Welcome to the Central Coast Area of Narcotics Anonymous
Serving: Paso Robles, Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, Lompoc
" The therapeutic value of one addict helping another is without parallel "
Just for today daily meditation
December 02, 2023 |
Recovery: our first priority |
| Page 352 |
| "We have to keep our recovery first and our priorities in order." |
| Basic Text p. 82 |
| Before coming to NA, we used many excuses to justify our use of drugs: "He yelled at me." "She said this." "My partner left." "I got fired." We used these same excuses for not seeking help for our drug problem. We had to realize that these things kept happening because we kept using drugs. Only when we made recovery our first priority did these situations begin to change. We may be subject to the same tendency today, using excuses for not attending meetings and being of service. Our current excuses may be of a different nature: "I can't leave my kids." "My vacation wore me out." "I have to finish this project so I can impress my boss." But still, if we don't make recovery our first priority, chances are that we won't have to worry about these excuses anymore. Kids, vacations, and jobs probably won't be in our lives if we relapse. Our recovery must come first. Job or no job, relationship or no relationship, we have to attend meetings, work the steps, call our sponsor, and be of service to God and others. These simple actions are what make it possible for us to have vacations, families, and bosses to worry about. Recovery is the foundation of our lives, making everything else possible. |
| Just for Today: I will keep my priorities in order. Number One on the list is my recovery. |
| Copyright (c) 2007-2023, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
A Spiritual principle a day
December 02, 2023 |
Accepting Reality |
| Page 348 |
| "The fantasy world that we lived in during active addiction fades as we begin to see and accept life as it is." |
| IP #10, Working Step Four in Narcotics Anonymous, "General guidelines" |
| It took a lot of effort to create the alternate reality we lived in for so long. We invested in false perceptions and delusions about our lives and went to great lengths to maintain them. We became isolated from everyone and everything outside our self-made prisons. As one addict put it, "My world had become so small. To live with that fact, I convinced myself that nothing outside my little sphere was relevant." In truth, we were only kidding ourselves. Denial and dishonesty protected us from seeing the harm we were causing. Once we raised the curtain of self-deception, we recognized the lies we'd been telling ourselves. In Step One, we discovered many truths, but seeing the truth doesn't always lead to instant acceptance. It takes time to accept our addiction and life the way it really is. As one member said, "I was a legend in my own mind, and I didn't want to let that go." By working Steps Four and Five, we identify the exact nature of our wrongs—as well as what's exactly right with us. And as we stay clean, the fantasy world fades, and we see ourselves and our lives more clearly. As we let go of the make-believe world we created, our real world expands. We don't have to cover up the shame and guilt created in active addiction with more "plausible but untrue reasons for our behavior." Reality becomes a relief. |
| ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— |
| I will be honest with myself and practice living in the moment. I'll let go of my unrealistic fantasies and delusions so I can gratefully accept all that this life has to offer today. |
| Copyright (c) 2007-2023, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
WHAT IS THE NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS PROGRAM?
NA is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs. There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to stop using. We suggest that you keep an open mind and give yourself a break. Our program is a set of principles written so simply that we can follow them in our daily lives. The most important thing about them is that they work.
For more information on Narcotics Anonymous,
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Narcotics Anonymous World Services Website,
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