What’s The best recovery advice you’ve ever received?

Recovery
#1

In my first few years of recovery, a man qualified at a meeting and said some words that changed my life forever.

He said you have to keep your life separate from your sobriety. Life is ever changing as it goes up and down all the time. It changes all the time. Good to bad. Bad to good.

Sobriety, in the other hand must never change. It must remain rock solid at all times. No matter what happens in life, that has nothing to do with your sobriety.

It’s a hard pill to swallow but continues to save my life.

His name was Phil P and his story “he lived only to drink” is in the stories in the back of the Big Book. Rest In Peace Phil. I never got to know you well but I love you and thank you for saving my life. :pray:t2::heart:

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

12 Likes
#2

Don't throw out the salt shaker over a little spilled salt. That resonates with me in all I do.

1 Like
#3

After my very first AA meeting the man who would become my sponsor walked up and said..
“Hey man, I know you feel like the world is on your shoulders right now, but don’t try to fix everything in a day. You have time. Be patient with yourself. Be gentle.”
I didn’t get it at the time, but a few weeks later when we were meeting for my 2nd step, I got it. He is still my sponsor and good friend. He has given me more advice, and more importantly not pulled punches and told me what I need to hear, not want to hear.

3 Likes
#4

When I got out of treatment for the second time I went to a meeting, it was a round robin and I just said I’d been trying to get clean for years and just got out of treatment again, a man said to me “no matter what happens in a day, if you stay clean, it’s a good day” he received his 27 year tag that night and gave it to me. My son was born on the 27th and I consider it my lucky number. That’s gotten me through a lot.

5 Likes
#5

Ty. I was told to take a deep breath, relax, and that everything would be ok. Go to AA meetings and that Sobriety must come before everything else. As an alcoholic I have an allergy to alcohol. If I am not sober and part of AA I won't have any chance at a good life or getting my life back. Do not pick up no matter what. Life will get better one day at a time. What was one of the hardest things in early sobriety was being patient. I learned the more patience I had the faster I would heal and feel better.

#6

That's good!

#7

Love yourself like your life depends on it.

1 Like
#8

I was 47 days sober when I went in to a treatment facility. The first Sunday I was there a man named Big Book Steve came to read the big book to the group of men. I was struggling with the third step as in “God”. Steve told me that if I can’t grasp God as my higher power, then call it GUS! Great universal Spirit. That right then and there changed my life for ever! I was able to, for the first time, in my life, have a higher power that I could rely on. I used GUS for about 14 months of my sobriety before another spiritual shift happened. I’m now in tune with God but if he hadn’t been there or said that it would be a lot different now.

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#9

To diligently remember how bad it was...that I have alcoholism, not alcoholwasm.

#10

The first meeting I went to I was told "why look in the review mirror when God put the whole windshield in right in front of you."

#11

Yes! It's true. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

#12

Don’t argue, criticize or retaliate

#13

Kiss. Keep it simple stupid.

#14

Once heard someone say “Don’t look for a sponsor who intrinsically understands everything about you. You never looked for a gas station attendant who intrinsically understood you, you just wanted the beer!”
As it turns out, that person is now my sponsor :slight_smile:

#15

Probably not popular but true for me:

  • Don’t take any medical/psychiatric advice from a sponsor. Find a good doctor and be honest 100%. Sponsors should not be giving medical advice.

Honestly, the best advice I’ve gotten. Sober 2 yr 9 mo today.

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#16

To set a routine and stick to it. Has got me through some of my lowest lows.

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#17

It’s hard for me to get a routine started. I know all the reasons why, but still struggle. Ex: I used to walk a couple miles a day, no mater the weather. It made a big difference in my physical/emotional/mental health. I wanted to do it. Life changed, I lost my routine and can’t seem to start again.

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#18

Just because others relapsed doesn’t mean I have to

#19

You don’t ever have to use again

#20

I need to get the first step from my head to my heart