I’ve heard some version of this from newcomer sponsees more times than I can count: “I put down the bottle. I’m praying every day. I’m going to meetings. I’m calling you. Why don’t I feel better? Why isn’t my life getting better? And why am I not farther along than some of these other people?” It’s a fairContinue reading “The Recovery Scorecard: Why Isn’t My Life Better Yet? – Take The 12 Blog September 2026 By Rick W”
Category Archives: Judgemental
Don’t Waste the Failure – Take The 12 Blog August 2026 By Rick W
I don’t particularly like failing. I don’t like being wrong. I don’t like discovering that I’ve hurt somebody. I don’t like having to admit that something I was absolutely certain about turned out to be absolutely wrong. I don’t like rejection. I don’t like finding out that despite my best efforts, something simply didn’t work.Continue reading “Don’t Waste the Failure – Take The 12 Blog August 2026 By Rick W”
After Twenty-Five Years – Grapevine Article March 1960 By Bill W.
For the many groups throughout the AA world who plan to hold twenty-fifth anniversary gatherings this year, our co-founder Bill W. has written this glimpse of the panorama of AA today. GSO has also made available a short version of Bill’s message for groups wishing to use it at “AA 25th” meetings–THE EDITORS. IT isContinue reading “After Twenty-Five Years – Grapevine Article March 1960 By Bill W.”
Surrendering Shortcomings – A Spiritual Principle A Day August 14th
The Steps are in order for a reason; each one prepares us for the next. We acknowledge that our way hasn’t worked when we surrender to Step One. Some members boil it down to a single acknowledgment: I need something different. This admission opens the door for us to recognize our need for restoration in Step TwoContinue reading “Surrendering Shortcomings – A Spiritual Principle A Day August 14th”
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”
What If Pressure Isn’t Punishment? – Take The 12 Blog May 2026 By Rick W.
There’s a moment in recovery where life starts pressing in from every side and it feels like everything is falling apart. The relationship is strained. The finances are tight.The emotions are raw. The character defects are impossible to ignore. The loneliness feels louder now that the noise of alcohol, chaos, or compulsions has been turned down. And somewhereContinue reading “What If Pressure Isn’t Punishment? – Take The 12 Blog May 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.”
Money – Before And After – As Bill Sees It #177
In our drinking time, we acted as if the money supply were inexhaustible, though between binges we’d sometimes go to the other extreme and become miserly. Without realizing it, we were just accumulating funds for the next spree. Money was the symbol of pleasure and self-importance. As our drinking became worse, money was only anContinue reading “Money – Before And After – As Bill Sees It #177”
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”
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”