Alcoholics Anonymous Videos | DonInLondon

Alcoholics Anonymous Blog & Video | Feb 26 2004 - 2014 | DonInLondon | Step 2 "Sanity"

February 26 Video

DonInLondon February 26, 2014: step two month: "came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." I feel happy this morning, things to do, all achievable. I felt so happy that when I was in the meeting earlier, I suggested that the topic might be: "being happy today." And it was rejected as a topic, which was all good and the topic picked was: "confidence."

It's always a bit of a lottery to suggest a topic in a meeting, because it depends on how people are feeling generally, which topic gets picked. And I was quite happy that my suggestion of "happy," was rejected and confidence was elected. I know in the past when I have suggested a topic in a meeting, my pride and ego might be hurt, and the fear of my topic being rejected would bother me immensely. These days, it's okay because confidence is all part of happiness. So how did I feel? Simply okay, and it's all about courage, faith and confidence to be me.

I feel we learn a lot about where we put our energy in recovery. Every time I go to a meeting, the energy of people, which is motivated by their emotions is really important to understand. The emotional and spiritual of life: experiencing your feelings in the moment of now can be helpful to cope with the situation you are in is the very essence of living. The subject of confidence can be very difficult to understand. Step six, our defects of character: "pride, ego and fear evokes issues with arrogance. ~"Arrogance or hubris in this comparison, is having unmerited confidence—believing something or someone is capable or correct when they are not. Overconfidence or presumptuousness is excessive belief in someone (or something) succeeding, without any regard for failure. Confidence can be a self-fulfilling prophecy as those without it may fail or not try because they lack it and those with it may succeed because they have it rather than because of an innate ability. ~ And with step seven which is about shortcomings and lacking: "courage to change, faith in doing the next right thing and self-esteem; confidence." ~ Confidence is generally described as a state of being certain either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective. Self-confidence is having confidence in oneself. ~

Any day, we can be challenged in our inner being, how we feel internally, and we can either be provoked into our defects of pride, ego and fear, or we can be open honest and willing, with courage, faith and confidence to face life on life's terms. And given the current conditions of the day, we can be at "sixes and sevens" depending on what's going on. Step six defects, with a brave face covering up fear and lack of confidence. Or we can be open, look for the truth in the moment, by asking for help. If we can be confident in our outlook and ask what's going on, find out the truth of now, we will be better served than trying to work it out in advance.

Defects of character: pride, ego and fear requires a lot of thinking to preserve our inner being. We will try protect our outlook, if we feel under pressure, defects tend to run riot, and all we hear around us is fearful noise and the fearful noise keeps on going round and round until we break out of the fear of not knowing the answers in the current conditions today.

Shortcomings: is moving out of the defects of character where all the noise of life goes round and round as we try to control the world. Developing these traits of courage, faith and confidence is about accepting what we do know and what we don't know. There is nothing to fear when we are open and listening to what is going on around us, and there is everything to gain from being able to ask the questions about the current conditions. A clear mind, with courage, faith and confidence will overcome fear. The usefulness of any vessel is in its emptiness, ready to be filled. A clear mind is open and the shortcomings of courage to change, faith in doing the next right thing and self-esteem will grow as we learn and live in the current conditions today.

DonInLondon 2004 - 2013

Alcoholics Anonymous | February 26 2013 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 "Sanity" "insanity seemed to be a rite of passage in the olden days when I was young…" Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll! In my case, sex, alcohol and rock 'n' roll! I didn't like the idea of drugs because all it expanded was my inner world. Alcohol made the outer world much more interesting, drinking with girls, dancing with girls and enjoying rock 'n' roll as much is possible! That rite of passage, into adulthood and wanting to do everything that everyone else was doing…

I know why I drank, it was a family thing, it was a cultural thing, and I wanted to be included. The 60s the 70s the 80s and 90s and the good times used to roll. John was song titles like, "only the good die young." Social life was always about drink, after work was all about drink, or was it? Most of the time it was about fun and connection and inclusion. If we worked hard we played hard. And you might ask what is wrong with that? Nothing, absolutely nothing is wrong with that. If there is an imbalance which it certainly was for me, I kept on partying when other people were getting married and having families. And I often fell in love with the right girl, at the wrong time and in the wrong place, and only in hindsight I can see a pattern of choosing like-minded souls to party on till doomsday… Sensible girls left me, found love and family life? Some did, some were like me and some are not here anymore…

The insanity of drink becoming my best friend, a relationship and a love affair all of its own. A heavy drinker for decades, equal in my addiction to work and my addiction and quest for love. And when I fell in love, it was a celebration and then in no time, because I didn't have the understanding of how love grows, it was always infatuation, followed by utter misery when it all went wrong. When love failed and I was bereft the work addiction and drink addiction took hold in the end. Alcoholics are sensitive, intelligent and driven. Alcoholics usually have deep feelings about everything which they are unable to express, me included, and there is an underlying disappointment with the real world of now. The insanity we see in the world is often a reasonable excuse until we are hooked and unable to stop and driven mad ourselves day after day. In the end we know just how addicted we are. And if we are lucky, finding rock bottom and it can get no worse, we realise maybe we can ask for help. Many never find help or assistance. Many are urged to find treatment, and yet the insanity of drinking prevails…

The insanity of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is really painful. Trying to be perfect, for the perfect girl, working harder than anyone to make that career the best it can be, work harder and drink harder. And it'll all be okay. It doesn't work out, the same thing over and over again, and how we let ourselves down and our disappointment with life. Of course, it was all my fault… I was not good enough… That was my assessment of me…

Getting to that rock bottom took a long time, fortunately, many people today have more awareness and more gumption than I had. Common sense prevails with many who find themselves in addiction early in life. And the good news for those with the common sense and gumption can find recovery much sooner than later, later as in my case. And I relish their company and their understanding of life. We all share experience, strength and hope, and often given my age and maturity, I find those younger with greater maturity than me. The sanity restored by a higher power greater than me and always around me. The collective wisdom in fellowship, the collective wisdom outside fellowship one day at a time...

Listening to the news today, scandals in the political arena about sexual conduct, which is inappropriate and unlawful. And the political class what do they do? Plausible deniability is where they start, more facts are revealed and their deniability is tenuous. And then more deniability wrecking the future of those who are fresh in the fray of elections. It is easy to point the finger and reveal what goes on, and then the problem of making it stick and doing something about the misbehaviour of those who have the power and misuse it and then get found out. Deniability, trying to cover up and trying to appease or simply deny the truth. And it is those in power, who feel they can do what they like, doing the same things over and over, and never expecting to be found out. In recovery, the twelve steps give back the truth of what we did, and the why of it and the wrong of it as much as for some of us, who were on the wrong end of these abuses of power. We learn our part in all matters, the good, the bad and the ugly. And we make restitution wherever we can without doing further harm. Unlawful behaviour, misbehaviour and antisocial behaviour needs to be resolved as we move forward in recovery… There is insanity in trying to excuse the inexcusable…

How am I feeling today? Like every day there is good, bad and ugly. Matters which don't relate to me directly have been weighing heavily on me. My quick meditations in the morning, powerless over alcohol, people places and things and if I try to manage or control the unmanageable life will turn to torment, not just for one day. The greater powers than me, all of you in the world and your wisdom keep me safe and on track and especially a dear friend helping me last night. And let go the idea I might fix the feelings of others with words, when the truth prevails, I cannot soften the blows that truth delivers. I can be there with love, support and wisdom learned from many who help me one day at a time. And still waking up with historical wrongdoing of others and the impact it had takes time to work through. There is good in what has happened and relief that the truth will out. It just makes the grief worse for some in the moment of now and then the cherishing will come later as truth settles and time permits. And I'm still baffled by some social networks which seem to have turned off and have not been informing me of messages over the last few months. I will endeavour to catch up if I can. Meanwhile, apologies if I seem distant and have not communicated back to anything you've sent me since August last year…

Alcoholics Anonymous | February 26 2012 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 "Sanity” Today’s AA daily reflection: "no ordinary success story." Fellowship: all about unity, service and recovery for everyone with a desire to stop drinking. A desire to stop drinking became the only criteria for including ourselves in fellowship. No rules, laws or regulations and there are no leaders who govern, we are all trusted servants with equal voice. Each group is autonomous within Fellowship and making decisions for themselves through group conscience and always in service, and with acceptance.

Unity, service and recovery works for us in the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and in my life, having family, community and society values, which are consistent with fellowship values keeps me level headed and even handed contingent on my spiritual condition. The twelve steps help me daily with my spiritual condition: to be open and truthful, honest as best I can and willing to keep changing as life changes. I need to heed and listen to the wisdom of everyone around me so I may keep learning how to live and be a part of life...

Who wants to be a "one trick pony" only able to excel at one element in life? I know people talk about life balance yet we exult those who drive themselves toward one element of life, the most obvious being famous for one thing. I was talking to my sister a few moments ago about family matters, and the need to cherish and be kind. And how important it is for each person in the family to have their own identity and their own interests. Being good at one thing and driven addictively easily cuts a person off from the richness of our existence and the bigger world of now...

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. What can I change today, and where is my serenity? It starts with being able to cope with reality and see and be interested in everything and being able to pick and choose interests and activities. All of which for me is rolled into unity, service and recovery. Plus life in general, family and friends and community and sharing a message and writing and photography and news and TV, the list is what it is ever-changing… Always with unconditional love, to love be loved back and useful in the moment of now…

DonInLondon 2005-2011

Courage to change, the theme this evening. From being stuck in the malady, to finding our solution one day at a time. I am thankful to be alive and part of a fellowship where we help each other as best we can. Sober we have a chance to live life as it is, real and deal with life on life's terms... change the things we can and wisdom to know the difference.

Step 2 "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity"

AA Daily Reflection: NO ORDINARY SUCCESS STORY ~ FEBRUARY 26, A.A. is no success story in the ordinary sense of the word. It is a story of suffering transmuted, under grace, into spiritual progress. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 35

Upon entering A.A. I listened to others talk about the reality of their drinking: loneliness, terror and pain. As I listened further, I soon heard a description of a very different kind-the reality of sobriety. It is a reality of freedom and happiness, of purpose and direction, and of serenity and peace with God, ourselves and others. By attending meetings, I am reintroduced to that reality, over and over. I see it in the eyes and hear it in the voices of those around me. By working the program I find the direction and strength with which to make it mine. The joy of A.A. is that this new reality is available to me.

"Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."