Standing outside the doors of a gym for the first time is stressful. How had we let ourselves get so out of shape? Can the lifelong abuse of our body rebound? Will we find the strength to do this thing? We had to learn about the body, calisthenics, aerobics, etc.
We had heard the terminology and seen people in our lives transformed by “working out.” However, where to start and how to maintain was overwhelming.
Likewise, when we came into Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), we were in a bad way. We struggled. Our focus was on the what and why. We brought the weight of shame and tagged ourselves as losers and failures. We had little left in the tank but quickly found ourselves opened by what we saw in others. We were told to keep our heads down and trust the process.
In both instances, we can see the progress in others long before we see the progress in ourselves. We saw those who walked their talk and had results that proved the gain was worth the effort. That gives us belief in the solution. That gives us muscle.
So, we started with an ounce of trust and a pound of hope. We acquired a personal trainer, a coach, a sponsor who could walk us through, step-by-step, the intricacies of a healthier way of life.
We committed to a program that would teach techniques, provide exercises, and deliver results equal to the work we put in. Our trainers laid out our path—learn, launch, and lead—and all we had to do was show up daily and follow the steps as best we could.
Learn
If we desired to play hoops like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James, we would read what has been written about their workout habits, watch as much film as possible, and listen acutely to their advice. We would look to model a plan that would bring us to their level.
AA has published a great deal of literature. The AA “Big Book” and the “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions” are the leading guides, and 12-step multi-media resources are available for those who seek them. Stories that detail success are also abundant.
While playing a better game of basketball is a desire, our lives depend on sobriety. Therefore, we owe it to ourselves to dig wide and as deep as we possibly can, educating ourselves through all available resources on what works in the world of recovery.
At meetings of AA members, we have an opportunity to learn directly from those who have successfully traveled the path before us. We get to learn from the Jordans, Bryants, and James directly.
Launch
Learning was just the beginning. We can know about the proper workout or do the proper workout. We know the do is more important than the know.
We had to vigorously launch into action. Like those who had succeeded before us, we had to act fearlessly and thoroughly. We had to get extreme in our focus on healing and push to get to the root in order to tear down and build up.
Our coaches had us work at a high-intensity pace. We were held accountable for practicing what had been preached to us. It was up to us to show up at the gym daily and do the work outside the doors that was prescribed by our sponsors.
We had to do the reps. We had to endure the pain of change in order to grow.
Lead
Almost immediately, our trainers had us working with others. Spotting, teaching, and encouraging those in the rooms was required, and this service brought personal growth in hard-to-explain ways. It turns out that building up others bulks ourselves.
This commitment keeps us going through the doors daily as others count on us. While we are there, we learn and re-launch, fine-tuning our minds and bodies.
If this all sounds exhaustive, we admit it is at times. We don’t spend enough time cooling down. We have achieved a certain level of success, and we like the way we feel about it. We want more (ism?), and we know proper maintenance takes effort.
We are proud of the results we have earned and wear our gym/sober shirts out in the community. We preach health to the unhealthy. We are not where we want to be, but we see others excelling in areas that we struggle in, so we will learn, launch, and lead others, keeping our eye on the prize. We are not yet totally free of fat and faults, but we are confident in our ability to adapt toward a better level of freedom.
We stay active in AA to ensure that the doors will be opened for generations to follow us—to keep the gym open for the next guy or gal.
Thoughts and ideas for this blog post were taken and built upon from a sober.coffee bonus podcast #189 titled "Triumph over Tragedy - Coffee with Carole B" The podcast dropped on 11/6/2024. Click here to hear the podcast.
Photo by Andrew Valdivia on Unsplash
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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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