dSober

Nuff said.

MattM316

I'm guessing this will be deleted because it makes no sense to me and seems pointless.

Tiptree

Happy for you dsober that you found your way.

Dee74

Not really LOL.

This is the general alcoholism forum - I think you're gonna have to say a little more if you don't want to alienate or confuse other members dS?

D

jdooner

Dsober - remember attraction versus promotion...your experience is not the same as my experience or others. There are many ways one can get and stay sober.

dSober

In due time Dee.

Please bear with me.

Raider

What are you talking about? I'm missing it.

dSober

I think we get too wrapped up in ourselves. I think that's what the Big Book says and offers the/a fix for.

freshstart57

Others will happily testify that their drive to survive and to demand a better existence of and for themselves finally led to their permanent and unconditional sobriety. So there is a different point of view. Ego and self-will saved me.

LadyinBC

Yes my ego definitely can kill me. Good Orderly Direction in my sobriety is what saves me .

Not really sure where you are going with this thread.

MsJax

Everyone come from a different place. Lack of self at a very young age contributed tremendously to me being an alcoholic. Getting sober, I got my self back and am learning slowly how to be healthily selfish. Long process.

FourSeasons

As always, Dee is right on...

I am already confused and alienated. Is that what you are trying to accomplish here, dSober? If not, then I believe your "Nuff said" message should be posted in a more appropriate forum than this one.

Have you checked out http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ians-recovery/

I would appreciate it if you did.

Nuff said.

ScottFromWI

I would argue that this thread and the manner that you have started and nudged it along is your ego at work, which is quite ironic to say the least. Say what you have to say already.

LadyinBC

What really makes a difference is when you either use the "I" or "me" word. I have found that this can change peoples whole perspective in how they view a post if people refer to what works for them and their experience.

A generalization and the "nuff said" is not going to benefit anyone, in my honest opinion.

jdooner

I would add "you" to the list too. This was a hard lesson for me to learn on here...I found I would alienate in my posts when I projected vs. simply sharing my experience, which is my truth and more powerful because I am not making assumptions.

Took a few to learn this lesson though.

FeenixxRising

dSober, with a title like "Ego Kills, God Saves" and then stating "Nuff Said", you clearly knew on some level your post would be inflammatory. Now, I suspect you'll claim you're only attempting to spark conversation, but given the nature of this thread and some of the numerous threads you've started over the last few months, it's clear to me you take at least some enjoyment from pushing people's buttons (and specifically the buttons of members who don't use AA or the 12-Steps).

Perhaps it's time to take an honest look at your motivation for starting some of these more provocative threads?

dSober

Yes, I had a pretty good idea that this thread, and others I've started, would gather some attention. My intent has been to do that, not inflame. And yes, I've been trying to stir the pot, although I might say "start" conversation rather than "spark".

I do not believe the steps are the only way to get sober but I do believe they're the most successful for the most people. I believe they're simple but they're not easy. Getting sober was not easy for me and I don't think it's easy for many of us. I believe it requires deep soul searching and trying to look, very objectively, at who we are and what we want to be. I believe the steps provide a flexible but concrete method for doing it. I believe that many of us find that the process not only gets us "sober" with respect to substances but with respect to everything else in our lives as well. We become happier than we ever were because we reveal the roots of our difficulties in life and take steps to fix them.

I also believe that many dismiss the steps because they use the word "God". That word hung me up for a long, long time because I was agnostic. The authors of the Big Book knew this was, and would continue to be, a problem for many. They tried their best to deal with it as effectively as they could but they felt that this was the "easiest" solution and so they presented it and defined God as loosely as they felt they could without losing that concept's importance in attaining overall sobriety. All in MHO of course.

The reason I started this thread here was to create discussion not only for those who have decided on, or are leaning towards the steps, but for everyone trying to get sober... or soberer. I hope it continues because I think looking at ourselves more deeply is what we all need to do to be happy. I think deep down inside, under all the crap we've been exposed to, or exposed ourselves to, we're all beautiful, and miracles, each of us, and certainly all of us together.

LadyinBC

The problem is your delivery. You want to stir the pot but not inflame????

You are basically speaking "for" people and in essence telling them what they need to do and how to do it and why things aren't working for them. Not speaking about your experience and what YOU needed to do. People have to come to their own realizations of what they need to do.

Honey works much better than vinegar .

dox

With attention seeking as a motivation for the opening post, does it serve God or serve ego?

In my humble opinion, this thread is as deceptive as some TV or radio adverts that use some shocking statement to get our attention, then go on to try and sell us something that we probably don't need.

The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous need no such promotion.

Like many, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work through the steps with a sponsor.
I try to incorporate the principles of the 12 steps in my daily life.

I don't disagree with most of the opinions and feelings finally expressed by the OP about the 12 steps.

But, your opening post?
Next time,
leave it out.
Please?
Nuff said.
Truly.

dSober

You know what they say about opinions. The title expresses mine. IMHO, and in my experience, it's true. Others' milage may vary.