Have A Blessed Easter

Matthew 27:66

Good Friday

Step 1 - Powerless - Conclusion

Powerless:  “devoid of strength or resources; lacking the authority or capacity to act”.

Step 1: We admitted that we were powerless over our addition(s) and compulsive behaviors that our lives had become unmanageable.

Welcome back folks.  Today we will conclude our discussion on the “powerless” part of Step 1, even though we are never finished with this realization. 

Last time we talked about the power that our mind has.  It’s ability to convince us that the Lie is the Truth, even when we know better.  It’s that obsession of the mind that keeps us in our addictive state. 

The mind – a terrible thing to waste - true.  But it is also a huge enemy of our Recovery.

Our minds can make us believe that it’s everyone else’s fault.  I drank/used because she did this or he did that.  I had a bad day at work and I deserve to go out and have a good time.  Man, this weather is so depressing, I need a drink.  I’ll show them, if they want to accuse me of it, then I’ll just go and do it.  Yada yada.  Do you get what we’re saying here? 

At the same time, our mind can convince us that “we didn’t do that”.  You know like the morning after when everyone tells you how you behaved the night before.  Or when you go out to get into your vehicle and there’s a dent in the fender.  Or when you pull up Facebook and see the pictures and declare that that isn’t you.  Or the countless other things that we tell ourselves and others that we didn’t do even though we did.

Additionally, our minds can make us believe that we are okay.  We don’t have a problem.  We can handle it.  We won’t do that again.  Etc. Etc. 

It’s this part of being powerless that leads to the unmanageability of our lives.  Denying that we don’t have a problem when it is so apparent to others that we do.  Telling ourselves that we can handle it only to get smashed the very next time we drink/use.  Declaring that we won’t act that way again only to behave even worse the next time we pick up/use.    

Think about it.  Have you ever came to and didn’t know where you were?  Have you ever came to and couldn’t remember how you got home?  Have you ever been arrested due to your using/drinking?  Have you ever Hurt someone that you cared about or loved because of your using or drinking?  Have you ever lied about your drinking or using?  Have you ever gone to work high or buzzed?  Have you ever had the shakes?  Have you ever found yourself irritable and thought that if I just had a drink I’d be better?  Have you ever stolen anything to support your using? 

These are things that most of us would not normally do…..yet we do them.  And sadly, we can’t help it.  Because we are powerless over our addiction/compulsive behavior….our life has become unmanageable. 

Ponder these things and reflect on examples from your own unmanageable life.  Be honest with yourself.   It’s said that it has to hurt to heal.  That’s where we will pick it up next time.

Until then ……. be sure to tell a friend about us.

Thanks for visiting us – come back soon.

Remember:  “It is what it is and “it ain’t nothing but a thing!”    

 

 

 

 

 

Step 1 - Powerless- Part 3

Welcome back folks.  Last time we left off asking some questions about examples of your powerlessness.

So what did you discover?   Did you see where you might be just a little bit powerless over your addiction and behavior?  If you were honest with this, you should have seen times when you were.  That’s what this is saying here.  It’s not a knock you down some more, make fun of you, disgrace you thing.  It’s a “hey man, me too”.  It’s the admission of our powerlessness that opens the door to our Recovery. 

Our minds are powerful entities.  It has been said that the mind has the ability to heal and to kill.  Harnessing the power of their mind, people have been able to accomplish what was otherwise physically impossible.  Our mind can be both an asset and a liability. 

It’s that liability that we are going to discuss right now.  Our stinking thinking if you will.  In our addictive state we believe the lies that our mind tells us is the Truth.  We can talk ourselves into doing things that we normally wouldn’t be caught dead doing.  Yet we do them and believe that it’s okay!  You know what I’m saying.  We lie, steal, cheat, drink and drug. We become convinced that we are “the man or woman”, that we are better than others and that we don’t have a problem.  We tell ourselves that it’s okay to cheat on our spouse, its okay to be late, it’s okay to say this or that.  It’s alright to hit him or her, it’s alright to do this or that and an infinite number of other lies. 

Herein lays the problem.  Our mind can convince us that, we are okay, we can handle it and we’re not that bad.  In essence, “I don’t have a problem”!  Sound familiar?  I know right!  I used to think the same way.  It’s true.  For years I lived in that illusory state that had me convinced that I was okay, I’d do better next time, I can handle it, I don’t need help etc.  But, you know what?  I wasn’t Okay, I never did better.  I most certainly couldn’t handle it.  Truth is, I was “Living in the Lie”. (posted earlier read it)

That’s where we’ll pick it up next time.  Additionally, we’ll begin to take a look at the unmanageability of our lives.  Understanding the “unmanageable” parts helps us to see the powerlessness sometimes.

Until then ……. be sure to tell a friend about us.

Thanks for visiting us – come back soon.

Remember:  “It is what it is and “it ain’t nothing but a thing!”    

Step 1 - Powerless - Part 2

Step 1: We admitted that we were powerless over our addition(s) and compulsive behaviors that our lives had become unmanageable.

Welcome back folks.  Today we pick back up with “powerless”.  Thanks to those of you that sent us comments on this. 

As stated in our last post, this is perhaps the biggest stumbling block that most of us face when we begin our Recovery Journey.  Very few of us want to admit that we are powerless.  Many of us struggle with this idea.  Many of us try to find an easier softer way when it comes to this.  Many of us try to cheat, lie and even ignore this word altogether.  The fortunate truth is, that until we can admit to this state we cannot successfully Recover. 

So let’s take another look at this word that gives us so much difficulty.  Again, Webster’s defines powerless as “devoid of strength or resources; lacking the authority or capacity to act”.

In practicing our addiction(s) and compulsive behaviors, we find ourselves in situations that we wonder just how we got here.  You know what I mean.  You promised that you wouldn’t drink or use only to find yourself drunk or high?  What happened to get you to use or drink?  Yet how many times have we continued with our drugging and/or drinking?  Telling ourselves and others I’ll do better next time.  I won’t do that again.  It won’t happen to me.  Yeah right.  And still we are adamant that we are not powerless, that we are in control.   We can handle it.  Yada yada.

Truth is, we “lack the capacity to act” right.  We, on our own, do not have enough strength or will power to “just not pick up” or use.  Face it, until we can be honest with our self about our powerlessness we cannot Recover.

If you still have doubts or if you still maintain that you are not powerless, maybe this will help.  Take a few minutes and think about some of the times that you drank or got high or were compulsive even after promising to do better or not to.  Write it down if you need to.  But give it some real thought.  What were the circumstances?  What were your actions or reactions?   What happened?  Why did you do what you did or behave the way that you did?  What was the outcome?

Give this some serious thought and time folks.  We are not in a hurry.  Remember, Step 1 is the only Step that has to be worked perfectly.  Send us your thoughts and comments.  We’ll pick it up here next time.

Until then ……. be sure to tell a friend about us.

Thanks for visiting us – come back soon.

Remember:  “It is what it is and “it ain’t nothing but a thing!”   

  

Step One - Powerless - Part One

Step 1: We admitted that we were powerless over our addition(s) and compulsive behaviors that our lives had become unmanageable.

Welcome back folks.  Before we get too deep into “powerless” we wanted to reiterate that, there is no hopeless case and that there is Hope for everyone.  However, the fortunate Truth of our addiction/compulsive behavior Recovery is this; in order to Recover, the majority of us have to experience our own Rock Bottom.  This means that we not only have the revelation of our powerlessness but we experience a period of feeling hopeless as well.  Because each person’s rock bottom is different, this time period will vary with each individual as well.  But we have to go through this.  Without experiencing this emotional toilet, we are not broken.  It’s that brokenness that awakens us to the Truth and it’s that Truth that sets us free.  We must become honest-Rigorously Honest- if we desire to Recover.  It’s that honesty that allows us to admit with conviction our powerlessness over our addiction(s) and compulsive behaviors.  

Since this one word (powerless) is such a stumbling block to us when we begin our Recovery Journey, we are going to take some time with it.  We are not in a race and it is imperative that we get this right. 

Even though each Step is vital to our Recovery, and we will have our “road trips” and ups and downs along the way, Step 1 is the only Step that has to be worked perfectly.  There can be no flaw, no short cut, no “getting by”, no “good enough” and no reserve with this Step if we are to Recover.

As we have mentioned in this blog many times, drinking/using isn’t the real problem.  It is but a symptom of something much deeper.    Many of us have abstained for periods of time only to pick up /use again. 

Have you noticed that none of the 12 Step Recovery Programs have the word “abstinence” in the first step?  Have you ever wondered why that is?    While abstinence from our DOC (drug of choice) is a start, it isn’t the solution.  So abstinence alone does not lead to Recovery.

What leads us to Recovery is the realization and conviction of what we state in the First Step:  “We admitted that we were powerless over……that our lives had become unmanageable.”

Webster’s defines powerless as “devoid of strength or resources; lacking the authority or capacity to act”.  But what does powerless mean to you?  Powerless- to not pickup/use, over what happens when you do, over quitting, over the effects that it has on you?  Or just powerless period?  Send us your thoughts.  We’d like to know what you think of when you hear or say the word powerless as it pertains to addiction/compulsive behavior.

Join us again soon as we discuss more about Recovery and your comments about it. 

Until then ……. be sure to tell a friend about us.

Thanks for visiting us – come back soon.

Remember:  “It is what it is and “it ain’t nothing but a thing!”