I'd say to continue to listen to your sponsor and go to meetings ... you're off to a good start ... The '12X12' and the 'Living Sober' books were invaluable to me on these subjects ...
God Bless, Pappy
P.S. Welcome to the board, by the way ...
-- Edited by Pythonpappy on Tuesday 29th of May 2012 01:34:42 PM
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
my sponsor emailed me a link to this discussion board. its not only my first time on this particular one, but i've never done anything like this before. I'm struggling with selfishness and self-centeredness (duh) and i'm trying to make some important life decisions, and still be present throughout the day. Any advice on either would be appreciated...
Welcome LL25 to "MIP". I struggled with self centeredness most of my adult life. I wasn't an attention seeker per say but motives were still unclear. I wanted more of everything including alcohol. So it didn't surprise anyone that I drank alcoholically. Now fast forward 11 years later and you'll probably see an entirely new person. And that's because of this simple program. So keep coming back LL25, and start working on yourself via the steps. The rest, my friend, will follow -in due time. Welcome, once again.
my sponsor emailed me a link to this discussion board. its not only my first time on this particular one, but i've never done anything like this before. I'm struggling with selfishness and self-centeredness (duh) and i'm trying to make some important life decisions, and still be present throughout the day. Any advice on either would be appreciated...
ciao for now
"We must be rid of this selfishness. We must or it kills us." Probably one of the most compelling lines in the BB. So How? The book suggests we are unlikely to make very much progress on our own power, we need God' help.
One way of looking at it is that we have been poor managers in terms of our own lives and perhaps its time we resigned and appointed another to run the show- God as we understand Him.
Then we embark on a course of vigorous action to clean up the past and remove the things that had been blocking us, like selfishness. First we look at the common manifestations of our character defects and (step 4) and begin to see their terrible destructiveness. IMHO best done with a sponsor, not alone, if you want to understand what you are doing. Then we admit our wrongs, holding back nothing.
Things begin to change and our next step is to become willing to have God remove our defects. When ready we ask Him to remove our shortcomings. He will remove what he wants in His time, and we will hang onto to what we are not yet willing to give up, but if we are not willing, we pray for the willingness. It seems to be a lifetimes work.
In the meantime, nothing will so much insure imunity from drinking as intensive work with alcoholics. It works where other activities fail. Get to meetings, help with setup, cofees, clean up, volunteer, be a greeter, give people rides, spend time with newly sober, ask you sponsor to take you on some 12 step calls, do what ever you can to helpothers. You can help where no one else can.
I can promise you, if you throw yourself into this work, selfishness will disappear, and you will have such a great feeling that your life is worthwhile.
But I bet your sponsor has already shown you all this?
