ABCs of Recovery
 

A is for Apply. Apply the principles of the program to your daily life. Take the program out of the rooms of recovery, work the Steps and Traditions at home, at work, and in the Community.

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B is for Boundaries. Set them, they are healthy. Reinforce them when needed, they are bound to get ignored or stepped on. Be kind to you, protect yourself with boundaries.

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C is for Change. We need to change in order heal and get better. We are sick people, not bad people trying to get good. We need to change the old behaviours, habits, and ways of thinking.

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E is for Emotions. For many years we didn't acknowledge them. We didn't allow ourselves to feel them and we used people, places and things to stuff them. In today, I take them to my HP, sponsor, and the people in my support group.

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F is for Forgiveness. A gift you give yourself.

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G is for Gratitude. Grateful that my computer is working tonight and I felt much better today and was able to post.

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H is for Hunger. You have to want this program. You have to fill that void with spiritual things. Remember this disease is 4-fold, mental, emotional, spiritual and physical.

H.A.L.T. Hungry, angry, lonely and tired can lead you back to where you came from. I don't want to go there, using is not an option for me and I have to remember when.

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I is for Intent. What is your motive and intent? When I have to come to a decision, I try to remember to ask myself this question. I need to use my intuition and connect with my Inner Self to find my God's Will for me.

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J is for Jump. Jump for joy. Jump up and get involved in service. Jump up to help someone else. It is good to get out of self.

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K is Kind. Be kind to yourself, give yourself a break. Remember you have a disease. You didn't get this way overnight, so it takes time to heal and change. Keep in mind that it takes honesty, open mindedness, and willingness to make it work.

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L is for Love. Love yourself. Give yourself a hug and pass it on. You are lovable.

M is for Money. It can't buy happiness. We thought it could when we were using, but our friend became our enemy. It can lead to greed and grief. Money is a great gift to be best shared with others, it lasts longer.

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N is for Nothing. No one can make you do anything you don't want to do. Nothing can make you do anything as long as you are willing to stay clean and sober. It doesn't have the power. If we turn our prayers and ask our God for help, we are empowered to say, "No" and my surrendering we win. There is nothing in today that is worth me picking up a drink or a drug over.

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O is for Opinion. Everyone has one and has the right to express it. I try to keep an open mind and try to find out where the person is coming from and remember that I haven't walked in their shoes and they haven't walked in mine.

As they say, Sobriety is a necessity. Serenity is an option.

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P is for Power. Listen to your Higher Power instead of your Lower Power.

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Q is for Quaint. The program my seem quaint because it was started over 80 years. It still works, so why quit it. Why fix what's not broke?

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Q is for Quick. The program is NOT a quick fix. We didn't get this way overnight, so we don't get better over night. I found the best thing for me in recovery was to quickly make it to a meeting and call my sponsor, if I had any kind of chaos and disquiet in my life.

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R is for Resentment. We only hurt ourselves when we carry them. When we allow others to rent space in our heads, they generally do so rent free. Pray for them, wish for them everything that you require and need for yourself. My sponsor use to say, "If you pray for them to have a spiritual awakening, they can't continue doing what they are doing" and we won't either

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S is for Sanity. It says that God could restore us to sanity, it doesn't say He always would. When things get a bit crazy, I try to go back to Step Two. It says some times we have to take this Step a little at a time. Some days, I need to go back there and remember the ABCs of recovery. I can't, God can, just for today, I choose to let Him.

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T is for Time. Make time for yourself. Time is a gift you can give to others. Top yourself up and give away the overflow.

T.I.M.E. = This I must endure. Using is not an option, if I am willing to endure and not pick up, I know the feeling and thought will pass, especially if I turn it over to my Higher Power.

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U is for Utmost. I try my utmost, to work my program to the best of my ability. As they say, "Half measures availed us nothing."

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V is for Verify. Verify what you hear, don't pass it on as gossip. When you don't understand, ask "This is what I heard you say. Is that what you said?" This is what I heard, I took it to mean 'this' is that what you meant to say?"

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W is for Wait. Wait on your God, it is best left to His/Her Time. When I try to make things happen, I often question the results, wondering why things didn't work out.

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X is for eXtend. EXtend a hand in friendship to the newcomers, they just may need a smile and a hug as well! I always ask, "Do you do hugs?"

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Y is for Yet. You might not have done "It" yet, but if you go back out, you just might find yourself there. This is a progressive disease.

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Z is for Zone. What zone are you in or are you zoned out? This is one day at a time program, and when I live life one day at a time, I am in a safe place.

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A is for Avoid loneliness

B is for Just Be. It is okay to just be, you don't always have to be doing. Take time for you and just be, then do the next best thing that comes your way.

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C is for Count

Count your blessings. Open your heart and mind and you will see many things in your life to be grateful for.

D is for Divine Orderly Good. When we turn our lives over the Care of our Higher Power, and we are open to His Divine Goodness, our live are enriched and truly blessed.

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E is for Easy Does It!

F is for Food. It can be an addiction. For me it is the thinking, I can look at myself and think I am fat and say, "I am already fat, what does it matter or think I am fat, so I'm not going to eat too much." It is the stinking thinking and I have to make an effort to change my attitude.

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G is for Gratitude. Thanksgiving should be all year round, but it sure is nice to celebrate it once a year. A good remember when and lots to eat too!

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H is for Honesty. Be honest and bring all things out of the darkness into the light. We are only as sick as our secrets. Honesty frees us from the fears and H*ll, of our past.

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I is for Inch. Remember that old saying, "If you give someone an inch, they will take a mile." We are not asked to do miles, but if we work inch by inch, Step by Step, we do recover before we know it!

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J = Joy which is a reward of living by program principles

K is for Kin. Sometimes our kin, are the people in our home group. We don't have to be alone. We can be kind to others and invite them to help celebrate in a safe way and in a safe place.

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L is for Live. Live one day at a time. Live and Let Live! Live your life and allow others to live theirs.

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M is for More. It is part of my disease. When I start thinking 'more' I need to look at what is happening with me and turn my thought(s) over to the God of my understanding. Sometimes it is more attention, more praise and acceptance from others, more food to fill an inner hunger that can't really be found physically, but needs spiritual food instead. Sometimes it is more love because we can't find it within ourselves.

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N is for Now. Be in the now, don't keep looking at the past and dragging it into today. Don't project into tomorrow, live in the now. Be present and live each day as it comes and know a new happiness and a new freedom.

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