Admit complete defeat, powerless over alcohol, honest with self and God.

Step 1 - I am powerless over alcholic, drugs, people, etc. , my life is not unmanageable because of the things I am powerless over my life is unmanageable by me..... Principle honesty. Acceptance did not mean I had to like it, love it, I just had to know it is what it is. 3 years, two treatment centers, and endless trips to AA. I finally quit trying to control the uncontrollable. The root of all my issues is lack of power. Tall order for me. I just keeping nippling away at my powerless in other areas. I would tell me years ago I was powerless over alcholic and my life was unbearable. Which was my reality. Cocoa 1/2/1987 When the walls come tumbling down the 12 steps help me climb out from under.

Sweet. Awesome keep up the great work and thanks for sharing. KISS - Keep it simple stupid was told to me 20 years ago. One Day at a time. I am still clean and sober today. Thank God. Thank God for the old timers who carried their experience, strength & hope to me. If I do not grasp step one there is nothing ahead for me. Life is a beauty today. Prayer and appreciating my clean and sober time is what I hold onto day after day. Staying away from the first drink or drug Just for today. The old timers told me if you have one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow you are pissing on today. So I make the best with what I have for today. Cheers and more cheers friend of Bill. W.

 
 I am new to AA and the steps, i have admitted i am powerless over alcohol. If i had the power i would not binge drink. I would not say i am going to stop and then few days later be wrecked for days. I would not spend money i dont have, argue and fight, smash up flat, hurt people.  I am powerless over alcohol.

Our lives had become unmanageable, yes for sure as the above would not happen if i was managing.  

Once were sober though r we not managing then ?

Good question, Fletch...

I'm sober for over 3 years now. And I could stop drinking only after I wholeheartedly admitted and accepted my powerlessness and unmanageability, which means the moment I was at peace with my helplessness, a Power greater than my alcoholism started running my life. That Power keeps me sober today. That Power manages my life today. I can never claim manageability, and I don't intend to too as I have found nothing is more advantageous than allow my Higher Power, the greatest power, to run and control my life. Why would I want to settle for my limited and repeatedly failing ideas when I have this Power offering to do for me what I cannot or was not able to do for many years?

So, to answer your question, today, I'm not manageable. I'm sober today not because I was able to not drink today, but because my Higher Power kept me sober today. Because I allowed that loving and caring Power to take charge of my day and my life today. Great career, happy family reunion, social acclaim and accolodates, material comfort, length of sobriety, nothing can make me powerful or my life manageable. Only my Higher Power can, if I make a decision to let my Higher Power do it for me...

Not to say I don't mess up, I don't fail or I don't think of drinking... I still do, and those are the times where I try to take control forawhile, by edging out my Higher Power from the picture... that's how subtle and patient alcoholism is. The only way I can continue to arrest this illness one day at a time is with the help of a Power Greater than me - my Higher Power, my Sponsor, the meetings, fellowship and the Twelve Steps.

 Thank you for your reply Tahir.  Reading your message made me realise something.  Not everyone is a alcoholic and what ever it may be something in us likes the alcohol, needs it, needed it.  It had a huge power and it makes me think this invisible power was so strong so it makes sense to think there is a positive power, maybe the higher power that could have the opposite effect . Like a battle between good and bad.
 
For me i do beleive in a higher power what ever that maybe though i am not really there with the fact that a higher power is what helps us stop , not drink.   Is that not us that does that.  Is the higher power there to help and share with ?    Which makes it easier for us to stop  ?

I do hope this makes sense as i have been giving it alot of thought also being new to this i find the first 3 steps seem to be what i am working on together they sort of roll up as one i find.

fletch

RE: STEP ONE "We admitted" that "we" were powerless over alcohol that "our" lives have become unmanageable. The reason that I put we admitted, we, and our, in quotes is because this program is a "WE" program not a me program. I tried for the first 3 months of my SObriety to go it alone without any form of help. No meetings no counseling, nothing. It didn't work! I was a mass of seizures and jumbles nerves, SIcker than anyone could possibly understand. When I came into A.A. in 1994. I was a wreck with all the symptoms of ALcoholism, and Addiction plus my health was shot and my character defects were aweful, I was so used to being a Selfish, self-centered, manipulating, vain, money hungry, worldly woman. I had no need for anything or anyone. Just fix me so I can feel better drinking was killing me. Thank GOD, The program, My Sponsors, The 12-Steps, A.A. Literature, Meetings, Page 449 3rd edition. Step One is we, we, we, all the way home. Thanks for letting me Post, Love, Pam Hopes your Blessed

I admit that I am powerless over my own "stinky thoughts" about what has happened in the past. It has overpowered me for so long and taken over my life to make me a person no one would want to be around, not even myself. I say, no more, I am going to turn it over to God, as I see Him, and learn to take control over my life again to completely be Happy and not have "stinky thoughts"!  I am thankful to have found Al Anon!

-- Edited by jmb at 18:13, 2007-08-22

I admit I am powerless over alcohol. The only way I am able to not drink is to look to God constantly to keep me from doing so. I also remember how I will feel tomorrow if I choose to drink, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Liz