Recovery ABCs
 

A is for Attitude. A lot depends on how I look at something. Many times I need to change my attitude and look at things as they are, rather than the way I want them to be. i can see them a rosy and nice, when in fact, they can be less than they should be and I need to change something.

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B is for Beautiful. You are beautiful. If you can't find it outside, look inside.

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C is for Cheer. It isn't a different ''Cheer's to you.'' it is not about having another drink, but not picking up that first one that leads us to the slogan, 'one drink, one drunk.' We are cheerful that you chose to not drink in today. The normal thing for an alcoholic to do is drink. Not drinking is a special event to cheer about.

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D is for Easy Does It...but do it! This doesn't mean to procrastinate, but do it. it means don't rush it, take your time, and preferably do it right.

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E is for Easy Does it...but do it. There is no rush or schedule for this program of recovery. You do things when they are good for you. As they say, 'When the pain gets greater than taking steps to change. Each Step has a reason for being. If you want sobriety, you learn to work the Steps, then you apply them to your life, each Step at a time to the best of our ability. That is why when you get to Step 12, you start again for what you missed and what you still need to change.

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F is for Forgiveness. I needed to forgive others and myself. i had to make an amend (change my ways) to my God. Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.

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G is for Good. Look for the goodness in everyone. Most of people in this world have some. Good is God. God is Good.

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H is for Healing. The Creator is the Master Physician. In Jamie Sams Medicine book the Horse represent healing. They come in all four colors of the Medicine Wheel. yellow, Red, Black and White. As the Elders' meditation said today, "Grandfathers from the four directions, come to me today with Your powers."

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i is for idea. When we get an idea, it is best that we think it through. It is even better to talk things over with our sponsor, clergy, spiritual advisor, etc. I alone with me is being in bad company.

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J is for Just for Today. Just for Today, I can do anything as long as I don't pick up that first drink or drug. Just for Today, I choose not to use. HUGS, NOT DRUGS.

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K is for Kin. We don't always get our family back. Quite often we develop new friendships with people in recovery and the become our new kin.

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L is for Live and Let Live. Live your own life and allow others to live theirs. They have to make their own decision, make their own mistakes, and find their own God. You are not it.

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M is for more. Some is good, more is better. This saying can take us into an unhealthy addiction, it isn't just the substance is is our thoughts and what is on our mind that we have to change.

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N is for Naughty. When I get naughty thoughts of using, I need to turn them over to my Higher Power, and turn the naughty into nice.

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O is for Options. i didn't have any options left, it was do or die. I chose life. I feared missing a meeting, feared I would relapse. My sponsor said, "If you son'r want to go to a meeting, don't walk, run to the nearest meeting. We can dp what I can't do alone.

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P is for Peace. it is a new found faith that we find by working our program. Not someone else's program, but our program. it allows us to be at peace within ourselves.

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Q is for Quick. This is not a quick fix program. if we go through the Steps quickly, all you are doing is a glorified Step One. When you get to Step 12, you need to go back and do the Steps and find what you missed on your first time around. We become more aware and more honest.

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R is for Remember When. Remember where you came from. Remember the good and not so good and follow the tape to the end. What was the cost of a good time/ What did we win or lose and who did we hurt along the way. Remember that though you hurt others, you hurt yourself and you need to find a d ask for forgiveness for yourself.

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S is for Simple. This is a simple program, don't pick up, go to meetings, find a sponsor an a home group, get involved in service; it helps if you work the steps and traditions; and get a new perspective on life.

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T is for Trust the Process. We didn't get this way overnight, we don't change, heal and grow in a day. We do the program one day at a time until such a time, we can change and let go of our old ways, patterns, habits, addictions, and remembering that we are powerless over people, places, and things. We fear letting go of our drug of choice and we feel we can't possibly live without it. it anint so, life gets better.

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U is for United. As the saying goes, "United we stand, together we fall.' At least I think that is what it says, it is what I mean. This is a 'We' program, we can't do it alone. One for all, all for one. Without you, there is no me.

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V is for Void. When we stop using our drug of choice, there is a big void in our life. For me, it was important to fill that space with spiritual things. i.e. When I quit smoking 19 years ago, I went to NA and collected key tags, for nicotine anonymous and I lost 3 lbs. instead of gaining the 30 lbs I envisioned when I thought of quitting. That fear of putting on weight kept me smoking for many years. People would say, "We will still love you if you put on 30 lbs." and I would say, "But I Wouldn't love myself."

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W is for Wonder. Oh the wonder of it all. The blessing we receive far outweigh the pain and sorrow. When we work the Steps and apply them to our life, wondrous things happen.

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X is for XXOOXX X stands for unconditional love. hugs and kisses just seem to go together. Sending a little love.

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Y is for Yellow the Colour of Caution Signs. My computer wants me to speak Canadian. It gives me a red line to say you either spelled it wrong or typed it wrong, and it is my caution to me.

We were sharing about using dreams tonight and how they can be a caution warning us we are headed for a relapse and we need to take a look at our program.

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Z is for Zion. Another word for our God. i remember it being sung in church. it doesn't matter what you call God, He answers.

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A is for Acceptance. i don't have to like it, but if i don't find some kind of acceptance i stay stuck. I have to accpt what is in the moment, knowing it is subject to change.

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B is for Boundaries. We set them for our health and well being. We don't set them because we want to be nasty and hurtful. Sometimes we have to reinforce them building them higher, or compromise and lower our standards but not our principles. If we don't respect ourselves, how can we expect others to respect us.

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C is for Change. Change your bad habits, behaviors, and patterns.

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D is for Denial. I have been known to say that I am the Queen of De-ni-al. I am grateful for the program. it has a way of taking those walls down or makes them transparent.

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E is for Earth. Be in touch with Mother Earth. Get off the sidewalk and go to a park. Walk on the grass if there isn't a sign that says, "Keep off the grass." Garden, play in the dirt. Get your hands dirty. Wade in a bubbling brook or wash your hands, or take a shower.

Cleanse the body, mind and spirit.

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F is for F.R.O.G. For true sobriety, we need to Fully Rely On God. i like to change it to my God. I had to make my God personal and build a good working relationship with Him.

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G is for Good Orderly Direction from a Group of Drunks and Drug Addict. The rooms of recovery, offer the therapeutic value of one addict sharing with another addict. i went to a couple of outside programs and I left because the people in the room were where I was before I found recovery.

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H is for hello. Make a point of calling a friend, especially a recovery friend just to touch base. It doesn't mean always listening to their woes or you dumping yours, it can just be a hello, have a great day. Sometimes it is my morning, it isn't about what the clock says.

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I is for Identify. Identify, don't compare. Listen for the feelings and the reasons why. We can be opposite genders but still have similar feelings. We can be the same gender and be as differnet as day and night.

There is a little bit of each of us to be found in the people around us. It takes one to know one as they say.

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J is Just for Today. Just for today, I choose not to use people, places and things to escape my reality. Reality isn't always a good place to be, bt it is generally me who put me there. hust for today, I choose to change any old patterns, habits, and behaviors that have crept back into today.

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K is for Know. Ask your God for the knowingness that you need in today; or if you like your inner knowing. i also try to remember to have my perception healed to where I need it to be in today. I am not to big on surprises, I like to know. Maybe that is why I find myself saying to my God, ''Couldn't you give me a little hint, and we both will know.''

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L is for Learn. If we are looking for sobriety, we will continue to learn each day. Life is a learning process. If we don't learn, then our walls are up and we are shut off from the Spirit.

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M is for More. Instead of more drug, I try to fill up on more spiritual things to take away the void left by my drug of choice, and other things.

hugs not Drugs.

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N is for Normal. I have always left normal to Earthlings. I qualify for so much more as a recovering addict. It says we will be rocketed into the 5th dimension. I don't know about you, but I haven't been there yet, but I am enjoying the journey.

A long-timer said it takes an alcoholic 8 years of recovery to become normal and act as other people do. Well I am about to start my 4th seven-year cycle, so I am due for some change.

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