so you have a little time behind you now. what do you say when somebody asks you what step are you on? do you hesitate with your answer? do you tell them truly you have not begun to work the 12 steps? if you do then what are you waiting for? we can only fake it until we make it for so long. believe it or not after having worked the 12 steps all the way through a few times i tell people i am on steps 1,2,3,10,11 and 12. those are called the maintenance steps. the steps we have to do every day of our lives in Recovery. Steps 4,5,6,7,8,and 9 are the action steps. you will find as you continue to gain some time in your new life of Recovery you will find more resentments, more character defects, more amends and so much more you need to take care of to keep progressing in your personal program of recovery.

each morning i do my morning prayers and do steps 1,2 and 3. even with a few days back to back in NA i am still a work in progress. yes as you accumulate more time the steps do get easier and even shorter but it is a continious cycle of re-working the steps on a daily basis. your sponsor will keep you honest and moving forward. what ever you do Step work is mandantory for your daily reprieve from your disease. we can never become recovered from our disease. we also need to work the 12 traditions. they are also an important part of moving forward spiritually and emotionally.

I do not and i repeat i do not have all the answers and most of the time i probably don't even know the question but i do know what to do to get the answer i am looking for. i pray daily for not only for me to stay clean but for all my brothers and sisters in Recovery to get the chance to find the peace and serenity i have found today. there are answers to our disease we just have to be unafraid to ask the questions. i have Recovery friends all over the world who i try to stay in contact with as much as i can. from Brazil, to Ireland, from South Africa to Australia, from Alaska to all other 49 states the people i have met through my over 26 years in the rooms of NA and AA continue to help me with me. it will always be an inside job but it takes all the outside help we can find to continue our personal journey through not only Recovery but Life itself.

Keep an open mind, be honest and willing to go to NA lengths to stay in Recovery and you too can continue to live this new life God and the 12 step program of our choice has provided for us. it's always your choice. stay clean and be good to yourselves.

NA hugs and Love,

JJ