I’m about to speak bluntly to some–not all–of you. Frankly, you need to get over yourself.
You need to stop thinking you can control everything. Recognize that you do, indeed, have issues that are creating problems in your life. Whatever life improvement steps you have been trying are not working. It’s time to find the willingness, the courage, to look for ideas, and maybe some help.
I’m not talking about alcoholics and addicts here. I’m talking about everyone.
You may think you know what life is all about, that you have it all together. That’s part of your problem. You don’t know what you don’t know.
An Unexpected Source
But help is available, and from an unexpected place.
There is a little-known source for life improvement steps, some of the most important ever invented. Ideas and techniques you can use to address challenges you face every day.
And you can learn these life secrets, if you’re willing. By doing some reading, or even going to a recovery meeting, because they’re called the Twelve Steps.
So, get over yourself, over the self-righteous belief that you can’t learn from people in recovery. Because there are important ideas that many addicts know that you don’t know, but need to.
“We ‘normies’ have a lot to learn from the lessons demonstrated every day in the recovery community.” (Brenda Schell of the Missouri Recovery Network)
The Twelve Steps have been used successfully for decades by millions of people, and they are the most effective life improvement steps ever created. There are over 200 types of Twelve Step organizations worldwide, and tens of thousands of groups meet every week.
But the Twelve Steps are often misunderstood. Yes, they do help people deal with addiction. But they also form a useful and relevant source of help that applies to all of us. Even you.
These steps help people deal with issues all of us face. Applied on a consistent basis, they can help us find spiritual wisdom, personal excellence, and emotional well-bring.
“There is a huge payoff in your life in doing the 12-Step work. I wish other people could have the opportunity to do just a small part of the work on themselves that we do every day in recovery programs. The whole world would be better off.” (Emmy Award winner Geoffrey S. Mason)
What Addicts Know
What? You can learn something from people in recovery, from alcoholics and addicts?
Yes, so get over yourself, don’t be hypocritical. In fact, you may be addicted as well. Perhaps to something more socially acceptable than drugs, such as work, control, pride, spending, or eating.
There is probably something in your life that you are compulsive about. Welcome to the club. And even if you have absolutely none of those habits yourself, you know people who do.
“At least 10 percent of US adults aged eighteen and older are recovering from drug and alcohol abuse. Add in those folks recovering from other … issues, and we’re probably talking about more than one in five of all adults, maybe even one in four.” (The Partnership at Drugfree.org)
Accept that it’s okay that you don’t have it all together. Because we all have issues. And be more accepting of other people who have figured out the things they are struggling with.
When alcoholics and addicts are at recovery meetings, it’s because they have found an important source for life improvement steps, one they can take advantage of whenever they need to.
They are learning self-awareness and experiencing spiritual growth. They are finding wisdom and serenity, and acquiring resilience to handle the ups and downs in life. And they are developing a willingness to ask for help when needed, and to serve others as a way of life.
“These are messages and lessons that need to be carried beyond the recovery community to become a part of our whole culture.” (Brenda Schell)
Now, perhaps you know more about what you didn’t know before. If you forget, stop by a recovery meeting. Or, check out the next STEPS Journey Blog article, which will present some of the highlights of these wonderful life improvement steps.
Question: Are you willing to accept you could learn something from the world of recovery?
Action: Commit to read the next article about myths and secrets for healthy living.
[Note: All quotes in this article are from What Addicts Know by Christopher Kennedy Lawford]
