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What Is A Sponsor?

Just for Today - February 8

"…an NA sponsor is a member of Narcotics Anonymous, living our program of recovery, who is willing to build a special, supportive, one-on-one relationship with us."

IP No. 11, "Sponsorship, Revised"

This Is Not a Test

Just for Today - February 7

"We have found a loving, personal God to whom we can turn."

Basic Text p. 27

I Can't - We Can

Just for Today - February 6

"We had convinced ourselves that we could make it alone and proceeded to live life on that basis. The results were disastrous and, in the end, each of us had to admit that self-sufficiency was a lie"

Basic Text p. 59

"I can't, but we can." This simple but profound truth applies initially to our first need as NA members: Together, we can stay clean, but when we isolate ourselves, we're in bad company. To recover, we need the support of other addicts.

Keep Coming Back!

Just for Today - February 5

"We are grateful that we were made so welcome at meetings that we felt comfortable." Basic Text p. 80

Feeling Good Isn't the Point

Just for Today - February 4

"For us, recovery is more than just pleasure."

Basic Text p. 42

In our active addiction, most of us knew exactly how we were going to feel from one day to the next. All we had to do was read the label on the bottle or know what was in the bag. We planned our feelings, and our goal for each day was to feel good.

We Need Each Other

Just for Today - February 3

"Anyone may join us, regardless of age, race, sexual identity creed, religion, or lack of religion."

Basic Text p. 9

Addiction closed our minds to anything new or different. We didn't need anyone or anything, we thought. There was nothing of value to be found in anyone from a different neighborhood, a different racial or ethnic background, or a different social or economic class. We may have thought that if it was different, it was bad.

Goodwill

Just for Today - February 2

“Goodwill is best exemplified in service; proper service is doing the right thing for the right reason."  Basic Text p. ix

The spiritual core of our disease is self-centeredness. In dealing with others, the only motive our addiction taught us was selfishness — we wanted what we wanted when we wanted it. Obsession with self was rooted in the very ground of our lives. In recovery, how do we root self-obsession out?

Hardships

Just for Today - February 1

“We felt different... Only after surrender are we able to overcome the alienation of addiction." Basic Text p. 22

“But you don't understand!" we spluttered, trying to cover up. "I'm different! I've really got it rough!" We used these lines over and over in our active addiction, either trying to escape the consequences of our actions or avoid following the rules that applied to everyone else. We may have cried them at our first meeting. Perhaps we've even caught ourselves whining them recently. 

Trust

Just for Today - January 31

”Just for today I will have faith in someone in NA who believes in me and wants to help me in my recovery."  Basic Text p. 90

Learning to trust is a risky proposition.  Our past experience as using addicts has taught us that our companions could not be trusted.  Most of all, we couldn't trust ourselves.

Giving It Away

Just for Today - January 30

”We must give freely and gratefully that which has been freely and gratefully given to us."  Basic Text p. 47

The First Step - An Action Step

Just for Today - January 29

”Do we understand that we have no real control over drugs?" Basic Text p. 18

At first, many of us may have thought the First Step required no action-we just surrender and go on to Step Two.  But Step One does require action!

An Every-Day Addict

Just for Today - January 28

”We can never fully recover, no matter how long we stay clean." Basic Text p. 80

Learning how to live again

Just for Today - January 27

”We learn new ways to live.  We are no longer limited to our old ideas." Basic Text p. 54

We may or may not have been taught right from wrong and other basics of life as children.  No matter, by the time we found recovery, most of us had only the vaguest idea of how to live.  Our isolation from the rest of society had caused us to ignore basic human responsibilities and develop bizarre survival skills to cope with the world we lived in.

Self-Centeredness

Just for today - January 26

”The spiritual part of our disease is our total self-centeredness." Basic Text p. 20

What is self-centeredness?  It is our belief that the world revolves around us.  Our wishes, our demands are the only ones worth consideration.  Our self-centered minds believe they are capable of getting everything they want if only they would be left to their own devices.  Self-centeredness assumes total self-sufficiency.

An Added Gift

Just for Today - January 25

”We see it happening among us every day this miraculous turnabout is evidence of a spiritual awakening."  Basic Text p. 49

We watch them walk in to their first meeting defeated, their spirits broken.  Their suffering is obvious, and their desire for help even more apparent.  They collect a welcome chip and go back to their seats, shaken by the effort.

From Isolation to Connection

Just for Today - January 24

”Our disease isolated us... Hostile, resentful, self-centered, and self-seeking, we cut ourselves off from the outside world."  Basic Text p. 3-4

Serenity Check

Just for Today - January 23

”Lack of daily maintenance can show up in many ways." Basic Text p. 91

Ever had a perfect stranger remark about how great the weather was, only to reply "It stinks"?  When this happens, we are probably suffering from a lack of daily maintenance in our program.

The School Of Recovery

Just for Today - January 22

”This is a program for learning." Basic Text p. 16

Unity and Uniformity

Just for Today - January 21

”Unity is a must in Narcotics Anonymous." Basic Text p. 60

Unity is not uniformity.  Unity springs from the fact that we have unity of purpose-to recover, and to help others stay clean.  Even so, we often find that while we strive to fulfill the same purpose, our means and methods may be radically different.

One Promise, Many Gifts

Just for Today - January 20

“Narcotics Anonymous offers only one promise, and that is freedom from active addiction..." Basic Text, p. 102

Making Mountains into Molehills

Just for Today - January 19

”When we stop living in the here and now, our problems become magnified unreasonably." Basic Text, p. 96

Some of us seem to make mountains out of molehills with our problems.  Even those of us who've found some measure of serenity have probably blown a problem far out of proportion at some time in our recovery-and if we haven't done so yet, we probably will before long!

The Simple Inventory

Just for Today - January 18

”Continuing to take a personal inventory means that we form a habit of looking at ourselves, our actions, our attitudes, and our relationships on a regular basis." Basic Text, p. 41

Forgiveness

Just for Today - January 17

”As we realize our need to be forgiven, we tend to be more forgiving. At least we know that we are no longer intentionally making life miserable for people." Basic Text, p. 38

Make That Call!

Just for Today - January 16

”We feared that if we ever revealed ourselves as we were, we would surely be rejected.... [But] our fellow members do understand us." Basic Text, p. 31

Fear

Just for Today - January 15

”We grow to feel comfortable with our Higher Power as a source of strength. As we learn to trust this Power, we begin to overcome our fear of life."  Basic Text, p. 24

A Loving God

Just for Today - January 14

”Our understanding of a Higher Power is up to us....  The only suggested guidelines are that this Power be loving, caring, and greater than ourselves." Basic Text, p. 24

Surrender to Win

Just for Today - January 13

"Help for addicts begins only when we are able to admit complete defeat." Basic Text, p. 22

Complete defeat-what a concept!  That must mean surrender.  Surrender-to give up absolutely.  To quit with no reservations.  To put up our hands and quit fighting.  Maybe to put up our hand at our first meeting and admit we're addicts.

Spiritual awakenings

Step: 
Step 12

Just for Today - January 12

"Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps..." Step Twelve

"How will I know when I have had a spiritual awakening?"  For many of us, a spiritual awakening comes gradually.  Perhaps our first spiritual awareness is as simple as a new appreciation for life.  Maybe one day we'll suddenly discover the sound of birds singing early in the morning.  The simple beauty of a flower may remind us that there is a Power greater than ourselves at work around us.

Faith

Just for Today - January 11

"As we develop faith in our daily lives, we find that our Higher Power supplies us with the strength and guidance that we need" Basic Text, p. 91

Gratitude

Just for Today - January 10

 “I’m very grateful to have come to believe.” IP No. 21, The Loner

Belief in a Higher Power can make all the difference when the going gets tough!   When things don’t go our way in recovery, our sponsor may direct us to make a “gratitude list.”  When we do, we should include our faith in a Power greater than ourselves on the list.  One of the greatest gifts we receive from the Twelve Steps is our belief in a God of our own understanding.

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