Sometimes recovery is like taking off “to a distant country”. Isn’t this how Recovery is? We can find love in our Recovery process, we are even given the freedom to reject that love. We are given free will and the 12 steps will not revoke this great gift, even when we misuse the steps.
The steps were not created for us to be slaves who are forced to do whatever they say. No, we were made to be in a relationship with the steps as beloved sons and daughters. The steps invite us to love God and other people freely, but the steps won’t use their great might and power to stop us from straying from them. We can run from the steps, even though we will not be fulfilled or find happiness.
For those who support people with a mental health condition, addiction, or trauma the biggest gift you can provide to your loved ones is never to give up hope that they will find their way back home. Though you may freely need to let go of a person, never give up on them, no matter how far they strayed from Recovery, no matter how you have rejected them, always be on the lookout for their return. Don’t just look for them but actively find ways to draw them back to you.
When I think about my Recovery and the support I receive from other people the mental and emotional journies are similar. We both get depressed, experience anxiety, want to give up, shame ourselves, experience guilt, find hope, experience happiness, experience pleasure, and a host of other feelings and thoughts.
Recovery is always looking for our daily engagement or return to their practice. It will never force us to practice it or come back to it, but it longs for our return. Those who support people with these conditions can use the steps as a guide to help their loved ones heal.
12 Steps to Health
- We dedicate ourselves to a lifestyle of Recovery; our lives have purpose and meaning.
- We believe a Power greater than ourselves is the path to hope, healing, and health.
- We choose to contemplate daily, how faith in our Higher Power and Recovery Community can bring us peace.
- We choose to educate ourselves and find the courage to strive for the highest level of health and well-being.
- We communicate our Plan of Recovery with our Higher Power, with ourselves, and with another human being.
- We allow our Higher Power to be the lighthouse in our lives.
- We humbly ask our Higher Power to reveal his unconditional love and ongoing presence within us.
- We acknowledge our behaviors have impacted our relationships. We list those affected by our behavior and whenever possible become willing to reconcile or thank them for their support during a relapse or mental health crisis.
- We seek mutual reconciliation for a harmful action we committed and seek forgiveness from those we harmed or were impacted by our behavior. Then, let go of our shame because it no longer serves a purpose in our lives, we understand we were designed because we are loved and to be in relationships with other people.
- We continually review our Plan of Recovery with our Higher Power, support team, and those we trust.
- We come to recognize our shortcomings during recovery, while discovering our Higher Power is the source of our strength and mercy, we learn to rely on our Higher Power for the courage to heal through prayer, reflection, mindfulness, and when necessary seek professional support.
- We gain insight into our recovery through our Higher Power as we model these steps, and share our journey toward hope, healing, and health with people.
Adapted From 12 Steps of Alcoholic/Depressed Anonymous by Larry Winter and Collene Spaeth
Revised: 6/5/20
Peace
Larry
email: ljw@superhumanbeing.net
website: https://superhumanbeing.net
