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.”
Category Archives: Reframe
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.”
Dr. Bob’s Humility Plaque – Grapevine Article September 1965
Humility Inscription on desk plaque of Dr. Bob’s Humility is perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore; to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praisesContinue reading “Dr. Bob’s Humility Plaque – Grapevine Article September 1965”
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.”
How To Surrender Step By Step – Take The 12 Blog July 13th 2024 By Rick W.
How To Surrender Step By Step Each of A.A.’s 12 Steps calls the person taking them to become willing to surrender something. While this is not an exhaustive list, it represents a really great place to start and singularly, one member’s experience. (Use this as a litmus test for yourself to gauge the quality of yourContinue reading “How To Surrender Step By Step – Take The 12 Blog July 13th 2024 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.”
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”
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”