AA meeting time

I found a good AA group at a time and place that will work for me. Going to my first one later this afternoon. Little nervous. :grimacing: Anyone have any advice on what to say as a brand new 12 stepper?

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That’s great! I hope you like it.

When I feel compelled to share I just go with what’s in my heart. :purple_heart:

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Go with an opened mind. Listen Listen Listen! I love my AA group and hope you find it a great resource to stay sober today.

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Introduce yourself as new to aa. If you arent comfortable identifying yourself as an alcoholic when they go around the room for introductions you can share ā€œim x and im trying to stop drinkingā€ it took me a month before i acknowledged i was an alcoholic but theres great power in owning my truth

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Funny I always knew I was an alcoholic and just didn’t want to stand up and say it. Now you can’t shut me up! :slightly_smiling_face:

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well, don’t keep us in suspense… how did it go?

ps: congrats on your first one, you’ll never have to announce that ā€œthis is my very first meetingā€ ever again! woot

Pss: but we sometimes say, ā€œi am new/visiting hereā€ if we go to new meetings we’ve never attended before

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Maybe get phone numbers just sit and listen and im sure your be ok wish you well

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Thanks, all. Unfortunately, the meeting didn’t happen because it was January 1st (should had thought that through!), But I’m going to try and go today. Excited! Thanks all of you for the words words :blush:

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okay, we sometimes close meetings when we have district/local events like dances, events, picnics, alcathons, etc.. usually there is a website for your area you can spot check to get updates on these, like meetings changes, etc.. good luck today! keep us in the loop, come of us are looking forward to saying ā€œhelloā€

PS: at this morning’s meeting in my area, we had 3 people celebrating almost 100 years of sobriety.

PS: I have found the official AA app a good place to find meetings, however it doesn’t yet have local events in the area, check it out Meeting Guide | Alcoholics Anonymous

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Made my first meeting, yesterday… went awesome! Thanks to all of you :blush:

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Wonderful to hear!

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Thank you!

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well, don’t just take one meeting as ā€œall meeting are like thisā€ - why don’t you do some more research, and either come back to that one, or find more? explore! do you have the AA meeting guide app? and… curious minds want to know, ā€œhow was that first one!ā€ any decent coffee? stale cookies? did anyone offer their phone number? did they get you a local meeting trifold, how were the seats, was it in the basement of a random church… do tell do tell.. obviosuly while maintaining the group, and your anonymity. WHO KNOWS, your single experience could inspire someone else on this website, to go to THEIR first meeting too ! whoo - whoo !

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The meeting was great! I tried to go to a second one, but I learned it was only MWF. It was at a nice cafe in a nice part of town. I got phone numbers from about 7 people and called two of them. I plan to go to another meeting— hopefully Monday

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Heck yeah. Some of the first people i reached out to are my great friends. Keep at it

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Oh, how delightful! Sounds swanky cool; a pleasant cafe, in a lovely part of town? Oh, that is a double blessing indeed. There is something about a good atmosphere that gently lifts the heart and makes right thinking easier.

And you reached out to two people? Waaaa? What a quiet victory that is. Not dramatic. Not flashy. Just right. Impressive. Doing what we once avoided. Taking actions that feel unfamiliar. Asking honest, simple questions.

I asked.. ā€œSince you keep inviting me back,ā€ I said, ā€œhelp me understand, how does this actually work?ā€

That willingness to reach out, to clarify, to participate rather than withdraw, well my friend, that is where change begins. On that once locked door shows a sliver of hope.

Small steps, baby steps, persistence ones. Often open doors we never could have forced open ourselves. Bravo. Well done.

And? I want to hear more about your journey. It looks like it may flower, and possibly bare fruit.

Good job! Proud of you.

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Wow! What an encouragement. Thank you so much for your response. I went to another meeting yesterday. It was awesome! I’m starting to get to know the people in the group better. I called them several times this week. And I might call one new guy in the group. It’s so awesome! It gives me hope for the first time in a lot of months. Again, thank you for the encouraging words :-). That really means a lot! You help me more than you know.

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now that all sounds like you’re on the right tracks, pointed in the right direction? I merely have to put one foot and then the other, in that same direction. keep it up.

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In your experience, does going to as many AA meetings as you can make saying NO easier?

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Just checking in! I went to my 4th AA meeting today. Was AWESOME! We talked about the power of being in a group instead of on our own. Beautiful. Helpful. :blush:

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