One of those things I am grateful for is what I learned from my old sponsor and those old timers in here. What was that? That I’m a human being, an alcoholic, not a saint. That was also in the BB, but those, who were helping me to learn this program, opened the door.
What I learned was a blessing, because left to my own devices I’d be in deep trouble. That’s the way I was before I got here and struggling with after I arrived. I had to learn that I needed to grow along spiritual lines and find a Power greater than myself, and become willing to depend on help from that Power. That’s where the Second Step came in.
Not only that, but, like I said, I had to listen and learn from those, who knew how to live this way of life. I didn’t, but I changed. I not only had to learn what I had to do, I had to learn how to think, something I thought I knew all by myself. My way of thinking, when I got here, was to believe I was in control of everything. The truth was that this type of thinking was dragging me down. I had to learn how to let go and depend on my Higher Power, and all those in here, who knew how to live sober and do what was necessary to stay sober and continue to change for the better.
I had to stop beating myself up and over-analyzing myself. I had to learn how to laugh at myself and lighten up. To have a positive and not a negative attitude. To practice placing my mind over my emotions. I had already seen how negative emotions could take people back out to drinking again and then dying. I needed to depend on my Higher Power and people in here, who could help me.
Hope, faith, and love, supported by my perseverance in these. That and being able to focus on staying sober a day at a time. And to be grateful for all I have been given in here, which has helped me to grow. And to thank my Higher Power, and all those who have helped me along the way.