Recovery A B C's
 

A is for Action. Action follows thought. That is why we need to turn our thinking over to our Higher Power. I often have to take action to change my attitude; or change my attitude so I can take action.

The action here is take time to smell the flowers.

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B is for Blessings. They are too numerous to count. The fact that I woke up in the morning and better able to see more sunshine, will aid in my healing.

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C is for Clarity. I will pray and ask for clarity as my disease is one of perception. I will pray and ask for God's Will for me is in today.

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D is for Divine Orderly Good. I like to think of the fact that this is a program of reflection. It doesn't matter if your belief of God is different from what others believe their God to be. It is your God. God/Dog - Good Orderly Direction from a bunch of alcoholics and drug addicts who share with us the Divine Orderly Good and not so good in their lives.

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E is for Easy Does It. So often we forget that the slogan is followed by"...but do it!" Just because we are taking it easy, doesn't mean we don't do. It is not giving us permission to procrastinate. I need to remember this when it comes to my laundry. I have too many clothes and even though they are not in style, they are clean, and get worn because I haven't wash my today clothes or I bring out the lady and wear a dress or a long skirt. It can still get awkward when the lady comes out, I can still trip up with my tongue and deny the fact that I am a lady and I am trying to change old habits.

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F is for Fast. Don't be in a big hurry. Don't rush threw the Steps. This is not a race to be run. Don't go to fast. It takes us 11 months to detox. We can't honestly work the Steps until our mind is clear and we can get honest with ourselves.

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G is for Growth. We need to grow in the program and not allow ourselves to be complacent and when we run into difficult times, it is good to go back to basics. Go to a meeting, call your sponsor, go on to the next step or go back and do another one again if you don't have the clarity and faith to go on.

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H is for Hesitate and Meditate. Stop and think before you speak or take action. Not an easy slogan to live by, but in today, I do try, although some may think I don't. Just imagine what would come out of my mouth, if I didn't hesitate and take time to turn my speech, my thoughts and my actions over to my Higher Power every day.

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I is for Integrity

Learn to walk your talk !

J is for Just for Today. The last letter of each word spells out T R Y! That is all we are asked to do is try. The failure is in the not trying. Failure is not about us meeting our expectations. Those we need to lower so they are reachable.

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K is for Know

Know that no matter what your problems, someone's had them before. Don't be afraid to share, as a problem shared is one half solved.

L is for Love. Something to be shared, but also given to oneself. Spread it around. Pass it forward.

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M is for Make the most of things. When we stay in the positive, we are sure to have a good day. Living in the moment, brings us much closer to our HP.

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N is for New. When we look at each day as a new beginning, we can try to learn from our mistakes of the past, and practice applying the principles to our life. I would like to think, what I do in today, makes for a better tomorrow. If I approach each day as a newcomer, I am more open to learning, getting honest, and willing to share with others.

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O is for Outside. For most of my life, I felt like I was outside looking in. As my disease progressed, I stayed inside and didn't go out. Isolation is part of my disease. I need to go out into the community and to my meetings in order to maintain my sobriety.

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P is for Practice

Practice rigorous honesty with yourself and with others. It is one of the keys to sobriety.

Q is for Quit. Quit beating yourself up. Feed yourself affirmations until you believe them. Remember, God doesn't make junk. He forgives you, forgive yourself.

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R is for Relationships. We need to be complete and whole within ourselves and not look to others to supply our needs. We need to love ourselves. We need to affirm our worth and validate ourselves, and not look to others to fulfill us.

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S is for Serenity. For me it was a foreign entity in my life before recovery. Thanks to this program, I got faith that the program would work for me, obtained faith in the God of my understanding, and through Him, I learned to have faith in myself.

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T is for Truth. I must find my own truth and walk it. Saying one thing and doing another leads others to not trust me. Trust is something that has to be earned. I had to give people time to trust me after I had broken so many promises.

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U is for Understanding. When we come to an understand of who God is to us, we learn to understand ourselves better. We learn to understand where others are coming from.

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V is for Vision. Have a vision for what you want to accomplish in recovery. Do you want to go back to school? Do you want to change jobs? Do you need to take a holiday? Do you need to change sponsors? What do you need to grow in your recovery, think big, don't limit your God by having narrow vision and a closed mind.

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W is for Wisdom.

There is wisdom in the rooms of AA meetings. Listen and learn. Share from your experience and hope and strength.

X is for X-Ray. X-Ray our heart, What would we find there. Would we find love and tolerance. Compassion and empathy toward others. It has to begin with me.

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Y is for Yellow. Yellow is a sign of caution. Be watchful for complacency, hidden secrets that can take you back out, fear of Step 4. If you fear Step 4, go back and do Step 3 again. How can we know what to change if we don't know what is there.
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Z is for Zip. When I was using, I had zip in my life, mainly because I was mindful of zip and didn't care about zip, unless it was for my Higher Good.

When our score cards read zero, then we found recovery. We didn't know we were running on empty and needed recovery long before we found it.

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A is for Action. Reach out and connect with others. A smile, a simple hello, and/or a hug if they are open to it. I like to say, "Do you do hugs?""

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B is for Blessing. Many blessing are available as we stay clean and sober and work a program of recovery. Each time I sense one, I try to say thank you and not take them for granted. Blessing come in all shapes and sizes. Open your eyes and your heart to receive them.

As it says in Step 9, we will be amazed before we are half way through the Step. We will see the promises coming true in our lives. All we need is they key of willingness to change old habits and patterns.

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C is for Caring. Caring for yourself. Caring for others. Caring for Mother Earth's many blessings.

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D is for Daily Meditation.

Keep yourself grounded by reading a daily meditation such as Daily Reflections.

E is for Each day is a new beginning. It gives me a chance to right any wrongs I might have made, but most of all, be grateful for friends and family and appreciate each one.

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F is Forgive. We forgive the person, we can't always forgive the act. We can ask for forgiveness, but if it is not given, all we can do is accept the fact and perhaps we can ask later. Not everyone has a program. Not everyone who has program is forgiven.

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G is for God. We asked to come to an understanding of God. Who God is to you and build a working relationship with your God. You don't have to call your Higher Power God. It can be anything as long as it is not you.

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H is for Higher Power. So grateful for my Higher Power. Thanksgiving should be all year round.

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I is for Inspiration. Be an inspiration to others. When they look at you, do they see recovery? Do they want what you have? Isolation is part of our disease, it is not a recovery tool. Who inspires you? What inspires you? For me, anyone who is staying clean and sober in today.

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J is for Just

Just for today I choose life by choosing recovery!

K is for Know. Get to know your Higher Power. What does He/She/It mean to you? Know that you are loved, cared for, and the guidance, strength, and what ever else you need, will be there. As the song says, "To know HIm, is to Love Him."

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K is for Keep Coming Back. I prefer to say, "Keep coming, so you don't have to come back." Not going out to use and coming back to recovery, because you just may not make it back. Keep coming to this site and read the daily posts and keep coming to meetings. Keep calling your sponsor and working the Steps. Recovery works if you keep working for it.

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L is for Love. Keep the Love alive in your life. Do that my sharing your Love with others. Watch it multiply. What we give, we get back.

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M is for Memory. Mine is kind of short, but I know that it is important for me to remember when. I can't forget where I came from. I can't forget what got me to where I am in today. Memory can be failing, but my God never fails and has a way of getting my attention when I start to get off track and go back into that self-will run riot.

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