From the “Learning to Love Well” blog series on the Twelve Traditions “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.” Tradition One asked us to make a fundamental shift from “me” to “we.”Continue reading “Tradition Two: Learning to Trust Something Other Than Ourselves – Take The 12 Blog By Rick W.”
Category Archives: Perception
The Paradox Of Self Compassion September 2026 By Dr. Kristin Neff
There’s a paradox at the heart of self-compassion. Although the word “self” is right there in the name, self-compassion actually represents a movement away from the perspective of self. In fact, it should probably be spelled “self→compassion.” This movement is reflected in the way I define and measure self-compassion. The Self-Compassion Scale has six subscales, whichContinue reading “The Paradox Of Self Compassion September 2026 By Dr. Kristin Neff”
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”
Learn To Use Misfortune – Grapevine Article April 1984 By W.J.
The best illustration of gratitude I know lies in the story of Louis Braille. Louis was the son of a French shoemaker. One day, his father, working at his bench with Louis underfoot, dropped a sharp instrument known as an awl from the table. It hit the boy in the eye and caused him toContinue reading “Learn To Use Misfortune – Grapevine Article April 1984 By W.J.”
Step 4 From Awareness To Admission – Chapter 3 Of ‘The Prep Steps: Setting Up Action In A.A.’ By Rick W.
Click to read more from Rick W and see articles about Step 1 and Step 2 . I find Rick’s short articles about what he calls the preparation steps from his excellent book ‘The Prep Steps:Setting Up Action In A.A. full of insights and extremely helpful – Bruce M. Step 4: The Preparation for StepContinue reading “Step 4 From Awareness To Admission – Chapter 3 Of ‘The Prep Steps: Setting Up Action In A.A.’ By Rick W.”
When We Stop Negotiating With Reality – Take The 12 Blog May 2026 By Rick W.
Step One, Acceptance, and the Freedom Found in Surrender One of the most exhausting things an alcoholic ever does is negotiate with reality. We negotiate with consequences. We negotiate with truth. We negotiate with our own patterns, our own pain, our own powerlessness. We say things like: And perhaps the most dangerous negotiation of all: “IContinue reading “When We Stop Negotiating With Reality – Take The 12 Blog May 2026 By Rick W.”
God In Each Other – Just For Today Reflection July 7th
We’ve heard it said that we often see God most clearly in one another. We see the truth of this when we practice our Twelfth Step. When we carry the recovery message to another, we sense the presence of a Power greater than ourselves. And as we watch the message take hold, we realize somethingContinue reading “God In Each Other – Just For Today Reflection July 7th”
Relief From Outcomes Beyond Our Control – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 26th 2026
As we consider the basis for our hope, let us recall who God is…. The hope we have lies in the radical transcendence of God…. God’s transcendence—God’s power of creative, redeeming, and sustaining love—is closer to us than we are to ourselves. God is the milieu, the source, of power and love in which our world,Continue reading “Relief From Outcomes Beyond Our Control – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 26th 2026”
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.”
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”