“We will not regret the past, nor wish to shut the door on it.”
For someone just starting out in recovery, that sentence – the second of the twelve Promises – may seem nearly impossible.
Indeed, many addicts and alcoholics are crippled with guilt and regret about the past. Whether it’s the things you did under the influence that hurt to think about, or the things you DIDN’T do, the years before recovery can often seem like a dark chapter that is better left closed.
So building a new life in recovery means you don’t have to go back there any more, right? Wrong.
Letting resentments, guilt, and heartbreak fester is a sure recipe for relapse.
Luckily, the 12 Steps are tailor-made to help you clean up your past and present, and to set you up for a brighter future.
If the task seems overwhelming, don’t despair. Like everything else in recovery, it’s an issue best tackled one day at a time, by doing the next indicated thing.
Get a sponsor, work the steps, put yourself in the middle of a home group, and like The Promises say, you “will be amazed” before you “are halfway through.”
Your worst memories and heartbreaks can become a harmless part of your story, if you do the work.
“Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly,” that’s a promise that “will always materialize if we work for them.”
Are you ready to begin the journey to a regret-free life? Call us today!