jraecooper

Does anyone stay in one routine for so long that you start to dread meetings? I'm dealing with that. I'm also in a very, very, small town. There isn't very many options. (2 mtgs a day.) It is important for me to remember that going to meetings isn't about me... it's about the newcomer.

Peace & love.

paul99

Are you active in your group? Do you guys have service meetings in institutions (hospitals, jails, etc) in other areas? Do you bring in speakers from other areas? There are many ways to keep the group (and/or yourself) active and alive and invigorated through service in different ways.

Is travelling to another town out of the question?

I found that I got what I put into it.

awuh1

Perhaps if you could say exactly why you are dreading the meetings, you might get more useful feedback.

Riverbird

How often are you going to meetings? I sometimes have to ease off a bit when I get in a rut like you describe. That doesn't mean stop going all together, but maybe not going every day if that's what I was doing. I was really surprised when my first sponsor told me, even early on, that I didn't have to go to a meeting every day. She said that there are many different ways to enlarge our spiritual life, and that some people become essentially addicted to meetings like they were to substance. Meetings are an important part of the program, but not the entire program. Maybe you can take some of the time to find a new way to meditate, read a new book, invite a newcomer out for coffee, etc.

(Disclaimer: All of this depends on how long you've been sober, how many meetings you go to, what your sponsor says, etc. Don't walk away from meetings and say I told ya to! haha).

Also, there are ruts in sobriety just like everywhere in life. It's not going to feel amazing and exciting 100% of the time. Sometimes meetings are the last place you want to be, but don't let the new life AA and meetings have given you pull you away from AA and meetings. You need a balance of both.

tomsteve

"There isn't very many options. (2 mtgs a day.) "
isn't that 14/week to chose from? that's a pretty big choice of meetings for a small town.
change it up. maybe get with others and go to meetings in another town.

IOAA2

All it takes for a new meeting is a coffee pot and a place to plug it in along with a few alcoholics.

Helping a newcomer is important but my primary reason to go to meetings is to stay sober for myself.

BE WELL

muvinon

Our small town knows people in the next small town and the next and the next.

It's a community. Drive a bit.