What’s the secret to hypnosis? There is none. The person, who is putting the person into the state of trance, is really doing nothing more than what the subject wants them to do. In fact, when the subject tells the person, who is about to induce the trance, what they want to accomplish, say they want to lose weight, it is already done…if they really want to do it. The state of trance fixes it in place in their minds. If they are on the fence or just want to see what happens, it won’t work.
What I’m trying to say is that I am powerless over anyone else. If someone comes to me and says they want help, if they really don’t want it or on the fence, there’s nothing I can do. I’ve never been able to change anyone’s mind or feelings about anything.
Why bring this up? Last night I saw a really dramatic and almost tragic example of that. I won’t go into that, but just to say there were an awful lot of people trying to change the situation and found out they couldn’t. I was just a witness to the event and nothing more.
When I was drinking, no one could convince me that I was an alcoholic and needed to get help and stop. It took myself alone to get into an awful situation, which finally convinced me that I needed to reach out and accept the hand of help given me.
We see people come in and go out in this program and often wonder if there was something I could have said or done, which could have pulled them back from the brink. Yet, I know from my own experiences, having spent countless hours talking to someone, who wanted to take a drink, that at the end of it, they drank anyway. Despite the fact that they said what I said made a lot of sense to them.
And, when it comes to my own case, and I need help with something, am I ready to accept it? I know that sometimes I’ve told someone of my plight, and when they gave me feedback on what I might do to correct it, I have thanked them and promptly rejected it. I’ve learned since then that willingness, like Bill told us, is the key. I have to ask myself, am I willing? The essence of the third step.
Anyway, I was thinking about being powerless over people, places, and things, and all the difference willingness brings to the table. I’m willing to stay sober. The question is always, will I take the necessary steps to continue down the path? I pray to God that I will always be willing.