Little Victories

Written by, Ernest F.

I remember someone saying to share at a meeting. Someone may be going through what you have been through or have known personally. Victories should be shared even if they are little; it provides others with a sense of looking forward, or hope!

Meditation has gotten better for me, I use it all the time, I had to be patient with the time it took for me to be better at it. It is sooo worth it to me. I was starting a relationship with a friend from an old job that I had. We spent some time getting to know one another, we became friends and did things together. When it became physical, knowing each other and being friends made it a lot better. I had not gone about relationships this way before. My emotions and feelings had me understand it was a victory. I had overcome habits and behaviors—that were not really bad, but also not good—besides Cannabis and cigarette smoking. Some C.B.T. helped me (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)—the idea and concept of it, and doing it.

I had heard in meetings that the one-second pause, after some recovery time, becomes a few more seconds in reacting and feeling to things and people. There are lists of thoughts and feelings about an action or word that took place that I can use. Am I not communicating? Did they not understand? They may have some problems. Maybe they are trying their best, and I don’t know that.

I cannot make a resentment for someone, put “it all” upon myself. There is much more, very much more to this. It may be important to know this. In the few seconds pause you can re-frame the thought and the emotional reaction with a conscious and logical effort to try not to be misunderstood or even a little harmful. That few seconds pause got longer than one second. Creativity and reading about how many religious beliefs and psychological concepts are the same or similar and align, the effort helped. The meditation (11th Step) creativity, new relationships and sound healthy beliefs and faiths that are very much similar are the little victories for me. Sharing “little victories” helps you!! Sharing how it was, how it is now, and what you are working towards, helps. EXPERIENCE, STRENGTH, AND HOPE!!

Ernest F.

Published in A New Leaf – July 2025

  • Heard in a Meeting

    “Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?” Published in A New Leaf – September 2025

    Heard in a Meeting
  • Onward Sober Soldiers

    Written by, Anonymous I am engaged in a war with a beast that lives inside of me. It is old, born in the garden of Eden, enslaving all addicts. It is no coincidence that the Jewish holiday of Passover fell while I was detoxing, for this holiday celebrates the release of Jews from slavery. I…

    Onward Sober Soldiers
  • Gifts of the Program

    Written by, Terri R. I got my nine month chip at a Glendale MA meeting this week. I am the type of person who reflects on my progress whenever I reach a milestone like this. Course, I am very proud of myself. However, I’m also thinking of all the gifts I received from the program…

    Gifts of the Program
  • Love and Understanding

    Written by, Terry M. In the book, “The Road Less Traveled,” Scott Peck defines love as “the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth.” One of the first things I remember being told when I reached these rooms was “we will love you until you learn…

    Love and Understanding
  • Thoughts from the Field 

    Written by, John H. I believe in myselfI believe that every action for myselfgives value to myselfand if you are willing to actin love of youI believe in you The story of my recovery is the story of desire. What I desired was life, for I was living without desire. I did not know who…

    Thoughts from the Field 
  • “Let your drug of choice be life”

    Created by, Callie B. Published in A New Leaf – September 2025

    “Let your drug of choice be life”