The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
I have noticed that since I finished my first round through the steps I am struggling to keep the program and HP the center of my life where I know both should be. Don't get me wrong I am still very much working the program but when I was working the steps more concentrated though the first round of the steps it was easier to keep it all dead center.... Now I find myself drifting a bit. There have been other things going on.......EXABF asking me out to dinner and my son's health issues, and finances or lack there of at this point, but I really don't think those things are the issue. Of course I could be wrong, as I am sure that outside stressers in life could cause our minds to drift.... I'm still reading 3 daily readers, praying, going to meetings(though I missed last week to bring my son'd b day in with him), posting and doing service work, but I just feel like something is a bit "off" with my program and I'm not sure where to begin to figure it all out....
Any ideas, ESH would be GREATLY apprecitated.......
thanks for letting me share shelly
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Put down the magnifying glass and pick up the mirror!
Have you talked to your sponsor about how you are feeling? Sometimes, it's a hard call to make, but I was reminded this weekend of the incredible benefit that can come from it.
My other thought is, can you pick up a meeting this week instead of waiting for your regular meeting? When I am faced with alot of stress in my life, sometimes all it takes is to miss that one meeting to start me heading over the edge. I try to never go more than a week without a meeting, even when things don't seem to be crazy in my life. It helps to keep me balanced and better able to weather the storms that come with living life.
Hang in there. This too shall pass...
Yours in Recovery,
SLS
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Do not be anxious about tomorrow; tomorrow will look after itself. The Bible, from Courage to Change, p.138
Hi - I think we are all guilty of assuming that our recovery is going to be a straight line of getting better, with every day moving forward.... Our reality is that sometimes it is two steps forward, one step back.... If you back up a bit, and spread your view out a little bit wider/longer, you will more than likely see that you ARE making huge progress, and you are a heckuva lot more comfortable with you and your recovery than you were a year ago....
Try to be kind to you - sounds to me like you're doing all the right things, and you are making progress.... That's all we can really ask of ourselves....
Take care Tom
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"He is either gonna drink, or he won't.... what are YOU gonna do?"
"What you think of me is none of my business"
"If you knew the answer to what you are worrying about, would it REALLY change anything?"
I definitely think life stressors can be a huge issue. I have plenty of them. I also think celebrations can be very very hard. There is so much expectation in them. I have to really moderate my celebration issues.
Be good to yourself, you have a lot on your plate. I think it takes a while to get really good at polishing our skills and tools. I know mine didn't come overnight by any means.
Ya got it backwards hon God first , it works . Keep up the concious contact with yur HP before u start your day , it reminds you of who is in charge . Louise
It is great that you have completed your first go around with the steps and have grown in your recovery. I find that I use many of the Steps on a Daily basis. It sounds as if you are doing the 11th and 12th Step often as I do.
I also find it necessary in the morning to say the Third Step Prayer and during the day when anxious, etc I summarize the first three steps with the slogan,"Let Go and Let God" repeated until I am calm. I do a 10th Step every evening to make sure I am keeping my side of the street clean and make ammends (9th step) accordingly. This works for me
wow shelly, I am three years into the program and I still have not completed my first round of steps! I am impressed with your progress. I know I am a later bloomer...hugs, J.