The Recovery Show » Finding serenity through 12 step recovery in Al-Anon – a podcast

Did you attend the 2023 Al-Anon International Convention? If you didn't, have you wondered what it was like? In this episode, Heather, Racheal, and Spencer share our expectations of the convention, what happened at the convention, what we learned, and what we are bringing home. Contact the show You can leave a voicemail at 734-707-8795... The post Experience, Strength and Hope from the 2023 Al-Anon International Convention – 404 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

In our lives, we often find ourselves faced with situations that require us to make decisions. We have a choice to either react impulsively or take a moment to consider our actions. This interplay between inaction and reaction can shed light on how we navigate life's complexities. Let's delve deeper into the concepts of inaction,... The post Inaction and Reaction: Navigating the Path to Meaningful Action – 403 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What is gossip? How is it harmful to my recovery? Spencer and Laurel discuss gossip and how it can hinder our path to recovery. We share our personal experiences, elaborating on how we used to perceive gossip and how this perception has changed. We lay emphasis on the power of silence, restraining oneself from engaging... The post Finding Freedom from Gossip and Creating Positive Relationships in Recovery – 402 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

At a recent meeting, the topic was Step 11. I most often share about my difficulties in creating a regular program of prayer and meditation. But at this meeting, I picked the second part of the step “Praying only for knowledge of God’s will…” The question that I face when I consider that phrase is,... The post What is my Motive? – 401 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Reaching and recognizing significant milestones is an integral part of the recovery process. Celebrating these moments of progress might include acknowledging the ability to set personal boundaries, letting go of blame, or embracing presence in the current moment. These victories, regardless of how small, contribute significantly to personal growth and healing, reinforcing the transformative power... The post Milestones – 400 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

I noticed how different people in the story respond to the drinking in different ways. It leapt off the page to me, not only because I recognized stories that I could have heard in the rooms, but also my own perception of their reactions. – Frances Step into the pages of classic literature and discover... The post Finding Al-Anon Lessons in Classic Novels — 399 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What valuable lesson did you learn in 2022? Our answers include: Upcoming topics Coming up is our 400th episode. Eric suggested the topic of milestones for that “milestone” episode. What can you identify as significant events or turning points in your travels on the road to recovery? Have you experienced such things as a breakthrough,... The post What we learned in 2022 — 398 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Misti's journey of self-discovery and forgiveness takes her through the depths of her family's addiction and abuse. Just as she begins to find inner peace, a shocking revelation forces her to confront the past and leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew. Will she find the courage to continue her journey towards healing and... The post From Wounded to Empowered: Misti B’s Path to Forgiveness — 397 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

It's been a while since we talked about boundaries. Barb N brings her own perspective and experience to this conversation. Barb hit a co-dependent bottom at the age of 52, although at that time she had never heard of the word co-dependent! She was trying to help out a homeless man, and invited him to... The post Boundaries Revisited – 396 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How is the relationship between a mother and her son affected by alcholism and addiction? Join us as Amy shares her experience, strength, and hope (and particularly hope), as we explore how her relationship with her son was affected by his alcoholism and addiction. She says “I do wanna clarify, you know, I'm gonna use... The post The Relationship between Mother and Son – 395 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Mary is an Al-Anon member who is Korean. She brings her experience as a person of color in the rooms of recovery to the podcast. Our conversation touches on all the points below, plus more. Readings and Links We read from Courage to Change page 61, March 1st, and from Many Voices, One Journey, Al-Anon's... The post People of Color in Recovery – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging – 394 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

If you’ve been to a few meetings, you’ve probably heard us say, “Take what you like and leave the rest.” Why do we say this? What does it mean to you? One place this sentence appears is in the Suggested Al-Anon Closing, which starts, In closing, I would like to say that the opinions expressed... The post Take What You Like and Leave the Rest — 393 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

The only promise in the 12 steps is contained in Step 12. It promises that if we work these steps, that we will have a spiritual awakening. Then it asks us to then carry the message, and practice the principles of recovery in all our affairs. Step 12 is really composed of 3 parts. Let's... The post Step 12 – 392 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

We all have stories. In Al-Anon we tell our stories to each other. Why do we do this?  Our suggested welcome suggests that “we say what is in our minds and hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon/Alateen.” In fact the full paragraph emphasizes the importance of sharing our stories Anonymity... The post The power of stories – 391 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What are you grateful for today? I asked that question of some listeners. 16 of you responded with shares, which I have compiled here. Many of you expressed gratitude for recovery, for Al-Anon and other 12 step programs, and for the changes in your lives that have come about. You are grateful for the people... The post Gratitude 2022 – 390 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What are the four primary ideas? How have they been active in my recovery?. Readings and Links We read from the 2022–2025 Al-Anon Alateen Service Manual, p. 20, “Four Primary Ideas” Upcoming topics You can contribute to our annual gratitude episode. What are you grateful for today? Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your... The post Four Primary Ideas – 389 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Lisa H is using her recovery tools as she is working in the TV and film industry. My stereotype, at least, of this industry is that it is full of “dysfunctional” situations and people. Lisa came to Al-Anon when her therapist told her that although there was likely no alcoholism in her family of origin,... The post Recovery in the TV/Film Industry – 388 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Are you co-crazy? How can we recover from the state of codependent craziness? Sarah M joined us to talk about her journey of recovery from what she calls “co-crazy”. Her book is titled Co-Crazy: One Psychologist's Recovery from Codependency and Addiction: A memoir & roadmap to freedom. Sarah says My path into recovery began when... The post Co-Crazy – 387 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

I recently was asked to lead at an online meeting. This is what I said about loss and grief. Then, I asked some of you to share your responses, and you did! Spencer on Loss and Grief Thank you, Jo. thank you for inviting me. I have some gratitude that today is a holiday in... The post Loss and Grief – 386 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Does your mind automatically tune into the worry-and-fear channel? Are you suffering from worry about your loved ones? What tools have you found to help escape from constant worrying? Gigi joins Spencer to talk about strategies and tools to worry less. We started with some of her story of codependence and worry. She identifies “whispered... The post Worry Less — 385 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How have you found faith, and how has it helped you let go of fear? Kathy joins Spencer to dig into these questions and to share some recent experiences that prompted this topic. Our conversation touched on and was inspired by these topics: Fear and old behavior Fear of the G-O-D word How believe in... The post Leaning into Faith – 384 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Laurel's story begins: My wife was 6 years sober when we met – but not in program. “AA doesn’t work for me”. She remained sober another 6 years. After our first baby and a big move for my career (that put her closer to her family) she decided she “wanted to try drinking again. I... The post Laurel S — Alcoholism Ended her Marriage — 383 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How do you remember the loved ones you have lost? How do you measure their lives? When my grandfather died, my father wrote a thoughtful, personal remembrance of him. At that time, I thought “I’d never be able to do that!” Because of the work I have done in recovery, I can do that. The... The post Remembrance — 382 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How is acceptance a gift of recovery for me? In March, 2021, I gave a talk at an online conference. I tried to follow this outline. What is acceptance?  What is it not?  Not “giving up” Not saying “this is ok” Recognizing reality How do I use acceptance? Not “crying against the night” Opening possibilities... The post Acceptance is a Gift of Recovery – 381 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How do you practice awareness and acceptance? How have they helped you to take actions that change the things you can? Eric and Spencer were invited to share at an online AA conference as the Al-Anon speakers. Eric chose to talk about awareness, and Spencer about acceptance. Naturally we both included the “3 A's”, Awareness,... The post Awareness and Acceptance – 380 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What do you want to let go of? What is preventing you from completely letting go? Eric was inspired by a meditation he heard on the Insight Timer app, titled She Let Go. A very rough outline of our conversation follows: Readings and Links We read from Reaching for Personal Freedom, the Step 1 chapter;... The post Letting Go – 379 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Al Anon Courage to Change: “We all have dark times in our lives, but the journey to better times is often what makes us happier, stronger people. When we stop expecting instant relief, we may come to believe that where we are today is exactly where our higher power would have us be.” Lea's world... The post Fireflies – Recovery of a Marriage – 378 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Our suggested opening tells us that “we can find contentment, and even happiness whether the alcoholic is drinking or not.” How does this happen? How can we deal with the “isms” of the disease in a way that is healthy for ourselves? Nancy joins Spencer to share how this has been true in her life.... The post Whether the Alcoholic is Still Drinking or Not – 377 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

A listener sent me a deeply moving and personal share about her life with her husband. She recorded the share shortly before attending his memorial service, after his death from the disease of alcoholism. She tells us of how he hid his drinking from her, and how it was not until he was nearly dead... The post My Husband – 376 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

I recently received an email from a person who is in early recovery. He is struggling with getting really into the program, and listed these issues he has.  Almost everybody member of my home group has years of recovery on me. It seems that everybody has taken the steps at least one time, and I... The post Feeling new in recovery – 375 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Is your recovery dependent on someone else’s? How does this hurt? Ester's partner decided to stop attending AA. How did she react? How did she use this to strengthen her own recovery? She paused (and let her HP in). She let him speak and did not say anything that would harm. The next challenge: he... The post My Recovery is not Conditional on Yours – 374 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

In November, I asked the members of the email list, “what are you grateful for today?” These are your responses. I had hoped to get them out shortly after the US Thanksgiving holiday, but as life happened, that didn’t happen. Maybe this is a reminder that we can practice gratitude every day. I said this... The post Gratitude 2021 – 373 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How do you embrace risk in your life today? How has this changed in recovery? Why can risk-taking be healthy? Spencer and SA explore these questions and others. “A ship in the harbor is safe—but that’s not what ships are for.” John A. Shedd Social psychology research tells us that at the end of their... The post Embracing Risk – 372 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

My mother breathed her last on this day. I reflect on her life, what she meant to me, and what seeds she planted in me. The post Reflection on a loss, December 19, 2021 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Are you a teacher? How has recovery changed the way you teach? What recovery tools do you use in the classroom? Rajni joins Spencer to share her experience as a teacher, both before and after entering recovery. Our conversation started with a bit of Rajni's story. Characteristics that she identified in herself, pre-recovery, included these:... The post A Teacher in Recovery – 371 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

BHow have you treated yourself meanly or roughly? How have you learned to be gentle with yourself? Anna joins Spencer to talk about why being gentle with herself is so important in her recovery, and how an experience at Christmas revealed this to her and produced a spiritual awakening. Our conversation is guided by these... The post Gentleness with Myself – 370 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Lisa grew up in alcoholism, addiction and abuse. She is finding healing through writing a novel. Content warning: Lisa talks about some of the abuse she survived as a child. Here are some of the questions that guided our conversation. Please tell us your story. What inspired you to write? How are your experiences reflected... The post Healing through Writing – 369 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

We say that alcoholism is a disease of relationships. What do we mean by this? How are our relationships damaged and how can we recover from that damage? Spencer and Megan used these questions to guide our conversation. How has alcoholism affected your self-esteem? What were the results? Share your experience of forming and sustaining... The post A Disease of Relationships – 368 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How is it possible for our pain to become our gain? Andrea’s story illuminates this transformation. Andrea from Adult Child Podcast joins us to talk about how her greatest pain became her greatest gain. When Andrea was several years sober, she realized that recovery had not magically fixed all her problems. She tells us about... The post The Gift of Pain – 367 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What does a lack of honesty with ourselves and others look like? What does the program teach us about the importance of honesty to our recovery? Ester and Spencer share their experience, strength, and hope on the topic of honesty, roughly following this outline. Honesty before recovery – or was there? How were we dishonest... The post Honesty – 366 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Step 12 suggests that we “practice these principles in all our affairs”. What does this mean to you? How do you do it? Definition: principle a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning. The AA 12 principles from the book... The post In All Our Affairs – 365 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Do you fear being abandoned? How has it driven your life? How can recovery free you from this fear? Shannon says, I wanted to speak about the topic of Fear of Abandonment because (due to my childhood trauma) it’s a fear that I have struggled against my entire life and recently in 2020 was forced... The post Fear of Abandonment – 364 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How did I find compassion for the actively drinking alcoholic in my life? At first, I had no compassion. I had anger, frustration, and frustration, instead. Why would I want to find compassion? The two big reasons were, for me and for her. For me—I could start to release my anger, resentment, and frustration, or... The post Finding Compassion for the Alcoholic – 363 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Do you find yourself avoiding scary feelings? Are you running away from things you don’t want to face? How are you facing your fears instead? Definitions We start our conversation with Kathy and Sabah with a couple of definitions, recognizing that pausing is healthy, while avoiding is usually not. Pause: interrupt action or speech briefly. –... The post Avoidance (running away from scary feelings) – 362 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Tradition 5 tells us that part of our recovery is in finding compassion for our alcoholic friends and relatives. What is compassion, and how is it different from sympathy or empathy? Definitions (from Chopra.com) To feel sympathy, it means you are able to understand what the person is feeling. Empathy is viscerally feeling what another... The post Sympathy, Empathy, and Compassion – 361 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How has music supported you in recovery? What inspiration do you find there? Are there certain songs that have become the soundtrack of your life? Sonia Lee is a singer and song writer in recovery. We talked about her recovery journey and her recovery songs. Sonia's recovery started when she realized she was alcoholic. But,... The post Music in Recovery – 360 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How have you experienced the effects of alcoholism or addiction transforming into the effects of recovery? Colleen suggested this topic, writing “we often hear about the effects of this disease, but I've never heard the phrase, the effects of recovery. It has really made me reflect, as I have found over the past couple of... The post The Effects of Recovery – 359 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What is it like to keep working your recovery program after divorcing? Pat joined Spencer to talk about her experience. She fully recognizes that both she and her ex-husband contributed to the factors leading to their divorce. She says that she “did not want my relationship to be the example to my children of what... The post Al-Anon after Divorce – 358 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Can CODA help when you grow up in dysfunction, and then love a controlling, gaslighting partner as an adult? As a child, Geraldine lived in fear of her mother's anger, which often resulted in beatings. She became her siblings' protector, and felt that it was her job to soothe her mother's moods, and to take... The post CODA saved her life – Geraldine – 357 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

If Acceptance is the key to serenity, what do you do about unacceptable behavior and domestic violence? Kathy H joined the Recovery Show to talk about her experience with domestic violence, and the strength and hope she has found in recovery. We started with some definitions for unacceptable behavior and domestic violence. Definitions Definition of... The post Domestic Violence and Other Unacceptable Behavior – 356 appeared first on The Recovery Show.