Hello MonicaRae

This is just for me-although-taking others inventory is a favorite subject of me-but when I first came into the fellowship-the only time I had "time" for was alcohol-my life before AA was all about getting the next drink-replying to anyone or anything outside that was soooooooooo impossible.  The fellowship gave me a life and my sponsor and the steps showed me how to live it Happy, Joyous, and Free!  There's often not much time for me to post alot cuz of this new life I have but I try to do my best!  This balance thing can be very taxing to me!  Have a glorious clean and sober day, MonicaRae!

On pg 47 of the 12&12 it talks about how conditiions drove us to drink and that we needed to change ourselves to meet conditions rather than trying to change everyone and everything else.  In our recovery program we learn to freely give of ourselves without demand for anything in return.  It goes further to explain that something needs to be done about our vengeful resentments, self-pity, and unwarranted pride.  Every time we played the big shot, we turned people against us and that when we harbor grudes and seek revenge we are really beating ourselves with the club of anger we intended to use on others.  We learned that our first need is to quiet ourselves regardless of who or what we thought caused our inner turmoil.  We can't easily see how erratic emotions victimize us but are quick to see faults in others.  The serenity prayer begins by asking our Higher Power to grant us serenity - to quiet our inner conflict - to ask for inner peace.  Once we quiet the noise between our ears we can begin to face the reality of being powerless to change people, places and things around us and we begin to ask God to help us change to meet conditions for the way they really are rather than the way we demand them to be to make us happy.  We accept people for the way they are and continue to focus on what we are supposed to do at any given moment as guided by our own conscience and we remain content with who we are for today.  We neither have to play the victim or to be the person who drives others to extremes.  We stick to keeping our side of the street clean without having to take other's inventory.  Pg 84 of the Big Book states that love and tolerance of others is our code and it is our purpose to become usefully whole in serving our Higher Power and helping others in recovery without any expecation of receiving anything back in return.  Thy will be done, not mine...garrett

I find it works better when starting sentences with " I " , not we.

As far as the 12x12 , look inside the front cover of the Big Book, "Other publications".

The 12x12 is described as an "informative commentary by a co-founder".

AKA opinion.  That book kept me sick.

Hi all,an addict here.
I use the na steps,the old worksheets,
the Back to Basic's,as well as the official
step guide.
Glad to be a recovering addict in
NA