Hey phactor!! It is so great to see you so excited about your recovery. You haave built such a solid foundation for yourself. I hope you are "sponsoring " people at your meetings, because other people need to see how recovery can work in their lives
it is also appreciAtive that although 12 steps are your path, you share with us without shaming us for not choosing the same path.
It is working for you because you make it work
congrats on your clean time. People that say clean time doesn't matter,usually don't have any
Thanks, I am not sponsoring yet because I have not been asked. This is for two reasons:
I think this is for two reasons,
1. NA is very weak in my particular suburb, I actually have started going back to AA (I used to hate AA for stupid reasons) a little bit more often because there are simply more meetings.
2. The people in recovery out here are not really on the same education level as me. I am not bragging, but people often have to ask me to tone down my vocabulary because people tend to be unable to understand what I am saying.
My sponsor also tells me that I am likely too busy with everything going on right now with school and work. I also will point out that I am not a Christian at meetings (I don't go out of my way too of course) and most of those in recovery in my immediate area are Christians. That likely plays a role.
When I move into the city in Decemberish, I imagine I will take on some sponsees (if asked of course). AA (and NA) is very very strong in Chicago and very diverse, full of all types of people. My ex's sponsor is a Doctor for example.
I plan on getting a new sponsor when I move to Chicago, I love my sponsor but its time for me to find someone new. I wouldn't mind finding one that is a little bit like me personally. My current sponsor is the polar opposite of me in some ways (very religious, conservative) but that doesn't matter when it comes to recovery. I am actually thinking of switching primarily over to AA when I move. AA in Chicago is more "open" then NA is here.
Anyways, people that push the steps on other's are often just so convinced that because it worked for them, it must work for others. Addiction makes us very self-centered and it can be difficult for people to understand that different people recover in different ways. So most of them are trying to help. Other's are just assholes basically. Whatever they are, just ignore them. The steps and meetings will be there if you ever want to give them a try.
One of the main principles of the 12 steps is "attraction rather then promotion"... essentially, we have found we bring people in not by speaking, but by action and example.