I have been thinking about having a healthy Any Addiction Anonymous discussion and meeting here for quite awhile. What moments of clarity, miracle experiences, and overwelming love have taken place in your life by meeting up with others in recovery and working steps? What are your favorite paragraphs in the books? What are your favorite things heard at a meeting? What problems and solutions are you facing? What’s your favorite topics to talk about? Full on Addiction in Recovery discussion here. 
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I’m a recovering alcoholic and addict. The main issue (character defect) that I’ve noticed lately and keeps getting my attention is…realizing I can’t help everyone. They have to walk their own journey, they’re not ready yet, they aren’t open to advice as to how to live sober and work on the things that cause them to keep relapsing. I’ve been there…I totally get it. I think I’m just excited to share the hope. I’m learning to accept that people have to experience their own pain and I can’t save them from that. I’m not God. That’s His job. I have to stay on my side of the street and work on my own imperfections. I constantly have to remind myself “Thy will, not mine, be done” I’m to be of service without ego getting involved.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how my life was 165 days ago. It hasn’t been that long, yet, my life is amazing today. My “problems” are minor inconveniences today.
I’m so grateful to meet so many people fighting this battle each day.
(Pg 417 Big Book)
And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.
When I am disturbed,
It is because I find some person, place, thing, situation –
Some fact of my life – unacceptable to me,
And I can find no serenity until I accept
That person, place, thing, or situation
As being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God’s world by mistake.
Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober;
Unless I accept life completely on life’s terms,
I cannot be happy.
I need to concentrate not so much
On what needs to be changed in the world
As on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes."
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lately the section you quoted from the big book has been put into my head quite frequently. i am early in recovery and like most others i have a huge problem with acceptance. i am repeating the part you quoted to myself frequently, and saying the serenity prayer all the time currently. and you know what? i think it’s working. i can’t quite express exactly what is in the works with me and my recovery - though it is positive. difficult to pin point, but something is working. anyhow, every table i sit at i fee a definite clarity - it is my mind confirming that i absolutely need to be at the table i am currently sitting at. 100%
current things i’m struggling with
not that i expect it to so soon, but the desire to drink has not been removed from me. i’m still often thinking about numbing my mind with drink or drug. every day i sit at tables with others who have had the desire removed and it certainly is encouraging to continue with the program. i simply am not there yet. i just recently got a new sponsor and we began working on identifying the root of resentments which i have. he is having me redo the first three steps with him and then we will go into the fourth which is where i left off with my previous sponsor.
i’m not really bothered or upset that the desire has not been removed. i’m no there yet, i’m on the right track i believe. and it seems natural to still regularly think about drinking/using, i mean, i’m an alcoholic, i’m an addict. everything i’m used to revolves around being heavily under the influence of drugs or booze. though i think i will be able to make a lot of progress with my new sponsor and really get some wheels of recovery turning. i am writing (and praying) a lot each day and looking forward to my next discussion with my sponsor.
i can’t pinpoint my biggest issue or solution at the moment. i think i’m too full of “biggest issues” to identify just one hah, but, i do believe i’m on the right path. i’m more aware of my negative thinking, and i’m putting effort into finding the roots and driving factors of such negative thinking. i’m not a pro at it by any means, but the whole “progress not perfection” idea is very true. and i mean, how could i expect myself to just instantly be perfect at any of these new concepts and ways of approaching my daily life? i just started attending AA two months ago? ya know?
so i’m currently a-okay with the issues i have right now because i’m working to learn how to manage them. i’m learning how to be close with my higher power. i’m learning to recognize when i’m spiritually sick (pretty much all the time still haha, like i said i’m new) and what to do about it.
progress i feel i’m making/miracles at work
i consider it a large miracle for me to have gone into AA this time on my own. no courts involved. the decision to do so was clear and i consider it to be a miracle i’ve stayed sober every day since going to my first voluntary meeting.
i am working to develop a closer relationship with my higher power, and i believe i am making progress. everything i’m doing is small steps though i sincerely feel they are slowly adding up for the better. i’m learning coping skills and i’m listening and following the advice and instructions of others who have worked the 12 steps and, again, these small things seem to be adding up.
i guess to sum all that up - my higher power brought me into AA before i even recognized my higher power being in my life. i can’t do this on my own and i am committed to continuing to put my full effort into working my recovery.
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I’m half asleep but just wanted to chime in quick. I say the serenity prayer countless times some days. Sometimes it’s me asking God which it is. Something I can or can’t change.
I always seem to find my answer:)
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That was a great share @les thank you for that. It’s wonderful you are working through the programme and learning to accept and handle the challenges as they come.
I too feel different about things this time. I got up on Saturday 13th May, 5 weeks ago today and my sobriety started from there, that night I chose myself to go to an AA meeting, nobody sent me, I am certain it was guidance from my higher power.
@Melrm my problems are now minor inconveniences also, 35 days ago I thought my world had collapsed.
38 days ago I physically collapsed, not passed out drunk as I had slept for 8 hours and had slept it off. It was definitely alcohol related as I was hammering my body. Thinking back I can recall my heart racing incredibly fast the moment before it now and I remember thinking I was about to die, then my partner looking so panicked as he was trying to bring me round on the hotel room floor.
I say the serenity prayer daily along with a few prayers of my own, they really help me. My triggers seem to be getting easier to deal with as I want to be sober and have realised I need to let my higher power and trust it to help and guide me to stay sober and to make the right decisions. I pray for that every morning and pray for other people who need to find the guidance from their higher power to start on this path.
35 days in after a short, but intense relapse, life is so much better.
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@les @Gabe.G @Daithi thank you so much for sharing. This is what recovery is all about…getting real, seeing where we can improve, and being okay where we are without beating ourselves up. It’s a daily reprieve contingent on spiritual condition.
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The acceptance paragraph is a big part of my recovery this time around, knowing I can’t change someone else and most situations are out of my hands.
In the 9th step promises it says ‘they will materialise if we work for them’. My last time around I read that as ‘I will get materialistic things if I stay sober’. Needless to say, I didn’t stay sober for to long. This time I working from the inside outward rather than outside inward. I feel more sober/confidant/content with myself in these past 3 months than I ever did in the 7 and a half months I had last time.
I’m also learning that my higher power only puts me in situations that I can handle. Obstacles that will help me grow and be able to take on bigger hurdles down the line.
Its hard for me to see how much I’ve grown so far, but it seems when I don’t feel like I have, someone tells me how there is a peace about me and can’t believe I only have 3 months and ask what I’ve done. All I tell them is that I want to be sober not need to be. That I am taking the suggestions given to me that have worked for millions of people and I’m being rigorously honest through the steps.
This thread is a great idea @Melrm thanks for starting us off.
Great comments so far
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I had a day from hell. Got put in a position with a machismo male personality that passive aggressively questioned my ability as an auto detailer. I own my own business with my husband. He buys and sells vehicles, I clean them up and run the office. It’s a male dominated profession so I always feel like I have to prove myself. I had to stand there why this guy (not in my field, just a customer) proceeded to show my husband how I should clean interior leather and do headlights “correctly”. I was fuming mad. I expected my husband to jump in and defend me. I expected this customer to realize what an ass he was being. Nope. And nope. I carried those resentments with me for awhile. I realize now I was being tested and that I have to learn to defend myself in a respectful manner. Seeing my part in things is hard sometimes.
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Hello @Melrm , I work in(Europe), it is true that before work in cars was a field for men only, but nowadays women have taken a step forward and each time they are better positioned, I have a lot of Coworkers girls, and in managerial positions, head of sales of VW, head of logistics, managers of human resources… very competent and hardworking girls, I have a co-worker (Rachel) paints the perfect cars, better than many guys … is very good fixing cars, in the company we are about 220 workers and about 90 are girls and 130 guys … there are still differences but little, I am happy to have so many co-workers girls.
A hug.
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I’m a pain pill addict. I have been clean 6 days and 21 minutes (actually, that’s the length of time from the last pill I consumed) I haven’t ever really talked to anyone that has experience with what I deal with. I would really like to talk to someone who really understands
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Glad you overcome the test, sounds like a proper A-Hole. Remember it was his problem and not yours and let go of it, what goes around comes around and all that.
Male egos can be terrible things, remember to take a moment to process emotions, choices and then decisions in that order and you can take back control by making the decision over which choice you make. If you decide to tell him to feck off then at least you’ll have given some thought to it 
You’re a strong woman, remember that x
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Hey @Josh_Kennison, there are many on this forum that have experience with pain pill addiction AND recovery from it. Let’s see if I can summon them. Otherwise, create your own topic post and they can help. (@Tosh012 @Diesel @Oliverjava)
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That’s amazing @Oliverjava, 335 days is a goal I would absolutely love to reach again. The longest I can remember ever bring clean (since I first admitted to myself that I was addicted) was a little over 8 months. But as all things go, I started partying all the time with other drugs and alcohol, telling myself, “as long as I’m not doing pills, I’m ok and have it under control”. That’s been about 8 years. I have what’s held down a job, so I’ve never truly hit rock bottom. This break up I’ve recently gone through has me feeling worse about myself than I’ve felt in a very long time. I guess it’s because I truly and completely love her. But that’s over and done with. I’m on the road to recovery, using Suboxone to curb the cravings. If I didn’t have to go to work everyday, I’d do it cold turkey and check myself in to a rehab facility, but that’s just not possible in my current situation. Thank you for the words of encouragement. Good luck to you.
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I think the thing that made me realize that I needed to stop trying to be sober for my ex, so that she would give me a second chance, and do this for myself, was when I told her I was 4 days sober and she didn’t believe me. I had nothing to lie about anymore and I was still accused of being a liar. That’s when I blocked her on Facebook and other ways of communication. That made me feel like using, and I realized if I keep using because I get hurt by her words and accusations, I’ll never stop. That night, I knew I had to stop trying to prove anything to her and start proving to myself. I feel better in some ways, but completely alone in other ways. I’ll get used to being alone again. She was good for me when I was using, because she was always trying to help me stop, but now she’s bad for me because she doesn’t trust me. All the blame is here, with me, that I do not deny. I need to be alone, it’s my only chance at sobriety.
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Good morning, people of the page. The topic yesterday at my noon meeting was Happy, Joyous, and Free. There was a lot of laughter in that meeting. What does Happy, Joyous, and Free mean to you? Have you experienced it yet?
Happy is contentment in my life…all the little things that add up regardless of any bumps in the road (life’s stresses) A cup of coffee outside with the morning instead of hangovers. Enjoying a bowl of icecream instead of starving myself in addiction. Coming home from work to a clean house and letting the light in I stead of holing up in a depressive cave of sadness. It’s little moments, a normal life, being grateful. Joyous is having a positive attitude in life’s storms. Seeing the lessons for what they are. It’s the laughter amongst the fellowship, and with family and friends. It’s having things to look forward to and becoming comfortable in my own skin. Free…Freedom from obsession, freedom to make healthy decisions in recovery. Free to give this gift of sobriety to others, as I was so freely given. Freedom to be myself, warts and all, without numbing out or wearing a mask for others.
Miracles are happening. I sat with a lady at a meeting awhile back as she was suffering and bawling her eyes out at her first meeting. I held her hand and talked with her. Yesterday, she got her 1 month chip.
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@Melrm wish I could like this a million times. Happy, Joyous, Free…I will dwell on this today.
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Great topic @Melrm
But I can say I’m only one of those at the moment. Its free. Im free from the prison of alcohol and drugs today. Glad to wake up sober and ready to take this day on. Im sitting in court waiting for it to start. I really don’t know what is going to happen. I met with my lawyer yesterday and all it did was make me nervous. I don’t think he looked at my file. He told me I had a dirty drug test for pot. I know I had more than just pot in my system. And I don’t remember taking a test. Leaving his office a drink sounded really good to calm my nerves but I know what would have came from it. I would have stayed up all night and most likely showed up here drunk. Im okay with whatever the outcome. Its out of my hands and what needs to happen is my higher powers will. Worst case scenario is I go into custody, if that happens, I know I won’t be detoxing in jail. Hopefully after court I will be able to say I’m happy and Joyous. But for now just free. Will update here after court.
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Praying for a positive outcome. Good luck 