If you have a burning desire to drink or use today: do not wait for the check-in and do not leave it in a message. Call me directly, and go to a meeting and share using the keywords “Burning Desire.”
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Do a 15-minute meditation
Before anything else, spend fifteen minutes in prayer, a poem, a daily devotion, or a spiritual or philosophical reading — whatever quiets you and turns your attention outside yourself. Fifteen minutes, every morning.
“On awakening let us think of the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.”Big Book, p. 86
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Call me
Once you have finished your meditation, call me. If I answer, we talk. If I do not, that is fine — leave me a message.
“Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail.”Big Book, p. 89
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Leave me a message with your four answers
Whether we talk live or you reach my voicemail, cover these four things:
- Did you drink yesterday? If so, how many drinks?
- What service work are you doing today?
- Do you need me to call you back today?
- Do you have a burning desire and need to meet me in person?
“Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone.”Big Book, p. 84
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Two Hours
We spend 2 hours a day on recovery and service work. This may seem intimidating at first, but it only a small fraction of time that we wasted while drunk.
“We are not cured of alcoholism. What we have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.”Big Book, p. 85
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Listen in order
“Half measures availed us nothing.”Big Book, p. 59