Acceptance
“And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation–some fact of my life–unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God’s world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.” (“Acceptance is the Answer,” Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 417)
Resentment
“If you have a resentment you want to be free of, if you will pray for the person or the thing that you resent, you will be free. If you will ask in prayer for everything you want for yourself to be given to them, you will be free. Ask for their health, their prosperity, their happiness, and you will be free. Even when you don’t really want it for them, and your prayers are only words and you do’t mean it, go ahead and do it anyway. Do it every day for two weeks and you will find you have come to mean itand to want it for them, and you will realize that where you used to feel bitterness and resentment and hatred, you now feel compassionate understanding and love.” (“Freedom from Bondage,” Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 552)
The Twelve Promises
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.
1. We know a new freedom and happiness.
2. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
3. We will comprehend the word “serenity”.
4. We will know peace.
5. We will see how our experiences would benefit others.
6. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
7. We will lose interest in selfish things.
8. Self-seeking will slip away.
9. Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change.
10. Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us.
11. We will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle us.
12. We will realize that God is doing for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves.
(Paraphrase from Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 84)
Helpful OA Acronyms
N.U.T.S. Not Using the Steps
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Stupid
H.O.P.E. Happy Our Program Exists
R.E.L.A.P.S.E. Recovery Exits Life And Program Seems Empty
B.I.G.B.O.O.K Believing In God Beats Our Old Knowledge
S.L.I.P. Sobriety Losing Its Priority
F.E.A.R. False Evidence Appearing Real
D.E.N.I.A.L. Don’t Even Notice I Am Lying
A.C.T.I.O.N. Any Change To Improve Our Nature
E.G.O. Edging God Out
F.A.I.T.H. Facing An Inner Truth Heals
G.O.D Good Orderly Direction
H.A.L.T. (Don’t get too) Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
B.L.O.A.T.E.D. (Don’t get too) Bored, Lonely, Overwhelmed, Tired, Excited or Depressed
S.T.E.P.S. Solutions To Every Problem Straight
F.I.N.E. (I’m) Frustrated Insecure Neurotic Emotional
S.P.O.N.S.O.R. Sober Person Offering Newcomers Suggestions on Recovery
P.R.O.G.R.A.M. People Relying on God Relaying a Message
