Clubhouse meetings are different than other venues such as churches or schools. They are properties maintained outside of AA, usually under a non-profit charter such as a 501c. This means they typically have a board, separate expense accounts, and ongoing… Read More »What Makes AA Clubhouses Different
Twelve stepping a problem is just as it sounds: Applying the 12 steps to solve an obstacle. It’s the application of a single step or multiple steps to a problem. Of course, this implies you’ve worked the steps or are… Read More »What Does It Mean to “Twelve Step” a problem?
Sometimes we could use a shakeup to bring back the spark in our recovery. If we’ve completed the steps with our sponsor and entered a routine, we could become stagnant. Your sponsor may be great as far as getting you… Read More »Getting a new sponsor: How it could jump-start your recovery
Once you enter a sobriety routine and tackle numerous struggles without a drink, you might begin to take it easy. It’s easy to “rest on your laurels,” as the Big Book suggests, and become complacent. There’s a desire to cut… Read More »Complacency in Recovery: How to Recognize It and Change Course
Newly sober folks see what they’ve been missing for many years. They resume healthy, restorative sleep. They rebuild broken relationships. They start building savings in a checking account that otherwise stays in the red. The pleasure from these benefits is… Read More »What Does “Pink Cloud” Mean: How to Recognize It and Avoid Danger
It’s easy to compare ourselves to other people in the program. We naturally see the highlight reel of their lives in meetings and feel like ours doesn’t measure up. They may drive up in a nice car, share about good… Read More »No Comparisons: Why We Shouldn’t Judge the Quality of Our Sobriety Against Other People’s
“You don’t understand me” is the most common rebuttal from an addict. It’s a way of keeping people away. We like to think we’re unique in our heartache, despair, and deep understanding of the world. Terminally unique is an AA… Read More »Terminal Uniqueness: Why You’re Not As Different as You Think You Are
When we’ve overcome the immense burden of drink addiction, we’re bound to feel gratitude for what the program has so freely given us. The small asks from our sponsors and meetings do not compare with the gift of removing the… Read More »Service Work: Giving Back in AA, Large and Small
You’ve likely heard “gratitude journals” mentioned a lot. If a sponsor or companion hasn’t explained them to you, you might be wondering, “What’s that? Could I try one?” I’ll explain how I’ve used them and the approaches to getting started.… Read More »Gratitude journals: How to start
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol– that our lives had become unmanageable. The first step is one of the most vital in the program. It requires the foundation admission that we have a problem. Without that admission, we cannot… Read More »Step 1, Explained: The Highlights