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 think step 1 takes some awareness and that would be nice to talk about with a sponsor... are there any step meetings in your area? I think its great you want to work your program. When I was finally grasping steps 2 and 3 it was pray and meditation that was working for me.. but if you can find someone who you feel good talking with spiritually that would be great. I find it has been very hard for me to find people to talk with spiritually that I can relate with on that level. My sponsor is a great listener and has helped me a great deal in many ways.. but connecting spiritually.. honestly.. I connect with my husband the most spiritually out of anyone I know. Maybe I need to find someone in al-anon who I can really relate to on a spiritual level. when the student is ready, the teacher will appear, I guess.
-- Edited by Michelle814 on Tuesday 14th of February 2012 06:51:06 PM
__________________
Michelle!
No one can take away your peace of mind unless you let them.
I know I keep posting...sorry! but I was wondering if I can start the steps myself? I asked a lady the other day to be my sponosor and she said that she is so full on her schedule and is sponsoring someone else. So should I just wait to find the right person or can I start myself?
__________________
It is very difficult to have a pity party when I am celebrating all the gratitude I have in my life!
It will aither work out, . . . or, . . . It will work out."
I was told that truly the best way to work the steps is with a sponsor. However, I read about them before my sponsor on the step work board. I still read on the step work board, I find I learn so much over there!!!
I'm sure you have already started the steps all by yourself. Keep going to meetings. Learn all that you can about this disease and the process we use to get ourselves back to healthy. I went to a lot of step meetings for many years. 12 steps is 12 months. We studied one step every month and it took me many years to really get to where I am today. Some people have lots of sponsers they bounce questions off from. Some people use the group as their sponser for a while. Some people stay strictly to only one person that they trust with their intimate thoughts. Your choice.
Yes, whenever I bend myself into a pretzel trying to force something to happen the way I believe it should happen, that is not faith. Faith is knowing that all things unfold just as it should, I don't get in God's way. When I turn my will and my life over (step 3) I can relax. :D
When my first sponsor told me she was too busy to take me on, I waited. I just prayed about it and did exactly as Abby suggested, just kept working steps 1, 2, 3. I kept going to meetings, only using the internet as a supplement, as suggested by al-anon... and I kept reading my daily readers.
About a month later, she shared in a meeting how she had to let go of one of her sponsees because they were not working well together.... so I asked her again. She said yes, it was a great lesson for me. To just wait.
-- Edited by glad lee on Wednesday 15th of February 2012 10:14:08 AM
__________________
The prayer isn't for Higher Power to change our lives, but rather to change us.
Doing the steps alone can be a dangerous thing ,no one is harder on us than US.. focus on steps 1-3 learn to live them not just read them until you find a sponsor . and thank gooodness you found some one honest enough to tell the truth and say she was simply too busy at this time to be of any help instead of agreeing and not being available when you need her. Keep looking you will find the right person when the time is right .. just my opinion Louise
Jackie, I just checked out the step board. I think it will be really helpful.
I think I am trying to rush myself in all of this-I need to be more gentle and patient with myself. I am learning that Alanon is so soul nourishing and I want more more more of it...it's a beautiful thing.
I don't know if there are any step meetings in my area....is that the same as alanon meetings or is it AA meetings? Sometimes in a meeting we talk about a step for out topic.
Michelle, yes-you are right when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. That is so true. All the events in my life lead me to this and for that I am grateful.
__________________
It is very difficult to have a pity party when I am celebrating all the gratitude I have in my life!
It will aither work out, . . . or, . . . It will work out."
Just my experience of what I found when I first enterd these recovery rooms The Steps looked daunting so my sponsor suggested that I work with the slogans
She indicated that the Slogans are powerful tools that can lead nicely to the Steps.
Let Go and Let God is the Frist 3 Steps If at times of panic, anger, fear we stop and say the slogan over and over we are then working the first 3 Steps
Live and Let Live suggests hat we focus on ourselves and take the focus off others.
One Day at a Time reminds us to Stay in the moment and in the day
You are doing fine Keep it simple and trust the process.
-- Edited by hotrod on Thursday 16th of February 2012 02:22:46 PM
