of willingness.........to try something different then just another one of my bright ideas. Turned out my prayers DID get answered and that answer got me doing a WHOLE lotta stuff I didn't want to do (go to meetings, take it seriously, try to do what the winners were doing, and try to trust a Higher Power to help me). As most alcoholics are, I'm a control freak and I don't like any solutions that are originated in my egotistical brain. Even the ones that work.....I want to put my own personal spin on them. My experience has taught me that less of my thinking, more listening, and a lot of action that I don't feel like doing has resulted in me being downright happy a lot of the time - even in the face of a lot of problems that just happen in life whether you're in recovery or not. The cool thing is that now I've got some power to not get dragged down so far again if I don't want to.
Nice post, DT. I think I've probably never had an original thought, so for me it's been about the willingness to listen to different voices....to learn to see things differently. After so many years of believing that I "knew something," willingness to let go of old ideas was a slow and painful process.

Some years ago I met a lovely lady with 41 years sober. She fairly glowed with spiritual energy. Being "pushy" for recovery, I asked her after the meeting if she could share anything that had significantly helped her....and she did. When she was five years sober, she invited a friend to her home after a meeting. Seeing lots of prayers posted on her walls, the friend inquired what that was all about, and Margerie told him that those were her prayers, that she said them all daily.

His response was to advise her to take them all down, and he would give her the only prayer she needed. But....she had to say it at least 100 times a day.

She tried it. And claims that it was largely responsible for her last 36 years of sobriety. I figured I ought to try it as well, and I can't emphasize enough how powerful it's been. Sometimes I repeat it a thousand times a day...whenever I'm not a peace, when I'm angry or confused, when I'm scared or just "out of sorts" I automatically begin repeating this very simple prayer like a mantra. It works.

So...here is Margerie's gift to all of us, through the transmission line of
AA:

"GOD MAKE ME WILLING."

That's all, folks.

blessings
zenbear
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Old 05-27-2010, 09:49 AM
  # 22 (permalink)  
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BD, you're going to give me a big head! Thanks... I fell off again last night, called the counselor, etc... I just got some really upsetting news about a friend... and drank. So, yes- I'll do some meetings... I've been to a few before. I really have been paying attention to all you've imparted. I hope you don't think you wasted your time, this helps- it does.
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Old 05-27-2010, 10:47 AM
  # 23 (permalink)  
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We think the booze helps with the problems, when in fact the booze is causing or exacerbating them. The problems, I suspect, will continue as long as you keep drinking. Like stugotz, I would recommend aa meetings. They make it easier not to drink, in my experience.
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Old 05-27-2010, 11:26 AM
  # 24 (permalink)  
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I know. I'm going. A friend has agreed to come along, which helps.
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Old 05-27-2010, 11:44 AM
  # 25 (permalink)  
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I'm so glad to read that.
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Old 05-27-2010, 11:58 AM
  # 26 (permalink)  
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Keep quitting 'till you've quit! Don't beat yourself for drinking again. Most everyone I know who has any quality time dry, tried numerous times 'til they figured it out.
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Old 05-27-2010, 04:31 PM
  # 27 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by ElegantlyWasted View Post
Keep quitting 'till you've quit! Don't beat yourself for drinking again. Most everyone I know who has any quality time dry, tried numerous times 'til they figured it out.
I agree. Took me several attempts.
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Old 05-28-2010, 03:47 AM
  # 28 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by sleepie View Post
BD, you're going to give me a big head! Thanks... I fell off again last night, called the counselor, etc... I just got some really upsetting news about a friend... and drank. So, yes- I'll do some meetings... I've been to a few before. I really have been paying attention to all you've imparted. I hope you don't think you wasted your time, this helps- it does.
there's no waste of time, sleepie. sometimes it takes alot of wrong answers to get to the right ones. it took me 13 years of relapsing before i got a single month of sobriety.

so don't feel bad. it takes what it takes. there will be a day when your desire to stay sober far outweighs your desire to get drunk and then this terrible obsession will be nothing more than a fleeting thought on a bad day.


hang in there
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