Facing ourselves October 06 . . . and Fear says, "You dare not look!" Twelve steps and twelve traditions, p. 49 How often I avoided a task in my drinking days just because it appeared so large! Is it any wonder, even if I have been sober for some time, that I will act that […]

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 […]