TigerLili

It's very normal. That's why there's a program :-)

Steps 4-9 deal with all the uncomfortable stuff we carry around, like guilt, resentment, anger, shame etc. Step 10 gives us a way to deal with the stuff that comes up on an everyday basis so we are able to quickly resolve it and move on, rather than drag it around with us feeling bad. The Steps give us freedom from all that.

GracieLou

Try and slow down. They say take it one day at a time for a reason. I understand all the spinning that is going on. When I quit all the anger and resentments were there waiting for me. I was also pissed about the past.

I did not want to drink but I wanted to hide from it all the way I have always done. I wanted it to go away and leave me alone.

Reach out to someone. Talking about it helped me to defuse the anger even if it was for only that day. Sharing it broke it in half and it allowed me to handle it better until I get to working on the steps.

Whether we are born with it or it is a product of our environment became moot to me at some point because in the end it did not really matter. I was an alcoholic and admitting that was the stepping stone to moving on to the solution. I did not want to wallow in the whys, ands, ifs or buts because it served me no purpose. It kept me from moving on to the solution.

At some point I stopping thinking "Hi, my name is Gracie, I am an alcoholic....but why?" and moved on to "Hi, my name is Gracie, I am an alcoholic, what now?".

For me it was about acceptance. I surrendered, I accepted and I moved on to the next phase.

GracieLou

This says it better than I can....

02/13/2014

~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*

A.A. Thought for the Day

Sometimes we can't help thinking: Why can't we ever drink again? We know it's because we're alcoholics, but why did we have to get that way? The answer is that at some time in our drinking careers, we passed what is called our "tolerance point." When we passed this point, we passed from a condition in which we could tolerate alcohol to a condition in which we could not tolerate it at all. After that, if we took one drink, we would sooner or later end up drunk. When I think of liquor now, do I think of it as something that I can never tolerate again?

caboblanco

How you doing today free...feel better I hope?

freethinking

It's about 9:15am here and I feel pretty good...but I usually feel good in the morning. As the day progresses, that's when it get's harder. I had sort of a tough day yesterday....very angry, sad, etc - the whole range. It was draining, and very trying. if you have any advice on how you got through those early days...I am all ears.

Thanks for asking

freethinking

Thank you, Gracie - very helpful stuff there.

foolsgold66

I'm no expert, but to a certain extent I am able to be very 'destructive' of my past. Not saying I don't make amends, I do, but some ships have just flat sailed and there is no bringing them back. Blame, even of self helps no one. Sharing in any fashion can help. To the extent that you can control any obsessive thinking, do so. For me that means getting out of bed and doing something, anything, that makes my mind focus elsewhere.

cocopuff3315

Don't look back. When your past calls, do not answer. It has nothing new to say.

When I get those feelings or negative thoughts I go do something positive and nice for myself to feel good about myself.