Alcoholics have NO mental defense against the first drink. I just can’t think myself out of drinking - it didn’t work. I have to rely on something bigger than me. And AA is a heck of a lot bigger than me. Big Book page 43.

When confronted with powerlessness (whether that’s my alcoholism or the global pandemic), and when that gets sufficiently unbearable, there’s nothing left but to pick up some of the simple spiritual tools laid at my feet. Big Book page 25.

When it comes to being free of resentments, sometimes I have to fake it until I make it — at least in the sense of praying for a person even if I don’t mean it. Big Book page 552.

We get better at dealing with difficult emotions and situations, but I think then we just get new challenges. The pain of growing up only stops if we stop growing - at least that’s been my experience. 12x12 page 92.

Our defects of character, or, as I like to call them, ineffective or unhealthy coping mechanisms pretty much all stem from my various attempts to protect my ego. And all of the energy that goes into those attempts ends up sapping the life out of me. Little Red Book pages 48-49.

Just coming into a meeting, listening, and deciding to stick around is a beginning on step three. AA is definitely a power greater than me, and it’s also definitely enough to keep me sober. 12x12 page 35.

Alcoholism is lonely AF, and it wasn’t until I got sober and learned to value myself that I was able to learn to have healthy and reciprocal relationships with people. 12x12 pages 116-117

What there is to do is to show up with a degree of willingness and follow through on the next right indicated action. And God handles the rest. Big Book page 519, “Empty on the Inside”

The comparison game is a losing game always. And I really just want to be another alcoholic among other alcoholics - because feeling like I belong is super-important to my staying sober. (And in this episode I also do a fair bit of sharing about feeling self-conscious and weird about promoting/sharing this podcast at all). 12x12 page 122.

It’s not called Well-people’s Anonymous, and some are sicker than others. And while it can be really easy to take other people’s inventories, what there is to do is ask God to save me from being angry. Big Book pages 66-67