The Three Essentials of Recovery Part Two

Second Ingredient "THE 12 STEPS"

This may seem redundant to put this in here considering the title of this Blog. However you'll be surprised how many people Join the Fellowship of A.A., N.A. C.A. Whatever A. you attend. Go to meetings look at the wall where the 12 steps are posted, read the 12 steps discuss the Steps even go to step meetings. They go to Alano clubs, Recovery clubs, attend recovery functions, they get a support system. They proclaim to be in the program, yet they rarely get any continuous recovery time in. This is because THEY are not doing a PROGRAM of recovery. They are in the fellowship, now don't get me wrong here there is nothing wrong with the "fellowship" of whichever 12 Step program you attend. However the fellowships are great and a recommended PART of recovery. However The Program of Recovery is NOT the Fellowship IT IS THE 12 STEPS. Any fellowship worth it's weight will continuously tell you to do the steps. Oh Yeah I know " They are only Suggestion". Well hold on now, lets remember the original concept came out (1938) the word suggestion had a much stronger connotation. How shall I put it - It's the same as saying that I suggest if your going to take a crap , you take your pants down first. Does that make it a little clearer. Here lets try to clarify it a little more. It is suggested you do the Steps if you wish to Recover from a hopeless state of mind and body, we suggest you do the steps if you want A new and better life, we suggest you do the steps if you want to be "Happy, Joyous and Free". Otherwise you can continue to live the way you have always lived. There is a saying in the Fellowships- The Definition of Insanity- is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. As well as " If nothing changes nothing changes".
Once Again Lets be perfectly clear Here the meeting are strongly recommended as well as the fellowship, however together or separately they are just support, The 12 STEPS are THE PROGRAM OF RECOVERY. Read how it works It tells you right there " Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as A PROGRAM OF RECOVERY."

Just to clarify a few things. Now many will say " well I did the steps and it still didn't work". Many have sat in meeting or step meeting and discussed the steps their opinions, interpretations ETC... Or the have done Steps 1-6-8-12. Lets be perfectly clear here. The Steps are numbered 1 through 12. This is how they need to be done, in sequence, they are numbered for a reason. No Skipping Steps you don't like. No Hopscotching doing the ones you think are good. Just Do step 1 Then Step 2 and so on. Secondly and possibly more important- PUT PEN TO PAPER, nowadays most 12 step fellowships have their own step guides, they are all over the place for which to use, Ask your sponsor, use your support system, BUT DO THEM.