Daily monitoring October 07 Continued to take personal inventory. . . . Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 88 The spiritual axiom referred to in the Tenth Step—"every time we are disturbed, no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us"—also tells me that there are no exceptions to it. No matter how unreasonable […]

Daily inventory October 08 . . . and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 59 I was beginning to approach my new life of sobriety with unaccustomed enthusiasm. New friends were cropping up and some of my battered friendships had begun to be repaired. Life was exciting, and I even began […]

A spiritual axiom October 09 It is a spiritual axiom that every time we are disturbed, no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 90 I never truly understood the Tenth Step's spiritual axiom until I had the following experience. I was sitting in my bedroom, […]

Fixing me, not you October 10 If somebody hurts us and we are sore, we are in the wrong also. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 90 What a freedom I felt when this passage was pointed out to me! Suddenly I saw that I could do something about my anger, I could fix me, […]

Self-restraint October 11 Our first objective will be the development of self-restraint. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 91 My drive to work provides me with an opportunity for self-examination. One day while making this trip, I began to review my progress in sobriety, and was not happy with what I saw. I hoped that, […]

Curbing rashness October 12 When we speak or act hastily or rashly, the ability to be fair-minded and tolerant evaporates on the spot. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 91 Being fair-minded and tolerant is a goal toward which I must work daily. I ask God, as I understand Him, to help me to be […]

Unremitting inventories October 13 Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 84 […]

A program for living October 14 When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. . . . On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. . . . Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. Alcoholics […]

My checklist, not yours October 15 Gossip barbed with our anger, a polite form of murder by character assassination, has its satisfactions for us, too. Here we are not trying to help those we criticize; we are trying to proclaim our own righteousness. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 67 Sometimes I don't realize that […]

Throughout each day October 16 This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Alcoholics anonymous, p. 84 During my early years in A.A. I saw Step Ten as a suggestion that I periodically look at my behavior and reactions. If there was something wrong, I should admit it; if an apology […]

A daily tune-up October 17 Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all of our activities. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 85 How do I maintain my spiritual condition? For me it's quite simple: on a daily basis I ask my Higher Power to grant me the gift of […]

An open mind October 18 True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, . . . Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 33 My alcoholic thinking led me to believe that I could control my drinking, but I couldn't. When I came to A.A., I realized that God was speaking to me […]

A.A.'s "main taproot" October 19 The principle that we shall find no enduring strength until we first admit complete defeat is the main taproot from which our whole Society has sprung and flowered. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, pp. 21-22 Defeated, and knowing it, I arrived at the doors of A.A., alone and afraid of […]

Solace for confusion October 20 Obviously, the dilemma of the wanderer from faith is that of profound confusion. He thinks himself lost to the comfort of any conviction at all. He cannot attain in even a small degree the assurance of the believer, the agnostic, or the atheist. He is the bewildered one. TWELVE STEPS […]

Nothing grows in the dark October 21 We will want the good that is in us all, even in the worst of us, to flower and to grow. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 10 With the self-discipline and insight gained from practicing Step Ten, I begin to know the gratifications of sobriety — not as […]

True tolerance October 22 Finally, we begin to see that all people, including ourselves, are to some extent emotionally ill as well as frequently wrong, and then we approach true tolerance and see what real love for our fellows actually means. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 92 The thought occurred to me that all […]

What we know best October 23 "Shoemaker, stick to thy last!" . . . better do one thing supremely well than many badly. That is the central theme of this Tradition . Around it our Society gathers in unity. The very life of our Fellowship requires the preservation of this principle. Twelve steps and twelve […]

"By faith and by works" October 24 On anvils of experience, the structure of our Society was hammered out. . . . Thus has it been with A.A. By faith and by works we have been able to build upon the lessons of an incredible experience. They live today in the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics […]

A.A.'s heartbeat October 25 Without unity, the heart of A.A. would cease to beat; . . . As Bill sees it, p. 125 Without unity I would be unable to recover in A.A. on a daily basis. By practicing unity within my group, with other A.A. members and at all levels of this great Fellowship, […]

One ultimate authority October 26 For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 132 When I am chosen to carry some small responsibility for my fellows, I ask that God grant me the patience, […]