"As a result of the Twelve Steps, I'm not able to hold on to old ways of deceiving myself."
We all rationalize. Sometimes we know we are rationalizing, admit we are rationalizing, yet continue to behave according to our rationalizations! Recovery can become very painful when we decide that, for one reason or another, the simple principles of the program don't apply to us.
With the help of our sponsor and others in NA, we can begin to look at the excuses we use for our behavior. Do we find that some principles just don't apply to us? Do we believe that we know more than everyone else in Narcotics Anonymous, even those who have been clean for many years? What makes us think that we're so special?
There is no doubt, we can successfully rationalize our way through part of our recovery. But, eventually, we must squarely face the truth and start acting accordingly. The principles in the Twelve Steps guide us to a new life in recovery. There is little room for rationalization there.
Just for Today: I cannot work the steps and also continue deceiving myself. I will examine my thinking for rationalizations, reveal them to my sponsor, and be rid of them.
It's hard to tell if your deceiving yourself. That's where a sponsor and support group come in. I can tell you that complacency is easy for me to fall into. When I feel good it's easy to get lazy about sticking to the program. Then something happens to remind me that if I want to continue feeling good about myself then I better get back on board.
Morning Don! Celebrating another miracle today,'life' practised by praying for knowlege of God;s will for me and knowing He will give me power to carry that out and "not" rationalizing my journey thru the spiritual principles of the program.We have a 10:00 a.m. meeting at Salvation Army on saturdays so off I go with my sponcee to start my day walking with God and doing my part in trying to carry the message.Hey kida beats waking up saturday morning sick and twisted from Friday huh!!!Have a blessed day.
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Our purpose is to remain clean,just for today,and to carry the message of recovery.
I was an expert at deceiving myself through rationalization. I could read the basic text and tell you what parts proved (to me) that this program would not work for me. My reservations kept me from moving forward. I was making reservations...for a relapse.
When I finally hit my bottom, and became so desperate that I was willing to ask for help, I turned a corner. I surrendered to my disease, to my past, to my hopelessness.
