The title of this article was a slogan drilled into me in the beginning of my recovery journey. I would have cheated myself out of addressing my many problems if I had followed that advice. I was addicted to both alcohol and marijuana. The depth of knowledge I received by attending difI kno/ferent fellowships and hearing about mind altering substances enhanced my recovery.
I knew many people who attended one fellowship or another who were still using their choice of substance not addressed in that particular meeting. Many would excuse their behavior by using slogans such as, ” I practice marijuana maintenance.” Meanwhile the lack of recovery persists in their life.
Anyone who has put together time in a 12 Step program will attest to the fact that being clean and sober means not using any mind altering substances of any kind. Self denial of addictive behaviors will always continue to create calamity in life unless we develop clarity about the way we are behaving. Self truth produces positive changes in our behaviors when we stop negative behaviors.
Freedom is the spiritual gift we receive by making the choice to be fully in recovery. Obsession and compusion will leave when we abstain from anyting addictive. To abstain is to stop using,, not to continue feeding our addictions. It takes self discipline to follow the recovery path. We deserve to be as whole as the creator made us to be.
Recovery is a gift! 