Quote:
July 1
A Simple Program
"The program is simply sharing, working the Twelve Steps, attending meetings, and practicing the principles of the program."
Basic Text, p.188
Our complicated lives can be made a lot less complicated if we concentrate on a few simple things-sharing our experience, strength, and hope with others, regular meeting attendance, and practicing the principles of the program in our daily lives.
By sharing our experience, strength, and hope with other addicts, we provide a powerful example for newcomers to follow. The effort we put into helping others also helps keep self centeredness, the core of our disease, at bay.
Many of us pick one group, a "home group" whose meetings we attend faithfully. This regularity gives some routine to our lives, and lets others know where they can find us if they need us.
Practicing the Twelve Steps in our daily lives makes the difference between a balanced recovery and simply not using. The steps give us some much-needed guidance in managing our everyday affairs.
Yes, we are complex people. But the NA program simplifies our lives, enabling us to live a life free from active addiction. Our lives can be filled with serenity and hope when we live by the guidance of the simple principles of our program.
Just for today: I will remember that, while I am a complex person, NA is the simplest way for me to make my life less complicated.
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Don't pick up no matter what! Anything that seems just too much to handle only gets worse. We may shut off, but our disease is there, and when we are in active addiction, if we are fortunate enough to make it back, we still have the same issue(s) to address. Get a support group, if you don't have a group and don't feel like sharing, go for outside counselling. If you don't have a sponsor, get one. If you go to a meeting, and are open to receiving what you need, it will be there in one form or another, if you have an open mind.