Before Artificial Intelligence, people wrote original content, and some, including us, still do. This brings us to our title for today, “Keep on keeping on,” attributed to Edgar Cayce, a physic who penned the phrase for a speech back in 1931. Civil Rights and anti-war activist Len Chandler wrote a song of the same name in 1967. Since then, it has been used often, and we respectfully borrow it to make a point that consistency and persistence pay off on the road to recovery.
We position seven “keeps” as important elements in our paths toward recovery. Seven staples that remind us of our commitment to sobriety. We practice what follows as diligently as we can, accepting the fact that we will not always nail them squarely but that we keep the hammer pounding:
1. Keep coming back
An Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) mantra that can't be repeated enough. The rooms of AA are where the energy and the magic start. Staying connected to this power source is essential as this is where the experiences of others teach us and where we are most available to support the next struggling alcoholic. This dynamic combination is the secret sauce to rescue, recuperation, and rejuvenation.
2. Keep seeking
We have learned to remain teachable, and that attribute has paid dividends on top of dividends. Every day, we learn because every day we are open. If we are entirely ready, each share and conversation contains a message of hope and a nugget of wisdom that we can use and pass on as we progress toward rehabilitation.
3. Keep healthy
Physical, mental, and spiritual health can't be underestimated. We must feed ourselves a steady diet of good to keep the bad from dragging us down.
An unattended car is unreliable, though a well-maintained vehicle can take one miles down the road with little concern. Likewise, a mind allowed to take on the trash and fester that garbage decays and provides little value beyond fertilizer.
Lastly, AA significantly emphasizes spirituality as a fundamental attribute of recovery. The Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book states, “What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition,” which tells us that this area of health directly impacts our chance for a full recovery.
So, if we are to move toward the desired health status, we need to attend to proper diet and exercise, maintain a clean and clear mindset, and feed our spirituality daily.
4. Keep reaching
Asking for help is probably the hardest of the seven. We were raised to be self-sufficient and have a long history of achievements. The funny thing is that our greatest achievement, our current sobriety, came on the heels of surrendering to our insides and turning outside to get the help we needed.
If asking for help changed the trajectory of our lives, then how much more can it deliver as we strive to be the best humans we can be? It is not the weakness we perceived for so long but a superpower that has vaulted us to heights we never expected.
5. Keep serving
Self-service was the way of life for us for decades. Every action was transactional; I give what to get what. We offered a penny in hopes of getting a dollar back. We had an angle for every scenario.
Serving others inside AA and outside the rooms where service openings are abundant is instrumental to the healing and growing processes. When we shift our focus from self to others, concentrating outward rather than inward, peace can replace chaos, all while we are in harmony with humanity.
6. Keep sharing
Hand in hand with serving, authentically sharing one's experience, strength, and hope is how this whole thing works. If every restored individual were tight-lipped, there would be little chance the movement could move. Speaking out and speaking up fortifies the lighthouse, the safe haven that we have become. Everybody's story has value; nobody can share it as we ourselves can.
What we perceive as an insignificant detail, when related to alcoholism, could be the disclosure that somebody needs to hear that day. It becomes our responsibility to share how this thing worked for us, as a combination of relatable shares delivers healing.
7. Keep laughing
Alcoholism is a serious business, but we can't take ourselves too seriously. The joy of recovery is the happiness that leaps when we realize that we no longer live in hell on earth. We need to dangle that delight that we have been delivered from death as that is the shiny that will appeal to others. The world will not magnate to dreary but to bright. “If you want what we have…” must be attractive, not repulsive.
Our sobriety is a keeper, and with that, we are committed to keep on keeping on!
Thoughts and ideas for this blog post were taken and built upon from a sober.coffee podcast “#59 titled “Behind the Counter - Year 2” … The podcast dropped on 5/11/2022. Click here to hear the podcast.
Photo by Ricardo Cruz on Unsplash
BLOG DISCLAIMER:
Alcoholics Anonymous and AA are registered trademarks of Alcoholics World Service. Inc. References to AA, the 12 steps, and 12 traditions does not mean that AA has reviewed or approved the contents of this publication nor that AA agrees with the views expressed herein. This publication is intended to support personal growth and should not be considered a substitute for healthcare professionals' advice. The author’s advice and viewpoints are their own.
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