The title ‘A New Pair of Glasses’ refers to the new perspective on life Chuck C gained through practicing the 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The holidays are often characterized as a season of togetherness with family and loved ones, but for many, navigating through this time of year while sober is uncharted territory.
There is so much support out there for people committed to their sobriety, especially during the holidays. However, the added stressors of gifts, events, parties, and relatives can intensify urges and vaporize a resolve in the afternoon that was solid in the morning.
We, at Recovered, understand firsthand the potential challenges and we want to offer our experience, strength, and hope for surviving the holidays.
Tonight, we talk about our Holiday Survival Kits
The title ‘A New Pair of Glasses’ refers to the new perspective on life Chuck C gained through practicing the 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The recovery code of ‘love and tolerance’ means to treat others as you would want to be treated. Love and tolerance start with loving yourself, loving other people, and accepting a person as he or she is. Love and tolerance allow you to understand you can love someone without having to like everything about them. The person in a recovery program must develop patience, love, tolerance, and an understanding of other people despite their differences.
Tonight, we talk about Love and Tolerance
The title ‘A New Pair of Glasses’ refers to the new perspective on life Chuck C gained through practicing the 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
You have probably heard that whatever you put before your sobriety you will lose. If you’re new, this may not make sense to you, but please heed the warning of this statement. In order for you to keep your job, your family, your home, or even your serenity, staying sober is the key to retaining all the things that are most important to your well-being. Making your recovery your number one priority will be beneficial long term. You will have a better chance refraining from a relapse if you put your sobriety before everything else.
Tonight, we talk about Making Recovery a Priority
The title ‘A New Pair of Glasses’ refers to the new perspective on life Chuck C gained through practicing the 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Getting sober is one of the bravest things we can do. But, being new is also one of the most challenging things we will ever do. In the early days of sobriety, we may feel uncomfortable when being invited out. We definitely feel awkward at social events when we are newly sober. When we are new, we have virtually no coping skills for triggering events such as these. Taking an honest look at potential situations that could test your sobriety is an important task while ensuring you have a plan and feel prepared to take on any challenge that comes your way.
Tonight, we talk about The Challenges of Early Sobriety
You will see several references on this site to “Joe & Charlie”. Their names are sometimes heard at local Twelve Step meetings. So, who exactly are Joe and Charlie? They were two long-recovered alcoholics who traveled the world for several decades, sharing their insights into the Big Book of AA. Because all Twelve Step programs are derived from the AA Big Book, I suspect their recordings might help anyone in ANY Twelve Step program….not just AA.
The Big Book Study (officially called “The Big Book Comes Alive”) recordings are not conference-approved literature. Any sponsee interested in listening to the series should ask their sponsor first. I can recommend the talks with confidence because many long-sober speakers have openly given credit to Joe and Charlie with their own recovery. I have heard people say said they never really “got” how Twelve Step recovery works until they heard the free-wheeling and good-natured recordings of Joe P and Charlie McQ. I know that was true for me.
The last of the 12 Steps is to carry the message to others and to put the principles of the program into practice in every area of your life. For those in recovery programs, practicing Step 12 is simply “how it works,” as the founders of the fellowship discovered for themselves in those early days.
As the history of Alcoholics Anonymous so clearly indicates, it was working with others who were still suffering that kept Bill W. and Dr. Bob sober. The same principle is true for all members of 12 step groups: “to keep it you have to give it away.”
Step 12
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Tonight, we talk about Step 12
