Wednesday, October 24, 2012

CARE

C A R E = Comforting And Reassuring Each other.


Positive Thinking


We had substituted negative for positive thinking.
After we came to AA, we had to recognize that this trait
had been an ego-feeding proposition. . .
But finally, driven to AA, we learned better.



- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 30



 

T H I N K = Thank Heavens I Now Know

 

 

A Member Shares:


Joannie here, I’m an alkie for sure. “Attitude Adjustment” is something, even after fifteen years of sobriety, that I still need to work on. I’m not bragging about my years sober, I just want to say that we are never done with self-examination. This summer, I stayed with my son at his home on a lake in upstate New York, and had plenty of time to meditate. I listened to my son as he talked to me as a therapist would, and realized my attitude had begun to spiral downward. I’d been seriously ill for almost a year, and needed a lot of personal care. As I thought back, I remembered that when I first came to AA, I was in the same mode: nobody loved me, God had deserted me, if you had my life, kids, husband, job, you would drink, too. And on it went. Then I finally started working the Steps with a good sponsor. She took me through the first three Steps again, and I began to see my attitude was just not going to let me enjoy sobriety. I took those Steps and was anxious to proceed, but my attitude really didn't change until after about six months of daily meetings. I listened to how happy and joyful and free other folks were as I was sitting on my pity pot, and gradually came out of that fog to enjoy sobriety for a long time until this past year when my attitude changed again during the illness. I felt defeated and didn't go to many face-to-face meetings. I just wanted to die and get it over with, or go back to the beach and my meditation. I realize now that without a doubt I was loved by family, friends, and most of all, by God. It still gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to think about it. I think I may have been on the verge of a drink before I got there. I am so glad Alcoholics Anonymous has given me the tools to get back on track. My Number One goal when I was in the hospital was to get well enough to attend the Southern California AA Conference this past September. I kept that in front of me. I wanted to meet more folks from AAOnline -- and I did! That’s a great push for “Attitude Adjustment” in AA! Thanks for letting me share
 




A Member Shares:
 
I’m Chuck, an alcoholic. I believe my mind is like a computer. It records everything that I put into it. It does not know what is true or what is false. It operates based on the sum total of everything I have put into it. If the large majority of what I put into my mind has been negative and defeatist, then my attitude and my life view will reflect that. If I want that to change, I have to start programming my mind to think positively. The way to do that is to practice doing it intentionally. When I have negative, defeatist, thoughts, I immediately replace them with a positive outlook. And over the years, I have started to believe in AA, in God, and even in myself. It works if you work it. It works if you work at it! Thanks for letting me share.




 

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