October 14, 2004

Recover For Yourself

From Wings of Eagles Recovery:

"We have to stay sober no matter how life treats us, no matter whether non-alcoholics appreciate our sobriety or not. We have to keep our sobriety independent of everything else, not entangled with any people, and not hedged in by any possible cop-outs or conditions.

"Over and over, we have found we cannot stay sober long just for the sake of wife, husband, children, lover, parents, other relative, or friend, nor for the sake of a job, nor to please a boss (or doctor or judge or creditor) -- not for ANYONE other than ourselves.

c. 1975, Living Sober, page 64

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People pleasing many times is what got us into this addiction in the first place. Trying to serve other gods like people, drugs, alcohol, bosses, even ourselves has always led to our failure. We have to love ourselves first, enough to want to make it -- then we can love God with all our hearts and strive to walk in His ways.

Even if those that surround us, spouses, children, friends, relatives and bosses don’t see our success each day or express displeasure because it is not happening enough -- we will be able to stay focused and know that it is one day at a time -- and that God rejoices in the successes that we achieve no matter how small. When we allow ourselves to try and please others – then we will never be able to measure up to their standards, and their standards may also be skewed as they are recovering also.

Stay God centered and motivated and do it for yourself.

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