For me, some of the tools of the NA Program that helped me a lot were...
- making NA meetings, a lot of them, as many as I could on a daily basis - spending time with members/fellowship in the daytime as much as possible - making online meetings and being an active part of the online message boards such as this when at home - support and guidance of a few people in my life, like my parents, my counselor, 2-3 NA members, my Sponsor etc. - Reading lots of NA literature - taking a particular NA meeting as my homegroup, helping start the meeting etc. - getting involved in NA service any way I could - listening to what was being shared at meetings and by members one-on-one with an open mind helped - not taking up major decisions or projects and just focusing on somehow making it clean for 6-9 months - start working the Steps with the help of my Sponsor - not handling lots of money - staying away from my using friends and places - starting the day with a Prayer - whenever I felt hopeless or if life staying clean felt meaningless or even when there was a crisis staring on my face in my early days clean, affirming myself with the slogans - this too shall pass & it does get better - helped me immensely - also a strong belief in the concept "Keep Coming Back" helped me reach back to NA again and again for help, after each of my relapses that were many... - learning to apply the first 3 Steps in my daily life, not only over my thoughts of using, but also in all situations and over people in my life - sharing whatever was in my mind and heart, on a daily basis, both at the meetings and also one-on-one with a few other members, Sponsor, Counselor. The more I brought it all out as it is, the more my obsession to use, my denial and my self-centeredness seemed to lose its power and hold on me...
I could only recollect now at this moment these few tools that helped me as a newcomer... Would love to hear which part of the program made a huge impact on others of us here when they started out on this journey of recovery Please share...
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
I think the most helpful thing for me was the warm welcome and the hugs....
I spent a year going in and out of the rooms, I don't think I was ready to give up the dope but something in me wanted me to keep on trying.... the only reason I kept on coming back was because I was greeted with such love and people were glad to still see that I was alive.....
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people who mind don't matter, and people who matter don't mind- Dr. Seuss
Hey Tahir! how ya doin? I think I mentioned to you my situation is a little bit different.I got clean in 12/2/1984,briefly attended both fellowships .NA/AA for awhile,never did any work ,had a sponsor who really was more an AA sponsor and never was much involved in step work ,sponsorship etc.He died about a year into my "recovery"I stopped going to program and in 1986 accepted the God of my understanding into my life and walked forward relying on my faith beliefs.IN 2006 My son now 23,we found out was addicted to heroin and we were living the nightmare,we had to put him on the street to "save his life" I knew as an addict there was nothing I could do to save him except stop enabliing him to continue.In 2006 I joined Naranon to learn to "detach with love ' from my new addiction to my addict.All this almost 23 years of being clean but still an addict with my attitudes and behaviors became more amplified.February 2008 i show up back in the rooms of NA,little confused as why I am there after so many years of being clean.What became evident to me was the spiritual priciples of the program were just an enhancement to the spiritual principles of my faith beliefs. I always felt something missing,,I thought I came back to be a better 'role model" for my son but soon realized that my God had brought me back for "me"I listened intently for some months,shared what I could and then went to "work" I found a sponsor,began doing my step work,joined 2 home groups(one Men Do Recover' ,mens issues only)So being an addict ,with a codepence on my son who was an addict and also a parent has let me see things from all different sides.After almost 2 years back I still remain the "coffee maker" for my mixed home group and enjoy the interaction I have with those Ive come to know.I eventually will become a sponsor once I work thru the 12/12 with my sponsor and the blessings of NA are just what I was missing.No I dont care for everyone,but I do love them and that is no different then my faith beliefs also teach me.'Our text tells us "Complaceny can be the biggest enemy of those with substantial clean time,if we are complacent too long recovery then ceases! Knowing that 'Clean time doesnt equal recovery and now im 62 years old there have been fleeting thoughts of "maybe I could USE "JUST A LITTLE' I sometime get bored.wrong!!!!I try and do as much service as I can ,i have learned to listen(not a great asset of mine)and I share from my heart when I need to.I have really incorporated the step work into my life and that is the best part for me.I take what I need and "leave the rest"And I do leave a lot!!!I make meetings 2-3 times a week,have spoken at 'SPEAKER JAMS" and have a few people I am close with(as close AS i GET ANYWAY,STILL GUARDED) good taking to you ,did a lot of ramblin but thats where im at. I am now working"recovery" and not just abstinence,my character defects definetly keep me working hard to be the person I know my HP wants me to be,bottom line 'I am an addict"I wish you peace ,thanks for lettin me share that.............mikef
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Our purpose is to remain clean,just for today,and to carry the message of recovery.
Keeping it simple!!! Also believing that I was NO DIFFERENT than the other addicts that were living happy joyous and free. That I am not immune to relapse as others are not.... People giving it to me straight after meetings...
GETTING INVOLVED. I did it cuz I wanted my sponsor to think I was cool. My motivations for service changed as I began to. Doesn't matter how we get here as long as we stay it becomes about HP eventually, right?
I was told very simple suggestions. 1) Don't use under any and all circumstances. 2) Get a sponsor 3) Call my sponsor several times a day 4) Do everything my sponsor suggests because they have my best interest at heart and no matter what they will never tell me it's okay to use. Hugs, Jackie
Here's something more that could be useful for a newcomer too
"If we're to stay clean, we have to be prepared for peer pressure. If anyone tries to get us to use or do what we know is wrong, we have to be prepared. Whether we're prepared to walk away, say "No thanks," avoid slippery places, or actually tell someone we're recovering, it doesn't matter. What matters most is knowing in advance what our plan is. If we are prepared, we'll handle peer pressure well.
Some of us say, "No one pressures me - I don't have to worry." If we realize there will often be pressure, we can accept it and be prepared. The only person who can truly pressure us is ourselves. When we accept this, we have all the power we need to say no, because we are saying yes to ourselves."
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Another nice resource/thread for newcomers. Dear members, share what helped you stay clean as a newcomer, I'm sure it would help many others like us who walk in here.
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Yes good to be back on my Tahir id, after I installed my Norton Suite, the identity safe had saved and preserved one of my other old ids from here as the default log-in for MIP. I digged in and retrieved the password for this id last evening, and changed the log-in settings in my Norton Suite. Am glad to be back on this id again
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Please share...
