When I first came into A.A., I had no idea there was going to be be work I was gonna have to do (that’s how delusional and self-centered I was). In the beginning, I just thought it was about putting down the bottle. Little did I know that there would be much work I would have to do to embody that “personality change” sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism.

We hear much about how ours is a “program of action,” and how taking action will help transform us into the people we were designed to be. I’m grateful that our book outlines it in very specific detail. Here are just a few examples from the Big Book of how Bill W. gave us very specific and clear cut direction on this topic:

• from Bill’s Story – “They had told of a simple religious idea and a practical program of action.”
• from There Is A Solution – “We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action.”
• from More About Alcoholism – “Then they outlined the spiritual answer and program of action which a hundred of them had followed successfully.”
• from How It Works – “Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never attempted.”
• from Into Action – “Now we need more action, without which we find that “Faith without works is dead.”
• from Working With Others – “To be vital, faith must be accompanied by self sacrifice and unselfish, constructive action.”

In thinking about this, I sat down this morning and created MY plan of action as it relates to the 12 Steps. This, of course, is just one alcoholics experience with this work, but having it laid out in this manner makes it so much easier for me to see (and do).

I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me.

God bless!