Understanding Principle Two of AA Alcoholics Anonymous
#2 - The Principle of Hope
The principle of hope has given me a life that is so much better than anything that I could have imagined, it’s ridiculous! I think we are all born with a certain amount of hope, but somewhere along the path of addiction and self-destruction, we lose that sense of hope. The principle of hope in my program of recovery was the beacon of bright light that lead me out of the darkness of despair and addiction.
When I first got sober it was the fellowship that manifested the most hope for me- and I really needed that, because my best decisions while using had the worst outcomes. I would hear that there is hope for us addicts, that “having a life beyond your wildest dreams” free from the bondage of addiction was possible. There were people who showed me daily evidence of the possibility of hope. The more days I put together without alcohol or drugs, the more I would come to believe that if these other people could achieve it, maybe I could too. I began to have hope- and that let me know I was on the right path.
One of the many reasons that hope is such an important spiritual recovery principle is because creating a vision of a future that is favorable can become a habitual attitude. Some people even like to say that AA stands for “Altered Attitudes”. This daily way of feeling the good we hope for can ground us in the grace of God. I will take a moment here to point out that there are many people in search of sobriety who shy away from twelve-step programs because of the use of the word “God” or religious references. However, for those of us who have been to hell and back, we can recognize all the more clearly that AA is really more of a spiritual program. I like to use the word “God”, but some find it helpful to use words or concepts that are easier to work with, such as “higher power” or “power greater than yourself”.
For me, it has been putting my hope and trust in a higher power that I call “God” which has allowed me to have more freedom. The more I witness hope manifesting in my life, the more it builds an opportunity for a change in attitude. Hope has instilled in me the passion and motivation to see what each day has in store, and because of that, my life is unbelievably exciting! I’ve learned to embrace and enjoy life to its fullest through a program of recovery, through hope, faith, trust, and turning it over to God. Hope comes down to faith, and when I am in a place of hope I can let go, and have faith. But what has really taken my life to the next level is prayer.
Hope And The Power Of Prayer
“If you want God to open and close doors, let go of the doorknob”.
People may shy away from the word “God” or concepts such as prayer, but as my fellowship frequently reminds me, our minds are like parachutes- they can’t work unless they are open! As I mentioned already, I put my hope and my trust in God which has allowed me to have a lot more freedom, but that doesn’t mean it’s always been the case. I have gone through some gnarly transitions and tests, where the pressures were just too much for me. There were times when I felt I had to please everyone and take care of everyone and it was the perfect formula for failure. I finally let go of that and started to incorporate prayer in my daily life and that’s when hope started to take root.
When there are obstacles all around, prayers for hope keep moving me forward; prayers build confidence and trust in something, instilling a belief in things seen and unseen, and create an optimistic attitude, expectation, and desire. Hope, faith, humility, prayer, and surrender work in unison. It is prayer that provides direct access to hope for me. Hope is what gives us a reason to continue in life and if we believe in God, a higher power, or a “power greater than ourselves”, we are never without hope because we have faith.
From Recovery To Discovery: Hope In Sobriety
I was in a very dark place during my using days and had no hope until I found a connection with a group of people who provided me with a sense of peace. This fellowship of people who are living a life without being trapped in their addictions gave me HOPE. For me, living a life in recovery and free of addictions is like an extended education where we are all teachers as well as students. In fact, most days I feel like I am living a life of “Discovery” more than “Recovery”. The truth is that when any of us are free from the bondage of active addictions, there are no limits or restrictions on what kind of life we can have. When we let go of what we think it is or what we think it should be, and have faith in our higher power, it instills hope.
As time goes by I find reminders everywhere that there is hope in sobriety- so much so, that I don’t even think the word “Sober” does it justice. I mean, let’s face it, it’s kind of a boring word, right? Although being sober is beyond amazing, the word “sober” is simply not nearly attractive enough for all that it entails. There should be words that are way more captivating to truly define the miracle of sobriety. A good friend and mentor likes to say, “We do the ridiculous, and get the miraculous” and I love that, it really resonates for me. I would love to rebrand the word “sober” into something more befitting to a life that is humorously, joyfully, and outlandishly free.
The bottom line is that the ‘Principle of Hope’ provides the faith and trust that are necessary to face the many challenges, obstacles, joys, and miracles of life in recovery. As I have heard many times in the rooms of AA, I hope that in sharing this with you that our collective spiritual experience helps others understand the principles. As they say, God doesn’t give you more than you can handle . . . but He may give you more than you can handle on your own. So, if you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or recovery don’t hesitate to reach out to me. It is my wish and my hope that your life can be ridiculously miraculous too!
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