Wisdom Of The Rooms - 2021

[bluidkiti]

March 29

Quote of the Week

"The minute I take control, that’s when I lose control."

I used to try all the time to control my drinking and using. I’d give myself a limit as to how many drinks I would have; I’d practice drinking a glass of water between cocktails; I would use only on the weekend (that didn’t work because soon Friday and then Thursday became part of the weekend), and on and on. What I found was that as soon as I tried to control it, I lost control.

When I entered recovery, I learned about the concept of powerlessness. Even though I had countless examples of how I was powerless over drugs and alcohol, I secretly hoped that one day I would be able to control and enjoy them. After countless inventories and Step work, I learned that I lost that dubious luxury long ago. Whenever I tried to control my drinking, I didn’t enjoy it, and when I enjoyed it, I couldn’t control it.

Just as I was coming to accept my powerlessness over alcohol, I faced an even more daunting idea—that I was powerless over just about everything else in my life as well. The way I’ve come to accept this is to take responsibility for the things I can control (my thoughts and my actions) and to leave the results up to God. This always works, when I remember to work it. And the minute I don’t, the minute I try to take control of the outcome, that’s the minute I lose control once again.