experience, strength and hope in recovery

Who is a sponsor?

A sponsor is someone I can confide in, that I trust talking to, that I can be completely honest with. Someone that will help guide me through these steps because I know I can’t do them by myself, some confuse the hell out of me. Usually I’m nervous about picking up the phone but. I look forward top calling my sponsor. I want that happiness that she has and to have a strong recovery like her. Call me out on my shit and not sugar coat shit. Sponsorship is a corner stone to my recovery.

What does a sponsor do?

First of all they share there experience, strength and hope. Call me out on my shit, help guide me through the twelve steps, the 12 traditions and things 12 concepts. Help me get out of myself.

What does a sponsee do?

Listen and take suggestions with an open mind. I rely on my her to give me a general direction and a new perspective if nothing else, she’s am important sounding board. Sometimes all it takes is saying something out loud top someone else for me to see things differently. Like the other day I was going through some shit and I called my sponsor and she told me it’s building my character. That helped and opened my eyes to see things differently.

How do we get a sponsor?

We ask someone that we like their recovery. I looked for someone honest, open minced and i felt comfortable talking to. In the meetings I watched and listened to what she had to say. And, I looked for someone I connected with and I look forward to getting to know her better and build a relationship with her.

When should we get a sponsor?

This time I wanted top get a sponsor right away. I’m excited to work the steps and learn new things. So I watched her recovery, how she was on the outside of meetings, last time in recovery I went through 3 sponsors and I didn’t put much into the steps. One sponsor I picked because I thought she was hot, one relapsed on me and the other one had too many commitments was never there for me or answered the phone.

So that’s how I did it and I know the ones before weren’t meant to be. One day being a sponsor to another addict will continue my own recovery. That is what sponsorship is about.

Nikki P

Balance In Recovery

My name is Lauren. I’m an addict I have been clean for a little over five months. Every day is blessing. But Sometimes it’s hard maintaining balance in recovery. Between meetings, sponsor, relationship, my son and work. And sometimes it gets a little frustrating for me.

Meetings Are A Must

Right now I work a little over forty hours a week and my schedule varies each week, even between closing opening and mid shifts. Sometimes I’m worn out, but that’s what being a mother is about. And if I want to stay clean I have to keep going to these meetings. I get my son on days that I’m off, so I’m able to bring him to day care the next morning. On those days I also try to make a meeting whether I take him with me or not.

Balance In A Relationship

Now with my relationship and both of our schedules there’s not much time for us to hang out, usually it’s just once a week and that gets stressful. Sometimes I put other things off to be able to do what I need to do. I have put off meetings, but I have also put off time with him as well.

Here and Healthy

It’s all boils down to the fact that I have to maintain the balance. My recovery comes first, and also being a mother. If I don’t have recovery I’ll lose everything else, and today I know that. So my focus now is maintaining balance, no matter what. I’m grateful to even have this choice today. By the grace of god and the program I’m glad that I’m here and healthy.

Grateful recovering addict, Lauren

Choosing a Sponsor In a 12 Step