When we’re battling addictions to common vices like alcohol, drugs or sex, we think, “If only we could get addicted to something good.” Many addicts, as they progress through rehab and recovery, will begin to form a relationship with their Higher Power and learn what it means to “turn our will and our lives ove
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If you are a person with deep religious convictions, hearing that you need to believe in a power greater than yourself in order to recover makes a lot of sense. But if you are an atheist or agnostic, or if your faith has been shaken by tragedy or loss, you may not want to hear that you should not only believe in but re
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“Liar, liar, pants on fire.” Most of us heard this taunt as children, but it sometimes haunts certain adults as well. Even grownups lie to each other — and themselves — regularly. But while there are countless reasons and ways people might lie, deception takes a toll on personal relationships, as well as potent
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The 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are a tool for spiritual growth and healing. These steps lay out a path that has provided a way of sober living for millions of addicts and alcoholics all over the world. When you first get sober and have no idea how to go about living your life without alcoh
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As we put time and effort into working the steps, we realize our lives have been completely transformed. We are able to accept life on life’s terms and to cope with situations that we never dreamed we would be able to deal with. Some people refer to this psychic change as a spiritual awakening.
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In Step Eleven, we focus on how to consciously improve our contact with our Higher Power, the Power greater than ourselves that we have identified according to our own understanding in earlier steps. It is suggested in Step Eleven that we stay in touch with our Higher Power using prayer and meditation.
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In Step 10, we learn to live one day at a time. We begin to take what we have learned up to now and work toward continual progress and character development. Our goal is to stay in emotional balance, taking things day by day. We continue to look at the choices we are making sober and consider what we’re doing right a
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In Step Nine, it’s time to make amends to the people we have harmed. We have to get past the urge to make excuses not to go through with taking this important step. The only time we should avoid making amends to those we have harmed is when bringing up the past will cause them even more hurt.
We review the list we
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In Step Eight, we learn that we need to make a list of all the people we have harmed and get ready to make amends to them. The goal of Steps Eight and Nine is to heal our relationships and to become aware of our own part in any difficulties we have had while relating to others.
Like many of the other steps, Step Eig
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In Step Seven, we humbly ask a power greater than ourselves to remove our shortcomings. As in the previous steps, we have the freedom to define this power in whatever way makes sense to us. Humility is one of the most powerful tools used in Step Seven. It means recognizing that we are no better than other people. At th
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