Integrity - Recovered 1384
Recovered Podcast
To skip the intro, tap 3:25 Developing integrity in recovery is important for building trust, accountability, and authenticity in one's journey toward sobriety. Integrity is the compatibility between inner convictions and outward behavior. Integrity entails honesty with self and others about mistakes, acknowledging the impact of our actions, and taking responsibility by making amends. Integrity fosters a sense of self-respect and dignity, empowering individuals to honor their commitments, set healthy boundaries, and cultivate meaningful relationships based on trust and mutual respect. ...
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Courage - Recovered 1383
Recovered Podcast
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Surrender - Recovered 1382
Recovered Podcast
To skip the intro, tap 3:25 Surrender is a fundamental concept in the journey of recovery from addiction, signifying a willingness to relinquish control and accept the reality of one's powerlessness over substances or other’s behaviors. It marks a pivotal moment of recognition, where individuals come to terms with the fact that their attempts to manage or control their addiction have been futile. Surrender does not signify weakness but rather strength, as it requires individuals to confront their vulnerabilities and humbly acknowledge their need for help. By surrendering to reality,...
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Hope - Recovered 1381
Recovered Podcast
To skip the intro, tap 3:25 Hope is not just a desirable aspect but a necessary cornerstone of a recovery program. In the depths of addiction, individuals often feel consumed by despair, powerless to break free from the cycle of substance abuse. In early recovery, hope provides a beacon of light amidst the darkness, offering the promise of a better tomorrow. It instills the belief that despite past mistakes and present struggles, a life of sobriety and fulfillment is attainable. This hope is not merely wishful thinking but a tangible force that drives individuals to take the...
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Step 11 - Recovered 1380
Recovered Podcast
To skip the intro, tap 3:25 Step 11 in a 12-step recovery program holds significant importance for both straight and LGBTQIA+ individuals as it emphasizes the practice of spiritual principles and mindfulness. Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, individuals in recovery often struggle with issues of self-acceptance, shame, and spiritual disconnection. Step 11 encourages regular prayer and meditation, fostering a deeper connection with a higher power or spiritual principles that transcend individual differences. For LGBTQIA+ individuals who may have experienced rejection...
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Step 10 - Recovered 1379
Recovered Podcast
To skip the intro, tap 3:25 Step 10 in a recovery program holds immense importance as it emphasizes the practice of ongoing self-reflection and accountability. This step involves a daily inventory of one's thoughts, actions, and behaviors, along with a prompt acknowledgment of any shortcomings or mistakes. By regularly examining their attitudes and conduct, individuals in recovery cultivate a heightened sense of self-awareness and honesty, which are crucial for maintaining sobriety. Step 10 serves as a preventative measure against relapse by enabling individuals to promptly address any...
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Steps 8 & 9 - Recovered 1378
Recovered Podcast
To skip the intro, tap 3:25 Steps 8 and 9 hold significant importance in the journey of recovery within Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Step 8 involves making a list of individuals harmed during one's active addiction and becoming willing to make amends to them. This step fosters accountability and self-reflection, encouraging individuals to confront the consequences of their actions and take responsibility for repairing the harm caused. By identifying those who have been affected by their behavior, individuals in recovery begin to understand the ripple effects of their actions and the...
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Challenges - Recovered 1377
Recovered Podcast
To skip the intro, tap 3:25 Dealing with challenges in recovery is paramount to achieving sustained sobriety and personal growth. One of the key aspects is the recognition that recovery is not a linear process; setbacks and challenges are inevitable. Facing these difficulties head-on provides individuals with an opportunity for introspection and self-discovery. Through the support of a community that understands the struggles of addiction, people in recovery learn to confront and navigate challenges with resilience. This process fosters emotional strength, self-awareness, and coping...
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Steps 6 & 7 - Recovered 1376
Recovered Podcast
To skip the intro, tap 3:25 Steps 6 and 7 are crucial stages in a recovery program, guiding individuals on their path to recovery. In Step 6, participants become willing to let go of their character defects—those negative traits or behaviors that hinder personal growth and well-being. This step calls for self-reflection and a genuine desire for change. It requires individuals to confront their shortcomings with honesty and openness, laying the groundwork for personal transformation. Recognizing the need for change and cultivating a willingness to let go of ingrained patterns are...
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Steps 4 and 5 - Recovered 1375
Recovered Podcast
To skip the intro, tap 3:25 In the context of recovery, steps 4 and 5 play crucial roles in fostering personal growth, self-awareness, and lasting change. Step 4 involves making a fearless and searching moral inventory of oneself. This introspective process requires individuals to honestly examine their past behaviors, actions, and attitudes, acknowledging both strengths and shortcomings. By confronting the often challenging aspects of one's past, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of the root causes of their struggles, laying the foundation for meaningful transformation. This...
info_outlineWe all know about the “other shoe” and how we’re supposed to wait for it to drop. There are two basic assumptions in this expression. The first is that the drop of the second shoe is inevitable. The other assumption is that the drop of the second shoe is usually something bad.
For us alcoholics, it is common that we periodically experience a sense of foreboding that positive situations will not last. In our experiences as alcoholics, bad things can and do happen. In tangible ways, in ways that have been a result of our own behavior.
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For Al-Anons, the trauma of active alcoholism real and horrific. Fear and anxiety can be common companiangs for the Al-Anon as they look to their future with a hypothetical relapse of a sober loved as part of that future.
Tonight, we talk about it. We talk about waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Let’s address the mail first,
Let’s turn to you first Anna, as a person who lived through my alcoholism and early recovery.
What are your first thoughts about this email?
How did you plan for your future when I was new?
What about the impact of my active alcoholism on our marriage especially when I was new?
How about now when you think about the negative impact my drinking had on the family?
Ok Luiz, coming to you
Any thoughts on the email or the discussion that Anna and I just had?
What does waiting for the other shoe to drop men to you?
Have you experienced it?
How does it manifest for you?
What character defects are working when this happens?
How can the program help?
Do you live with dread?
What was it like when you were new?
What helped then?
What is it about being an alcoholic that makes us vulnerable?
What makes the al-anon vulnerable to this syndrome?
_______________________________________________________
We asked our listeners about this topic.
We asked,
"What do you think has contributed to your experiencing "waiting for the other shoe to drop" syndrome?”
Did you take the survey?
https://www.surveymonkey.com/analyze/7imA53axNzGUPk8Ya9JfNVWaFzFMUbjiNBRYKPnwRAwE_2FUyuDq1XnkSDh70eHpB8
What would be your answer?
________________________________________________________
Do you think your drinking behavior has created this syndrome in others?
What can you do about this?
What part of the program can help?
What things, what trauma, has occurred in your life that may have contributed to you “waiting for the other shoe?”
How do you cope?
We are about solutions here at the Recovered Podcast. So let’s talk about some suggestions that I have found.
First up. Try being Present and being mindful.
How does being mindful help?
How does being present help?
What slogan comes to mind here?
2. Next suggestion is to “Try savoring life”.
That is, meditate on positive emotions or events. For example, I can take several minutes, and relive my whole vacation to ireland. Town by town, remembering the names of each town,, the sites, the smells, the spiritual experience, the positive life affirming conversations with really awesome people…
Why do you think this may be of help for some?
3. Introduce some logic to your thoughts.
Sometimes our thoughts can run away from us, going down a path that we know isn’t logical or helpful.
In the case of anticipating something negative, I’ve found that I can best stop the thoughts with this simple reasoning: “Yes, it is inevitable that something bad will happen at some point, but I don’t know when or where. So, I might as well enjoy what I’m feeling now so later I won’t regret not having enjoyed that time when things were going well.”
4. Practice gratitude.
Being aware of what we have in our lives orients us to the present. We can always find something or someone to appreciate, and in showing this appreciation we gain an increased awareness of its beauty.
5. Spend time with people who also like to live fully.
What would you say to the new person about waiting for the other shoe to drop?
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