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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.
In our addiction, our vision of ourselves was very limited. Each day, we went through the same routine: getting, using, and finding ways and means to get more. And that's all we could reasonably expect for the duration of our lives. Our potential was limited.
Today, our prospects are changed. Recovery has given us a new vision of ourselves and our lives. We are no longer trapped in the endlessly gray routine of addiction. We are free to stretch ourselves in new ways, trying out new ideas and new activities. In doing so, we come to see ourselves in a new way. Our potential is limited only by the strength of the Higher Power that cares for us-and that strength has no limits.
In recovery, life and everything in it appears open to us. Guided by our spiritual principles, driven by the power given us by the God of our understanding, our horizons are limitless.
December 03, 2023 |
The Discipline to (Sometimes) Say No |
| Page 349 |
| "Discipline is not a practice that comes naturally to most addicts, and the need to say "no" to ourselves can be quite a challenge." |
| Guiding Principles, Tradition Seven, "For Members" |
| The freedom we find when we stop using drugs is incredible. We regain so much in terms of the time, energy, and other resources that were previously devoted to sustaining our addiction. Saying "no" to our disease frees us up to say "yes" to things we'd been missing out on. As we revel in our newfound ability to say "yes" to ourselves, some of us find ourselves looking for relief from other behaviors. "Getting clean saved my life, but I gained so much weight my first year clean that I got stretch marks!" Another member shared, "The money I'd been spending on drugs was diverted to buying crap I didn't need. I tried to fix myself with retail therapy—but I was still unhappy." Discipline can sometimes feel like a punishment—like we're denying ourselves things we really enjoy. If we're free, why do we have to say "no" to ourselves? Our freedom has its limits, as do our resources. Discipline helps us shift our thinking. Instead of focusing on what we deny ourselves—that extra piece of cake or the quick fix of an online purchase—we think about what we gain by using our resources wisely and keep our eyes on the financial security and peace of mind we're striving for. Discipline is the willingness to say "no" to things that feel good in the moment but cost us later. We do so as a Fellowship when we say "no" to money from outside NA—and "yes" to our ability to make our own choices as a Fellowship, remaining free from the influence of outside entities. In our personal recovery, we say "no" to momentary impulses for the sake of our longer-term peace of mind. Would we rather have a little bit of fleeting comfort right now or a deeper, lasting sense of comfort and security over time? The choice is ours. |
| ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— |
| I can't say "yes" to everything—I will reserve my "yes" for what's truly important to me today. |
| Copyright (c) 2007-2023, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
december, 2023