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.
If you go to face-to-face meetings, you may find someone who you want to be like or you like what they have to say. Then all you need to do is ask them. Of course easier said than done for me because I still haven't found a sponsor. Whenever I think about asking a particular person, I feel like I'm 14 years old and asking a cute boy to the school dance (he turned me down, BTW). LOL!
Some people don't Sponsor for one reason or another, and if that happens to be the case with the person you ask, don't take it personally and don't be discouraged.
I think it's important to have a Sponsor and I hope to have the courage to ask someone soon.
I personally would start with face to face (f2f) meetings and attend for awhile till you get the "feel" of the persons whose story most closely fits to yours or someone who has the peace and serenity that you feel like you would like to have. As in all things I think it takes awhile for us to truely know to whom our Higher Power is guiding us, and I do believe your HP can help you make this decision.
2. Do I need a sponsor?
In my humble opinion, yes. I believe we need someone with more recovery under their belt than us to lead us through the steps and assist us in working them. A sponsor can be there to discuss things that are too personal to discuss with just anyone in your group and they are there for guidance, so chose wisely. This is why I believe it needs to be an HP directed decision.
3. Do people offer up services to be a sponsor?
In my almost 18 years in al-anon I've never witnessed someone "offering up their services" to be a sponsor. It has always been by attraction only. That is just my experience.
Hope this helps.
Overcome
__________________
I can Overcome all things through my HP who strengthens me.
I don't know if I'd be where I am today in my recovery if I did not have a sponsor. I am a different person than I was when I first came to Al-Anon about a year and a half ago. And that's a GOOD thing.
My sponsor is another Al-Anon member who I trust with my entire story. The most valuable thing about her is that she is not emotionally vested in my life happenings... thus she is able to provide a realistic perspective from the Al-Anon approach to my issues.
Another important thing about her is that she's "been there", too. She's been affected by another person's drinking... but she's found serenity in her life through working the Al-Anon program.
There are no rules in this program stating you "MUST" have a sponsor. There are not rules about who can be a sponsor (unless you're planning to be an Alateen sponsor, but that's a different story).
Just keep your eyes peeled for someone who exhibits what you'd like to have in your life... be it joy, happiness, sense of humor, calm, peace, serenity... all the above... whatever. Feel free to ask that person if they'd agree to be your sponsor. As another mentioned, though, not all of us are in the realm of wanting to be a sponsor, though, so don't take it personal if you get turned down. I got turned down by the first person I asked myself. But I didn't feel hurt. I was glad for their honesty.
Hope you find yourself a sponsor, though. They're amazing.
