Starting a successful Program in AA is not brain surgery! Although not easy, it is actually very simple. When beginning or returning to working a Program, don’t overthink it. This is a very simple program to achieve for very complicated folks. Many of us analyze the beejeebers out of it and end up getting drunk again. Why? Because, if we are analyzing it, we are trying to control it. How well did we do with control before entering this amazing program? I had lost control over almost everything leading to my life becoming unmanageable. So, why was I trying to gain control over this simple program?
When new to the AA Program, I heard all sorts of seemingly gifted orators at meetings trying to impress everyone with their knowledge of the Program. They quoted the Big Book regularly right down to the page numbers something was on. All of this was from memory. It didn’t achieve much from me.
I had discovered, when younger and still in school, that I could achieve passing grades by cramming before exams and doing well. The problem was that I retained very little or none of this “Instant knowledge” that I got from this last minute memorization. I now call this “Head learning.” The things that I learned, was able to achieve, and remembered most were learned from experiencing them. FEELING them. I call this “Head learning.” An example of this would be: when young, parents telling us to not touch the hot stove or we would be burned and it would be painful. Did this new knowledge stop my from touching the stove later and burning my finger? No, but I learned quickly not to touch a hot stove.
AA is the same. We hear a lot of really good advice when new to the Program. Most of it is quickly forgotten or pushed way back in our memory banks. Oh, oh! What do we do now? Probably the best answer to the question of how to successfullu achieve our program when new was 1, 2, 3. ! Don’t drink! 2 Go to meetings. 3 Get a sponsor. In the beginning, as the physiological effects of stopping drinking eased, THIS WAS ALL THAT IT TOOK! For those who need more of an explaination, here goes!
1 – Don’t drink. If you do not pick up that first drink, you will NOT get drunk. To achieve this is a great start!
2 – Go to meetings. When attending AA meetings, you are bound to hear something that rings your bell. Combine this with not adding mind altering substances to your system and you are starting to see that there actually is some relief. You are meeting people who have been where you are and they emerged from these depths and are now Happy, Joyous, and Free. They are showing you so much that you never thought that you would ever see in yourself. But, you could never talk with them about things that were really bothering you because your secrets would be taken “to the grave.” We are only as sick as our secrets. All we achieve is misery, as long as we carry on this way!
3 – Get a sponsor. How do I get out of this mess that I am in? If these people know this or that about me, they would hate, fear, despise me. Enter, tada, a sponsor. What is a sponsor? Someone you met at a meeting that was working their program and seemed to be actually Happy, Joyous, and Free. Besides that, you actually liked them! Being new to the program yourself, you weren’t sure just what to do in most situations while learning this whole new way of life. JUST DO IT! Since the entire concept may be new, just approach someone who is working the 12 Steps and say simply “Would you be my temporary sponsor?” If you say “temporary, you do not feel trapped in a situation that you may not know how to get out of. Many times, these “temporaries” become friends.
Do you want to be Happy, Joyous, and Free? If so, just start with the 3 steps mentioned above. This is planting the seed that will grow into giant oak tree of peace, joy, and happiness that you may have thought would never happen to you. God bless you!
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