I've been attending a few online meetings lately. I find, as is the case with many face to face meetings, that the focus tends to be on people talking about methods of using self discipline to stay sober. I think this is mainly because there are quite a few new people who are fresh out of rehab or treatment centers and are using "tips" from these treatment centers to stay sober. Treatment center tips and methods are good in the short term , however, as many of us who do the program of AA know, theses "tips" or methods for not drinking only last so long. No matter how hard a real alcoholic may try to apply self discipline they will ultimately find it ultimately fail.
I was able to "put my mind to it" or "keep my guard up" for about 2 months at best but would go back to it because of the "obsession of the mind" part of alcoholism that the AA book talks about in the chapter "More about Alcoholism".
So, here are some short blurbs I use and have heard over the years to try to illustrate in simple language the program of AA.
Trust God, Clean House, Help others. AA is a simple program.
I can't, Higher Power can, I think I'll let Higher Power help me by doing the steps. Simple but not easy at times... action, action and more action. Faith without work is dead - AA
I have an illness that I can't combat myself. If I am willing to seek a God of my own understanding that God will give me power to abstain where i couldn't on my own. How to seek that power is to do the steps.
A) we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives
B) Probably no HUMAN power could have relieved our alcoholism
C) God could and would IF he were sought
Simple but not easy at times - action, action and more action
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