Now, that one was good.
Let me explain it to you deeper tho
That was an inside joke, there you saw it - now i’m deleting bc we’re overtaking the thread
The thread with one post a day? Stop it.
Fine, I’ll reinstate both. But this is going to get very meta where the back and forth fits the title.
You force my hand bc your standalone post is nonsensical otherwise. Last post of the night for me. Seriously glad you’re thinking about things tho. Night.
I shove on the river with busted draws, too. Sue me.
Hi I’m Risky and it makes me happy to see this thread active.
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Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others who still suffer, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
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I am an atheist and so had to find a more unusual concept of a Higher Power. Fortunately, this is a spiritual program that calls on us to engage with a Higher Power of our own understanding–who some of us call God and others do not call anything at all.
I found great comfort in the Buddhist twelve steps. As Richard Gere explained to Lisa Simpson when she was considering converting, Buddhism is a spiritual path that allows for all kinds of theism, agnosticism, and atheism.
So first the standard steps, then the Buddhist translation.
Standard Twelve Steps
- We admitted we were powerless over the effects of alcoholism or other family dysfunction, that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand God.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory and, when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understand God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others who still suffer, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Buddhist Twelve Steps
- Practice acceptance: You can’t control certain things in your life. You lose a lot of energy trying to change things that are out of your control. Your futile attempt to change things you can’t control causes you stress. This can have negative consequences in your recovery. So work on accepting things, starting with you.
- Develop confidence: Life can be unstable and doesn’t provide a guarantee of anything. When you have faith and confidence, you are able to deal with whatever is thrown your way.
- Create a place of refuge: It starts as a physical place where you can feel safe or where you can decompress. Eventually, you can learn to find that peace anywhere.
- Make time for self-examination: It’s easy for us to be overly critical of ourselves, but that’s not healthy. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Instead, focus on your strengths and on things you can improve.
- Set up a self-honesty team: Sometimes we have a skewed view of reality. Having a support system that will tell you the truth and give you quality advice is valuable.
- Be willing to move past limitations: We all have strengths and weaknesses. Learning to optimize your strengths and not dwelling on your shortcomings helps you attain your goals.
- Cultivate a sense of humility: Admitting that you need help and be willing to receive advice helps you stay humble. This can be difficult because you may want to believe that you can do it all. Allow yourself to accept your imperfections.
- Have a forgiveness practice: Resentment can take a physical toll as well as plague our minds with negativity. Forgiving yourself and others will lift that weight off you.
- Give back where it’s the hardest: In active addiction, you hurt many people, especially those who are closest to you. Giving back to others can help right the wrongs of your past.
- Admit when you’re wrong: You’re not always right; if you were, then you wouldn’t get yourself in trouble or hurt others. Admitting when you’re wrong sometimes is humbling and prevents the “black and white” thinking of addiction.
- Keep your spiritual life fresh: Whether you meditate, pray or do yoga, finding your spirituality help you grow in your recovery.
- Practice unconditional love every day: Loving and feeling compassion for others helps you stay grounded. You show your appreciation of others and of life when you practice unconditional love.
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Bonus: noted comedian and self-styled guru of hilariously vague political pronouncements Russell Brand offered his own translation.
- Are you a bit fucked?
- Could you not be fucked?
- Are you, on your own, going to ‘unfuck’ yourself?
- Write down all the things that are fucking you up or have ever fucked you up and don’t lie or leave anything out.
- Honestly tell someone trustworthy about how fucked you are.
- Well that’s revealed a lot of fucked-up patterns. Do you want to stop it? Seriously?
- Are you willing to live in a new way that’s not all about you and your previous, fucked-up stuff? You have to.
- Prepare to apologize to everyone for everything affected by your being so fucked-up.
- Now apologize. Unless that would make things worse.
- Watch out for fucked-up thinking and behavior and be honest when it happens.
- Stay connected to your new perspective.
- Look at life less selfishly, be nice to everyone, help people if you can.
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All that “fucking” and no videos of Katy Perry. Russel, I am disappoint.
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I think it’s pretty effed up that the number one suggestion I get when I get caught up here is the Beer, Wine, and Spirits thread. I’m into day 2 of at least 31 with zero alcohol. Gonna sink the savings into a Crafty +.
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Jesus, the fuck is that? Is that him or her?
My friend, that’s the start of divorce proceedings.
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From today’s newsletter:
Step One
“We admitted we were powerless over the effects of alcoholism or other family dysfunction, that our lives had become unmanageable.” BRB p. 118Of course we are powerless. Haven’t we been powerless most of our lives?
In recovery, we learn to think of this word in a new light. When we hang around meetings long enough to listen, we find that our very power comes from surrender. The First Step tells us that we had actually been giving away our power at the exact time we sought to keep it. As we learn to healthfully surrender by walking away and letting go, we begin experiencing a new freedom.
We stop trying to fix others so that we can feel more comfortable, and in the process teach them how to take care of us. We take care of ourselves and allow others to fall down and not get up if that is what they must do. We walk away from the emotional car crashes that have caused us to feel like victims most of our lives. We realize we never really had the power to change anyone, especially those we grew up with.
As we make healthier choices, we start to see results in our lives. It is no longer the right thing to complain when we can just simply step away from the dialog. Because we now value our serenity, we release the idea that it is our job to change the world around us.
On this day I see wonderful things happening in my life as I loosen my grip…and let go.
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From today’s newsletter:
When we maintain fellowship with others coming into awareness of their dysfunctional/compulsive behaviors and relationships, we maintain a level of spiritual fitness that will assist us in coping with the inevitable challenges we will face.
With strengthened spirits, we live from a solid foundation that will not collapse, even during times of crisis.
Situations and events will come at us unexpectedly, and we will be presented with difficulties and painful circumstances - this is certain. Rather than reacting unconsciously and repeating unhealthy behavior patterns, we act purposefully while maintaining our peace.
The Steps are the tools that help us navigate the uncharted territory that is our life. By continuing to apply what we have learned on a regular basis, we can face the trials of life with grace.
It’s incredible how much time drinking sucks away from my day if I ever let it back in.
Drinking feels great. It gives me so much of a couple of things I adore, but it takes everything else away one day at a time.
And then without drinking…there is an enormous empty space inside me I was trying to fill with what drinking brings me. Now those things are gone. Alcohol is gone, and so are the things it brought me. At least that version of them.
One day at a time, I’m finding out what fills that space when it isn’t already filled with alcohol. Sometimes, that space has been filled with pain. But it’s also been the birthplace for good things I never would have had room for if I’d decided drinking was too important to find out.
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It’s been one full week. Last drink was on evening of 12/28.
Haven’t had any strong cravings. NYE and the weekend wasn’t anything at all. The last two days I have felt a pull to get a six pack out of boredom/optimism for enjoyment. Wasn’t hard to say no bc I’ve made the decision.
Mind started to drift each day of how it would be ok but batted it down with the mental image of the wife’s reaction pretty easily and quickly.
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I just saw this and am extremely bemused. You’re confusing me with some other poster. I have never in my life had discussions on anything Mariah-related.
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