I was told I need to go to meetings regularly and that will make finding a sponsor much easier. The only issue is I knock off at work a bit late and can’t make it to the daily meetings. Should I make finding a sponsor a priority? Can’t one work the 12 steps without a sponsor?
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Try online meetings. They happen all over the world so there’s usually one at some point 24 hrs a day:
Online meeting resources
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You will get the following: it is impossible to work the steps without a sponsor.
With that said, cracking open the big book, learning the steps isnt horrible to do on your own. HOWEVER, a sponsor will help you keep honest with yourself, guide you through the tough and icky parts. So, I highly suggest doing it with a sponsor. One of my Sponsees did the steps by himself. He didnt do it 100%, and in a few cases “put the cart in front of the horse”
As far as meetings go. If you cannot find one that meets everyday, can you find at least 1 meeting a day. When I started I went to 7 different meetings. A different one each day.
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I’ll try them thanks. My question still remains however, do I need someone to guide me through the stepwork or I can do that on my own?
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I’ve seen that in doing the steps all by myself I skip some parts which I don’t find comfortable and I’m not as honest as I should be. I had a sponsor and we used to talk once a week but these days we hardly converse and I don’t blame him or me cause we’re both busy people. Also he stays in another country so now I want someone I can have face to face meetings with, someone who I can meet up with regularly. I’ll have to clear my schedule for the weekend and try to attend just one meeting for a start
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Why do you want to do it on your own?
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I think there is some work you can do with a sponsor but I think you’ll find yourself stuck at step four if you don’t have a guide.
But I agree that reading the big book, and maybe even the twelve and twelve will help you get your head prepared for it.
I never got a sponsor or did the steps but I’m still 2.5 years sober thanks to AA.
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I should really consider attending Sunday meetings since I work on Saturdays also. And maybe I’ll meet my sponsor there🙂
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24 hour marathon zoom meeting, no password needed. If you see anyone you like reach out bc it’s from all around the world so no excuses finding someone who fits your schedule.
If you are going the AA route the principals of the program are a program for living and can only help but a sponsor will get you to do the step work and once you have done these you can then pass it on and help other people who are suffering.
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I found my sponsor on here and I’m now 8 months sober tommorow if I don’t pick up today. I got lucky with my choice but you can keep shopping about until you find one who fits your needs and I don’t mean one you agree with bc if you agree with all they say you wouldn’t be a drunk in the first place, you only have to do what they say. It’s a huge relief when you find out you don’t have to do the thinking anymore bc look how that turned out.
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You’re right. I’ve been stuck on step 5 for almost 2 months now😂 I just can’t find anyone to tell my story.
Wow for 2 years😊 That’s great! I’m a few days from my 5 month milestone and it’s amazing seeing others who are now 2 yrs into sobriety. What a motivation!!
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I’ve just spent ages writing and sorting shit out and your already on step 5 
Have you done the previous 4 steps with a sponsor or yourself??
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It isnt a race, but Ive been told by many to work the steps rather quickly the first time through. I see many people sit in the discomfort of step four and five for a long time. Too long. swimming in that shit can make a drink more attractive.
The steps arent a one time deal. You gain a little more each time you work through them.
Step five was scary for me the first time, but its also where the healing started.
Later on more stuff will come up. You will work them again. and every time you help someone else work them. You will discover more about yourself in the process.
Back in the earlier days of AA it was common for people to work through all the steps in a day.
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If I did the steps in my own that would just be me using my own judgment and self will. The same judgment and self will that led to my problems in the first place
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tell me about it, I work days and my sponsor works nights it’s taken me 8 months to get to step 8, neither of us are particularly happy about this but I like what he has to tell me and as much as I want to sponsor other people I feel the more sobriety I get behind me the better it should be. I often hear of people who do the steps every 5 years or so just to have a declutter of all those new resentments they may have picked up.
I’ve considered changing my sponsor on occasions but it’s me that’s putting the work in on a daily basis and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it bc I’m sober, happy, joyous and free. 
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Having a sponsor you respect and trust is huge!
Its hard to work a perfect program, ecpecially since there are so many different ideas about what a perfect program is. If you wake up not drunk, and go to bed not drunk. Thats a perfect program.
I think its important to work the steps with a sponsor the first time through. If I didn’t do step five with someone else, Then I would have felt like a piece of shit forever. The exact nature of my wrongs is being human. I couldn’t have seen that without help.
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I can’t really find an answer to that. Maybe I’m thinking I can work the steps on my own🙆
Thanks. Yeah I’m realizing now that I want to do the steps on my own because I don’t want anyone to.tell me I’m doing it the wrong way or pushing me to be honest with myself. I need to do better!!
Thanks. Congrats on 8 months sober:grinning:
That’s amazing!! Does a sponsor have to be someone located close to me so we can meet regularly or it’s just an excuse I’m making to not find one? Because I’ve been telling myself that I won’t look for one if he/she is a thousand miles from where I stay:grimacing:
And here I am thinking we have to get into the specifics😂 Guess I’m just scared to admit to someone the exact nature of my wrongdoing, scared they’ll look at me different or judge me. I’ve been procrastinating working the 5th step coz wow! Been making a lot of excuses, like not having a sponsor and not bothering to look for one but it’s high time.
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