Tolerance, compassion, and giving back to the recovery community will help you on your path toward progress. At this point in your addiction recovery, you probably know that you cannot make the journey alone; this is especially true if you have completed an addiction treatment program.
If you are attending meetings, then you have seen men and women working together to keep their diseases at bay. You have probably also seen countless acts of compassion like people with more time extending their hand to the newcomer. Making those with short lengths of sobriety feel welcome and safe increases the likelihood that they will stick around.
When you first got to the rooms, you were welcomed with open arms. You saw there was a seat with your name on it and a fellowship that was happy to see you, even though you were a stranger. If you stuck around, got a sponsor, and worked the steps, then you had ample opportunity to develop relationships with your peers. The members of your homegroup are hopefully good friends and acquaintances by now.
Men and women working a program learn the value of compassion and tolerance towards others. They also understand that they must show the same to themselves; people who beat up on themselves for making mistakes or the wreckage of their past have trouble staying the course.
There is a saying in the rooms, look for similarities, not differences between you and your peers. It is exponentially more comfortable to be compassionate and tolerant of others if you adhere to the above principle.
Compassion and Tolerance Allows You to Give Back
Judgment has no place in the rooms of recovery. Each person has their own story, but everyone shares the common goal of lasting progress. When you avoid being judgmental of yourself and others, it is much simpler to maintain a positive attitude. As we say at PACE Recovery Center, a positive attitude changes everything.
If you attend a lot of meetings, then you will come across individuals who are not your cup of tea, and that is alright. You do not have to foster relationships with everyone in the rooms, but you must afford each person compassion and tolerance if you hope to get the same. 12 Steps programs are not religious, but remembering the “Golden Rule” is beneficial. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Remembering the Golden Rule will help you approach each person from a place of kindness and acceptance. It will allow being a pillar of strength with those who have less time than you. Giving back to the community and helping newcomers is why 12 Step recovery has help people stay clean and sober for nearly a century.
Having worked all the Steps and with an established footing in recovery, it’s time to start giving back. You cannot keep what you have if you do not give it away. What does giving back look like? Giving back means sponsoring others, volunteering your time at meetings (i.e., service commitments), and always being there for a fellow member of the community.
Everyone is equal in the rooms of recovery, but the newcomer is of particular importance. Helping them achieve milestones will strengthen your recovery. The 12th Step is not a finish line; it’s the beginning of a new chapter, one that involves paying it forward and carrying the message.
Helping Others in Recovery
Long-term recovery is possible because men and women work together to make personal progress. Protecting your progress will hinge on your willingness to give back and walk others through the steps. Your continued success in the program depends on being a model for all who enter the rooms in the grips of despair.
Walking up to a newcomer and saying hello lets them know that they are not alone, that they’ve come to the right place. Inviting a newcomer to grab a coffee so that you can learn more about them, lets a newcomer know that someone cares. Your compassion could be a catalyst for a newcomer to keep coming back.
Sitting down with someone who has less time than you could lead to sponsorship. If you have worked all the Steps, then you know what to do; you can turn to your sponsor if ever you are unsure about something. So goes the process of recovery; it’s a chain reaction that enables millions of people to achieve long-term recovery.
Southern California Addiction Treatment for Men
At PACE Recovery Center, we specialize in the treatment of men who are struggling with addiction and mental health disorders. Please contact us today to learn more about our evidence-based programs and begin a life-changing journey of recovery. 800-526-1851
