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
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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
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
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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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