Actually, I’ve found one meeting I like–and that’s just once a week. It’s at a Buddhist temple and the only one that didn’t literally prattle on about God and powerless the whole time. I’m kind of cobbling together my own path. Some Allen Carr, some Annie Grace, some 30 Day Solution, Hip Sobriety, Soberistas, journal, meditation classes, some SMART and that one meeting a week. Still-I’m feeling this pressure to “get a sponsor” and “Work the steps”-my thoughts are that as long as I’m not drinking, please don’t tell me that I’m going to fail because I’m not working your program in the way you want! All that will do is drive me from the one AA meeting I liked!
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I never went to AA. Really not my thing at all.
You can find your own way, it does help to talk though so try to make some sober friends 
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I haven’t attended an AA meeting and don’t have a sponsor. I’m not planning on doing it either. I’ve found this site to be the community of support and encouragement I need. In addition, there are people in my life that are close to me who are supportive as well. I ordered a few books that I high recommend (This Naked Mind and The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F***). I also watched the Netflix documentary, The Truth About Alcohol which is extremely eye opening. I don’t feel that I need a sponsor or that I need to go to AA to work on steps in order to feel like I’m on the sobriety journey. Everyone is unique and AA meetings just aren’t for some people.
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Going to the more liberal-minded AA groups for friendship and then cobbling together your own approach sounds like a great idea. Even the Big Book in AA says “upon therapy for the alcoholic himself, we surely have no monopoly.” So folks who believe in a mixed approach are surely out there.
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what ever keeps you sober good luck
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Heck, I’m 54 and one of the last of my old hard partying crowd to stop drinking. Most of my friends stopped a while ago.
I find that so annoying and want to tell them that hey! This is why a lot of people think AA is a cult. 90 meetings in 90 days? I’m sorry, but I have a job, a life, two dogs, family, obligations. And that whole concept, to me, just reinforces my negative feelings about AA. And I’m an atheist, and no matter what they tell me about my higher power can be a doorknob or whatever, I’ve yet to sit in a meeting in which there wasn’t a lot of god talk.
“90 in 90” is a thing some AA people say, but it’s not actually part of the program–I don’t recall any of the steps telling me I have to do 90 in 90 
Remember, everyone has an opinion and some opinions have more merit than others. People’s opinions aren’t the final word on YOUR sobriety. What matters is that you find the things that work for you. As has been said, your own journey is your journey!
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I’ve taken the hybrid approach to life the moment I was born, so when I decided to embark on the journey of ‘recovery’, its not surprising that I lasted in AA for about 6 months. In fact, I think I’m probably one of the only people who have ever been ‘kicked out’ because of my unique perspective and insistence on truth. Although they lost me at ‘powerless over alcohol’ and 'hi, my name is (insert demoralizing and unnecessary label here), I gave it a good six months with an open mind to see if I could glean anything from it.
The biggest thing I was able to take from it was just how much it helps OTHERS. Although I disagree passionately upon the foundation which the steps are laid, I respect that they’ve been a tool for so many to remain abstinent. The Big Book is extremely contradictory to the ultimate Big Book, the Bible, and yet it’s forward and writing from Bill W. is half scripture, revised in context and adapted to his perspective of course, but that’s irrelevant… The important thing is to become so rooted and progressive in your own hybrid approach that you embrace and not alienate the recovery methods of others. AA has done a lot of good for those who feel comfortable in that kind of community. But for me, if anyone is going to sponsor my sobriety it will be Gaia 
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Haha, higher power as a door knob. I like that! The thing I think is cool about AA meetings are the sobriety tokens, I think they are nice little intensives. Although, you could make your own tokens if you wanted to. It’s just like with anything, what works for some people doesn’t work for others. I know, for me, I would have a hard time with the God aspect, being an atheist myself. I know people who are able to adjust it in their mind to whatever their “higher power” is but I just am unable to do that. Also, I might be wrong, this may not be how it is, but I don’t like the whole I’m powerless over alcohol thing - I’d rather look at it as I’m more powerful than alcohol.
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You ARE more powerful than alcohol… seriously… I went through about 4 different sponsors on this alone. Genuinely trying to understand the concept behind giving my power to a liquid non living substance. Really?! No matter what religion or spiritual beliefs one ascribes too, many of them agree that we are powerful energy beings capable of pretty amazing things… I’ll agree that I am powerless over the storm, but I’m more than capable of getting myself to dry ground.
Alcohol is powerless over you the moment you take back your power.
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I did 103 meetings in 90 days. Work 50 hours a week. And oh yeah, I have a 3 year old. I’ll tell you what tho, better than drinking
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Agreed! But I’m doing fine for now. Whatever works.
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I have no issue with AA for those it helps. Heck, I’m all for it in those cases! But it doesn’t work for everyone–and I also don’t like the “powerless” aspect, nor having to balem myself an alcoholic for years after I’ve stopped drinking. If it works for people then I’m behind them 100%. It’s the “our way or you’ll never make it” attitude that I find worrisome.
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So, I took my own advice and made these quick, cute, small personal tokens as incentives to keep going. They are quite motivating I think.
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Triangle? I think I know but I’m not positive. You gals only have a couple parts that are triangle shaped. Lol
I bought shoes at 30, clothes at 60, undergarments at 100. And of course day 208 is our Vacation that I paid cash for. I cant wait to finish the sleeve i started last year.
Interesting, I have been to 4 different meetings, and when I asked about sponsors they said not to hurry into it, just turn up to meetings for now. Not sure where you are but the god part is pretty flexible here in Australia, they make sure it’s ‘god as we see it’ or something like that.
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I personally did not do AA. I have nothing wrong with it, I have several really good friends involved, it is just not for me. I have resources and a network of supporting friends and family. I have the internet and have unlimited tools. This day and age self help is not only possible, but it is readily accessible. If you don’t have a group of people, obviously some sort of meeting might be the answer. Best of luck, stay strong and informed.
It’s like that in the states too @alexmel. I never once had anyone push God on me. People may share their expirienced and God was a part of it for them. I never had anyone push a sponsor on me or a higher power. People may have suggested it. But for the most part all they cared about was that I kept coming back. And that I did