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”
Category Archives: Grandiosity
Practicing Surrender – Extract From Progloue/Epilogue Of Surrender To Love By David Benner
How does surrender address the fundamental reality of ‘lack of power, that was our dilemma’ (BB p.45) ? What is the dynamic between the surrender of offering myself or abandoning myself and finding who I really am … my true self … distinguishing the true from the false ? Is it possible that to “thineContinue reading “Practicing Surrender – Extract From Progloue/Epilogue Of Surrender To Love By David Benner”
Acceptance vs. Denial By Michael P
“Acceptance is the answer to all of my problems today.” That’s what it says on page 417 of the AA Big Book, but when I was first getting sober, I found that suggestion de very difficult to accept. Fortunately, my sponsor explained that “acceptance” was not the same as “approval” – we aren’t saying weContinue reading “Acceptance vs. Denial By Michael P”
Changing Motives – Just For Today June 10th
As we examine our beliefs, our actions, and our motives in recovery, we’ll find that sometimes we do things for the wrong reasons. In our early recovery, we may have spent a great deal of money and time on people, wanting only for them to like us. Later on, we may find that we stillContinue reading “Changing Motives – Just For Today June 10th”
Maintaining an Open Mind – A Spiritual Principle A Day June 7th
Our ideas about the help we need, how it’s packaged, and who delivers it can be decidedly unhelpful. Our work in Step Three can provide some useful strategies. We’re often advised to “do the footwork and leave the results to your Higher Power,” and to “pay attention to which doors are opening and which remainContinue reading “Maintaining an Open Mind – A Spiritual Principle A Day June 7th”
Material Achievement – As Bill Sees It #40
No member of A.A. wants to deprecate material achievement. Nor do we enter into debate with the many who cling to the belief that to satisfy our basic natural desires is the main object of life. But we are sure that no class of people in the world ever made a worse mess of tryingContinue reading “Material Achievement – As Bill Sees It #40”
Emotional Sobriety Growing Toward Our Fullest Potential – Audio May 2026 From Dr. Allen Berger
I found this 5 minute slice of a recent YouTube from Allen Berger very helpful. You can listen and follow the complete transcript of his short talk below. This past Wednesday we read the story ‘Acceptance Was The Answer’. Buried in that story is a very important idea that is not generally recognized as aContinue reading “Emotional Sobriety Growing Toward Our Fullest Potential – Audio May 2026 From Dr. Allen Berger”
A Viewer-With- Alarm – As Bill Sees It #183
I went through several fruitless years in a state called ‘viewing with alarm for the good of the movement.’ I thought it was up to me to be always ‘correcting conditions.’ Seldom had anybody been able to tell me what I ought to do, and nobody had ever succeeded in effectively telling me what IContinue reading “A Viewer-With- Alarm – As Bill Sees It #183”
Self-Acceptance: Waking Up from the Trance of Unworthiness – Interview/Video With Tara Brach November, 2025
I have added this video to the sections of gugogs.org on Toxic Shame and Healing our Jekyll/Hyde Divided Self. You may also find this article from Tara entitled ‘The Trance of Unworthiness’ relevant and useful. The interview below is about 30 minutes and full of insights and wisdom on this crucial topic that helps usContinue reading “Self-Acceptance: Waking Up from the Trance of Unworthiness – Interview/Video With Tara Brach November, 2025”
Letting Go Of Perfectionism – Forgiving and Moving On May 23rd 2016 By Tian Dayton, PhD
Today I will not demand that my life be perfect in order for me to love it nor will I demand that all of my relationships be perfect for me to value and respect them. If I try to make my life and relationships perfect, I will be constantly engaged in a neurotic battle withContinue reading “Letting Go Of Perfectionism – Forgiving and Moving On May 23rd 2016 By Tian Dayton, PhD”