I take recovery meetings into the local jail as one way of giving back, and one time the whole room was howling so loud with laughter that a corrections officer actually came running down the hall to make sure there wasn’t a riot in progress. Yes, recovery can be fun.
You may have even heard former drinkers refer to themselves as “grateful alcoholics” and wonder what the heck they mean. Well, they’re typically not grateful because they hit a bottom lower than most sewer lines.
They ARE grateful because they found a way of life that absolutely rocks. That way of life comes from the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Benefits of the 12 Steps
Here’s a quick glimpse at some of the benefits you can get from the 12 Steps, no matter who you are, what addictions may be lurking, or if you have no addictions at all:
- Stop the madness in your head
- Connect with a God who adores you
- Kill off resentments and fears
- Eliminate self-defeating habits
- Repair and enhance relationships
- Fall in love with yourself
12 Steps for Addictions to Pretty Much Anything
The original 12 Steps are outlined in the book “Alcoholics Anonymous” (aka The Big Book), and they’ve been adapted for use by dozens of groups around the world.
Narcotics Anonymous. Gamblers Anonymous. Overeaters Anonymous. Nicotine Anonymous. Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous. There are even anonymous groups for clutterers, shoplifters and workaholics – just to name a few more.
12 Steps for People with NO Addictions?
But what about the average Joe or Jill, who doesn’t necessarily have an addiction or compulsive behavior from which they need relief? Can’t they benefit from the 12 Steps, too?
They most certainly can. And I created an online course that shows you how.
After hearing people in recovery meetings remark how phenomenal the world would be if EVERYONE had a way to use the 12 Steps, I just had to give it a go.
So I created a workbook:
The 12 Steps for Everyone: Adaptation of the steps for folks not in recovery
Here you’ll find variations on the steps that can apply to anyone, anywhere – with the ability to reap all the benefits of the steps without the horror of years of hangovers. You get one lesson a week emailed your way for 12 weeks.
Adaptation of the Steps if You’re Not in Recovery
Adapting the steps to daily life in a way that doesn’t focus on an addiction or a single behavior is one way to adapt the steps to everyday life for everyone. Here’s a sneak peek at the variations of the first three steps that are part of the course:
STEP 1: Stop banging your head against the wall.
Admit we have no power over certain things, and falsely believing we do only brings insanity and grief.
STEP 2: Escape the craziness.
Yelling and screaming don’t make the crazy go away. But God can. Believe he can. Get a good one that supports you no matter what.
STEP 3: Get out of your own way.
Let God guide the way. (He does a MUCH better job than we do.)
You get more than a list of steps. You get play-by-play lessons that walk you through worksheets and tips for using each step in your life.
Want more info? I would, too!
Buy book on Amazon now.
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