Taking a Step Forward

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. — Chinese proverb

Life holds so many choices now that we are sober. We’d like to go so many places. We’d like to see so many things. We have so much to do.

We are slowly learning how to trust our dreams and reach for them. Our program teaches us that we live One Day at a Time. We make progress by doing First Things First. Easy Does It.

Our dreams may seem very big and far away. We wonder if we’ll ever get there. But our faith tells us to go for it. And we know how: one step at a time.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, help me know this gentle truth: my life matters. Help me set goals that I can grow toward, one step at a time.

Action for the Day

Today I’ll think about one of my goals. I will list ten little steps that will help me get there.

Today’s Meditation from:

Keep It Simple: Daily Meditations for Twelve-Step Beginnings and Renewal from Hazelden Meditation series.

10 Things A Newcomer Can Do

One of the most difficult obstacles for a newcomer is boredom and anxiety. What will I do now? Is life going to be boring? What am I going to do to pass the time?

Fear not. A new way of life also means time to pursue new interests, reawaken old talents, and take a break from chaos and unmanageability.

Here are 10 things someone new to recovery can do to fight off boredom.

1. Go to a meeting.
2. Make a great meal, and then make another one. It’s not uncommon for a newcomer to be starving, depending on their recovery fellowship. If you haven’t eaten in 3 years, give it a try. Start taking care of yourself.
3. Read a book.
4. Get involved with 12 Step service work. Join a committee or help set up for a meeting.
5. Fellowship after a meeting. One of the quickest ways to get outside our grief and start building new relationships is by hanging out with other people in recovery.
6. Read your conference approved literature.
7. Start journaling. This can be a great way to deal with a lot of the overwhelming feelings a newcomer faces.
8. Get a sponsor and call them.
9. Make a list of hobbies you enjoy and have abandoned. Pick one of them and get started.
10. Go for a walk and look around you. When I first entered recovery, I was in awe of the world around me. I had actually forgotten how to stop and connect with the world. It was as if I hadn’t seen a tree or grass in years.

Obviously, there are a million other activities a newcomer could do. This is not a definitive list, just a few simple ideas to get you started. If you’ve got a great suggestion that really helped during your days of early recovery, please leave it in a comment.