“My parents sacrificed to send me away to school when I was a kid. They were at their wits’ end and hoped that this school could drill some discipline into me,” a member shared. “They said it would build character. It toughened me up, all right, and made me even more rebellious. It would beContinue reading “Spiritual Discipline Builds Good Character – A Spiritual Principle A Day August 6th”
Category Archives: Disturbance
Membership Rules? – As Bill Sees It #41
Around 1943 or 1944, the Central Office asked the groups to list their membership rules and send them in. After they arrived we set them all down. A little reflection upon these many rules brought us to an astonishing conclusion. If all of these edicts had been in force everywhere at once it would haveContinue reading “Membership Rules? – As Bill Sees It #41”
The Need to Go Deeper – Grapevine Article August 2012 By Richard D.
Uncovering all the harm he caused in his drinking days restored his compassion for others STEP EIGHT: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Looking back, it is probably safe to say that I harmed many people whom I came in contact with duringContinue reading “The Need to Go Deeper – Grapevine Article August 2012 By Richard D.”
Praying for Others – As Bill Sees It #206
While praying sincerely, we still may fall into temptation. We form ideas as to what we think God’s will is for other people. We say to ourselves, “This one ought to be cured of his fatal malady” or “That one ought to be relieved of his emotional pain,” and we pray for these specific things.Continue reading “Praying for Others – As Bill Sees It #206”
Big Shot in the Homeless Shelter – Take The 12 Blog July 2026 By Rick W.
Yesterday, at the Texas State AA Convention, I heard Andy D. from Edmond, Oklahoma, describe himself during active alcoholism as a “big shot in the homeless shelter.” The phrase stayed with me. I have never lived in a homeless shelter, so I will not pretend to understand that experience. But I know exactly what itContinue reading “Big Shot in the Homeless Shelter – Take The 12 Blog July 2026 By Rick W.”
Expectations: The Hidden Contracts We Never Signed – Take The 12 Blog June 2026 By Rick W.
One of the more interesting writing assignments I’ve ever suggested to a sponsee had nothing to do with Step Four, amends lists, or character defects. It was simply this: Write about your expectations. At first glance, that may not seem like a particularly “A.A.” topic. Expectations don’t appear in the Twelve Steps. The Big Book doesn’tContinue reading “Expectations: The Hidden Contracts We Never Signed – Take The 12 Blog June 2026 By Rick W.”
Learning To Support Not Punish Ourselves By Dr. Kristin Neff
The most important boundary I have is with myself. It is not OK for me to condemn or hate myself. Instead of believing and accepting that judgment; I can pause and gets curious about this reaction of so much hate and disgust for myself. What I usually find is that I’m believing a bunch ofContinue reading “Learning To Support Not Punish Ourselves By Dr. Kristin Neff”
Don’t Hand Them the Steering Wheel – Take The 12 Blog June 2026 By Rick W
One of the greatest freedoms recovery offers is the ability to stop letting other people decide who we’re going to be. Most of us arrived in Alcoholics Anonymous with a long list of reasons why we drank, acted out, exploded, withdrew, lied, manipulated, or held resentments. We became experts at pointing to what someone elseContinue reading “Don’t Hand Them the Steering Wheel – Take The 12 Blog June 2026 By Rick W”
Rewiring the Way We Speak, Listen, and Think – Take The 12 Blog June 2026 By Rick W.
Sobriety Didn’t Just Change What I Said, It Changed How I Communicate. How Recovery Rewired the Way I Speak, Listen, and Think One of the most overlooked miracles of recovery has very little to do with alcohol. Most of us came to Alcoholics Anonymous because drinking had become unmanageable. We stayed because we discovered somethingContinue reading “Rewiring the Way We Speak, Listen, and Think – Take The 12 Blog June 2026 By Rick W.”
Letting Go Of Old Beliefs – The Language Of Letting Go June 23rd By Melody Beattie
Try harder. Do better. Be perfect. These messages are tricks that people have played on us. No matter how hard we try, we think we have to do better. Perfection always eludes us. Messages of perfectionism are tricks because we can never achieve that goal. We cannot feel good about ourselves or what we haveContinue reading “Letting Go Of Old Beliefs – The Language Of Letting Go June 23rd By Melody Beattie”