DigitalDreamz

Hi everybody, hope you are all staying clean and sober. Nice and sunny here in the Pacific Northwest, life is great today.

Once again here is another interesting question. My counselor asked at my last session. It was, "What are the steps you can take to recognize and control your complacency?" Always know that critical situations can come up at any time, anywhere.. and always stay focused but don't get too comfortable.

Anyways, I hope to hear some great answers to this question.

Thanks...

keithj

The 12 listed on page 59 of AA's Big Book.

tommyk

That is the correct answer in my opinion.

I worked the 12 steps, worked them again with a sponsee, and now I live them.

I can recite the 12 steps in my mind whenever a challenging situation arises.

By the time I get through all 12 steps, I will have either realized a step directly addresses the current issue, I no longer will wish to kill the person who annoyed me (lol), or, I will have forgotten what the current issue was.

(To counter complacency, specifically... step 1... never forget it?)

CarolD

Hmmm.......for over 20 years.....
I too use the AA 12 Steps in all areas of my life.
Works marvelously.......

Hope you too will find the joy of solid recovery

sfields141

I use the serenity prayer answers all my questions, leaves no doubt what I should do.

Tazman53

Well the 12 steps of AA today. If I am applying them daily to all areas of my life complacency is not a factor, the Serenity Prayer carried me through the early stages of my sobriety, I have a feeling that is why it is said at almost every meeting (Maybe all) I go to or have been to.

Funny thing, I recall in early sobriety saying the serenity prayer silently many times through out the course of a day, as I started to take the steps with my sponsor to heart I found the need to say it far less, and the more I apply the steps on a daily basis to my life, except at a meeting I may not say it at all.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not knocking the Serenity prayer at all, it saved my butt on many an occasion when I was still really struggling. In thinking about it, the steps are like the Serenity Prayer on steroids plus a lot more. I think one reason I do not say it like I used to is because I have my side of the street clean and work on keeping it clean and being of maximum service to others.

marty888

I like that taz, the serenity prayer on steroids !!! I working through my steps now and using the serenity prayer a lot !!!

shaun00

For me alot of it is about spritual fitness and mantainance.

I Get this through...prayer...meditation and working with others.

If i dont do this....certain things start to happen........again only for me.

i start to get restless......"me"....starts to become my first thought.

I get frustrated with newcomers...........and prayer start to become mundain

dishonesty starts to play a part in my life..and i start to feel hard done by.

Before long i start to miss the old game and a drink becomes attrative.

Insane thinking worms its way into my head.......and i only remember the good time drinking.

the day comes when i cant take it anymore..........and return to drinking.

and for me there is only three outcomes......jails.......institutions or death.

not the whole story but some of it.

trucker.

jamdls

Prayer, reading the bible, talking with my biggest supporter (my dad). Not long after I stop drinking I got a bracelet with the serenity prayer on it and I wore that bracelet every day for over a year and it was a constant reminder to me of where I'd been and how much I had grown, I love that prayer.

gravity

It helps to step back and figure out why I am complacent:

Tired
Lazy
Overwhelmed (fear, anxiety)
Just don't want to do what I have to do

99% of the time, my problem is ego-based and not critical at all! Applicable analogy I heard at my meeting last night "Alcoholics need to pole-vault over an anthill. "

My approach is to not take everything so damn seriously. Try to relax, enjoy life, do what's right in front of me.

DigitalDreamz

Thanks Gravity, I like your answer, I am a not so religious person, My higher power is my Family, they help keep me sober, they mean the world to me. I do believe and work the 12 steps, but I apply my family when they refer to a higher power, and it is working.

Thanks for all the comments