My sobriety has been going better than I ever could have imagined and I am happy to say I have been sober and happy for one month and seven days. I do, have and continue to struggle with finding or connecting to a higher power. I believe but I am not necessarily religious. Does anyone have any tips or have been in the same boat and found something that has worked for them. I thank everyone in advance for any advice and I hope you all have a great day!
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Great that you’re feeling so well! As for your question, I had to stop thinking I have to find it or connect to it. I had to stop intellectually trying to figure it out. For me, my truth is that I’m not going to figure it out or understand it. I’m just lol ole me. How am I supposed to understand and define something so immense as this. Whether I “find or connect” to my hp, the reality for me is it’s always been here and with me whether I acknowledge it or not. I can just look at Mother Nature, babies, laws of nature, and other things beyond my understanding, and see that my hp is not lost. I don’t need to find it. Knowing that it’s not lost is good, cuz now I don’t have to feel like I can’t find one. As for feeling connected, for me it’s a little easier once I realized it’s everywhere. For me, if I allow myself to feel it, I know in my gut when I’m doing something wrong. I may try to deny it or numb it, but I know right from wrong. I believe I was born with a conscious, and my conscious is connected to this hp. It’s just that my will and desires to do what I want are so strong, and I choose to follow it rather than my conscious. I literally disconnect with my conscious with drugs and alcohol, or by doing other obsessive compulsive behaviors that help me run from it. Today I choose to pause and think my feelings thru, and choose to live my life the way I believe a good, loving, and tolerant person should behave. I follow the basic 12 steps of recovery, and connect with my people in recovery. My hp works thru other people, is present in AA meetings, and basically everywhere if I choose to connect by just being mindful of this. Speaking of mindful… my daily program of recovery keeps me mindful of all of this one day at a time. Without it, I slowly begin to listen to my ego, and fall back into being controlled by my wants and desires.
It’s that simple lol! Anymore questions you want me to go off on an insane tangent about 
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Congratulations on your 1 months and 7 days and counting! 
I had this same problem early in my recovery as I had given up on religion and God when my father died unexpectedly when I was 9 and I had a hard time separating religion and spirituality. As I've gotten further in my sobriety my perception of a Higher Power has changed. I stopped searching for one thing and basically accepted it as Karma is my HP. That if I continue to do good things with good intentions and put positive energy into the world then that energy will be reciprocated and good things will be returned unto me life. But if I act with malice or ill intent or manipulation then those things will be returned to me. Of course it's not completely proportional and difficult times will come regardless of how great or spiritual of a person I try to be. Those things are out of my control. But I'm the broader sense, my attitude and actions are what will come back to me.
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Forget the term "higher power". It is largely BS. You just need to recognize that you aren't able to keep yourself squared away on your own. So, just use the group, your brothers and sisters in recovery, helping you do something you can't do alone. Nothing "higher" about it. No magic or nonsense. Just the acceptance that comes with love and hard work.
Ignore dumb manipulative questions like "Don't you think there are powers greater than yourself, like the ocean". More nonsense. The ocean isn't gonna keep you sober and usually the people asking you this dumb shĂŻt are just hoping that you will eventually grasp the idea of God and "come to believe" as Bill W "sees it".
You don't need a higher power. All you need to know is that you're unable to do it alone and your friends are helping you achieve this and in turn you are helping them achieve this as well.
Simple as that. Go forth and prosper.
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Growing up I always thought “God” is not this magical person watching over because why would he let genocide happen or not so giant lol just why is there negativity in this world…? As I have pounder and thought over the years of my life I realized it’s just energy. You can not spilt and atom. If you put good energy out it shall come back vic versa. (If you must call it Karma , sure yes Karma)
I also realized it’s not a higher power leading you away from substances as it is you EGO!
I want a cigarette
I want another drink
I need more My stash is low
I, I, I
Try to not live in your Ego so much and you will crave less, do more for others, and Overall just think about your needs less. I have practiced this in my sobriety journey and it truly helps. That’s just me take what you can from that hope any of my point of view helps !
Stay strong you’ll receive what you need in your own journey.
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I agree !
❥It’s that your Ego has gone wild and you need to connect back to yourself.
Being mindful is an amazing thing to practice!
𖤓Doing yoga helps me be mindful !
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Keep it simple: Make it something loving, caring and greater than oneself. Simple. It can evolve too. Personally, I respect and tolerate others' beliefs as well. I learned that in recovery.
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