Easy Does It is seen on walls of 12 Step meeting halls for Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12 Step groups. Sponsors tell their Sponsees, "Easy does it," and 12 Steppers say it to each other often.
Usually it's good advice. Those of us recovering from alcoholism and other addictions seem subject to more 'mind storms' than the rest of the world. We can get caught in such mental snarls!
Easy Does It is usually a good solution
Easy Does It! is often a good solution to what some refer to as 'monkey mind,' particularly if we add a couple of deep breaths!
One of the best uses for Easy Does It! is to quiet the internal demand for instant perfection, whether that demand is about working our Program or being with our family, our work, income or any other area in our lives.
When we come to Program we have lots of work to do, and trying to get everything done all at once, and perfectly, is a sure path toward failure. Our first job is our addiction, and for 12 Steppers that means our first job is working the Steps.
Easy Does it But Do It
Working the Steps in AA and other 12 Step groups is where the addition to Easy Does It really makes sense But Do It!
For reasons that I believe have more to do with unfounded fear than anything else, there is an attitude among some in 12 Step Recovery that we have 'to be ready' to work the Steps, particularly the 4th Step. There appears to be a fear in AA and other groups that a newcomer will go into some sort of overwhelm and maybe slip because the 4th Step is to hard to handle in the beginning.
What's ignored is that there is no indication in the literature that we should take our time absolutely none. In fact, if you read Dr. Bob's story, in the book Alcoholics Anonymous, it becomes clear he worked the then Six Steps in an afternoon and evening! (The original six steps contain all of the now 12 they were broken up to provide more manageable chunks). The founders and old timers knew it was imperative that the addict had to take massive personal action to effect the needed changes. The Steps, including Step 4 are a solid plan for taking the action necessary to recover.
Deliberate Speed
Now, I'm not saying everyone must work all the Steps in an afternoon and evening I didn't, but I was lucky when some member told me I wasn't 'ready' to do the 4th. My sponsor simply snorted and suggested I get on with it and I did, just before my 90th day.
In my opinion, there is no such thing as 'being ready.' Think about it. What would 'being ready' look like? How are you supposed to know if you're there or not? There's no criteria or evidence. Besides delaying now only makes it easier to delay tomorrow, and tomorrow until we've justified not doing it at all!
Getting down to the work, work on the Steps, is the real solution, and the way to become Powerfully Recovered!
I sure have seen this slogan misused in AA quite a bit. A great cop out for an alkie to grab onto when it's time to do the work....This isn't even mentioned in the book till Chapter 9....The Family Afterward. After we've worked the steps. Nice to see your post makes that clear.
Nowhere in the directions to the steps does it mention taking it easy....As they tend to use words like "Launched"..."Vigorous action"..."At once" and "Next" more appropriately. But give an alkie an easier softer way and most likely he'll go for it...I cringe evertime I hear this misused in meetings.
Being ready to work the steps?
Best answer I've heard to when you should work the steps....Is the answer they gave in early AA...
When do you want to get better?...You want to get better now?...Work the steps now. You want to get better later....Work the steps later...But you'll probably end up drinking before you get to em.
Simple as that.
I was working my ninth step on my 90th day....And living in steps 10 through 12. So far so good...Thank you God.
I was some months sober and I was chatting with one alcoholic, who helped me a lot. And he gave me some advice for studying and writing (how to write, where to put comma, dots, new lines) ... and I was slobbering and he told me seriously, so seriously that I scared: Easy does it! But DO IT the best! And my next question was: I can't understand? And he told me again seriously: Hey, I didn't say THINK or UNDERSTAND. I said: DO IT THE BEST! DO! DO! DO!
I miss this person ...
But now I understand after practice what he told me. The program is my everyday actions. It is not separate, it is not in some part of my day. I'm trying to live it.
"It only takes a day to learn "how it works" and a lifetime to practice it!"
-- Edited by myownhell on Wednesday 4th of June 2014 12:38:00 PM
But now I understand after practice what he told me. The program is my everyday actions. It is not separate, it is not in some part of my day. I'm trying to live it.
"It only takes a day to learn "how it works" and a lifetime to practice it!"
Where would he find such good advice?
The spiritual life is not a theory.We have to live it.
BB pg 83
We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime.
