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Author: Ronnie Earl

One Bite At A Time - Part Three

The Tussinauts: My Journey With Cough Syrup

One Bite At A Time - Part Three

The Tussinauts: My Journey With Cough Syrup

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A teacher once asked “How do you eat an elephant?” After getting answers like “KC Masterpiece” and “very slowly”, he answered with “One bite at a time”.  I will share my story one ‘bite’ at a time. ‘Am I A Real Alcoholic?’ is the third installment of the One Bite at a Time Series.   One of the first mind-altering drugs that I experimented with was cough syrup. Not just any cough syrup. It had to be the kind with dextromethorphan hydrobromide,…

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Taoism in Recovery

Taoism in Recovery

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Taoism and recovery from addiction are like peas in a pod. When I began doing the 12 steps with my sponsor, I became fixated on the idea that I needed to define my higher power in order to believe in it. The closest thing that I have found to a higher power that I can really get behind is the Tao.  Many years ago in college, I read some books on Taoism, but it didn’t really sync in until I began the…

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https://www.sketchport.com/drawing/5531311921954816/resentment
Step 4: Inventory

Step 4: Inventory

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A 12-step program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems. I will share my experiences with each step as a resource for newcomers to the program. It is HIGHLY ADVISABLE that you work through the steps with a sponsor! Step 4 reads: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Before I share my experience with the moral inventory, I must say something of great importance. If you are…

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Yoga and Recovery

Yoga and Recovery

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In my own recovery, I tend to embrace whatever the world has to offer to help me stop drinking. Since I am an active member of a 12-step group, I try very hard not to misrepresent its principles and to respect its traditions. If you have a desire to quit drinking, the first thing that I will recommend is to go to a 12-step meeting. That being said, I would encourage you to make an attempt to incorporate yoga, or some other program of physical…

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On the Level of Press

12-Step Group Anonymity

On the Level of Press

12-Step Group Anonymity

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My 12 Step Group Experience In early March 2017, I will have been sober for 10 months. Before I attended 12 step meetings, I tried in vain to quit and/or moderate drinking. With the Steps, I now live a sober life, but more importantly I think I am becoming a better person. If you or someone you love has a desire to stop drinking, I highly recommend going to a meeting and speaking directly with other alcoholics. Since May 2016, I have been working…

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now-graphic
Now Be Here

Now Be Here

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Ancient Wisdom Some things bear repeating. Important ideas are recycled in online circles and in church basements with frequency. Little bits of wisdom take different forms but some are essentially grounded in the same idea. One such piece of wisdom is the idea of living in the moment. This idea spans the globe and permeates through different cultures. It is passed down through generations. It’s everywhere. It lives in our languages and in our subconscious minds. The modern idea that we refer to as…

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Step 3: Decision

Step 3: Decision

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A 12-step program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems. I will share my experiences with each step as a resource for newcomers to the program. It is HIGHLY ADVISABLE that you work through the steps with a sponsor! Step 3 reads: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God. Assuming that you have come to believe in…

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milky way live

Live Beneath Your Means

From a Quaker Newsletter

Live Beneath Your Means

From a Quaker Newsletter

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On a daily basis, I like to be reminded about how to live. This quotation is something I came across today on social media. Normally, I don’t like getting inundated with memes and quotes. However, this one struck a chord. It is interesting how much wisdom crosses over across time periods, cultures and schools of thought. This nugget from a Quaker newsletter might as well have appeared in the AA Grapevine. Time and time again, I am reminded to be…

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Living With Less

An Alcoholic’s Perspective on Minimalism

Living With Less

An Alcoholic’s Perspective on Minimalism

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As a society, we have an insatiable appetite for more stuff. It seems that we are trying to fill a void in our lives with excessive consumerism. Our consumer society is driven by mass production of things we really don’t need. As a result, we have environmental problems and insanity. The desire for more and more is driven by marketing, media and advertising. These institutions perpetuate an illusion that by buying certain products, we will be a better version of ourselves. The truth is that…

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Happy Sober Holidays!

Happy Sober Holidays!

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Ah… my first sober holiday season. I have to admit that I’ve been thinking about drinking a lot. There is a lot of talk about it right now. Holiday parties and advertising are the main culprits. I have been able to get through it so far without any issues, despite the increased stress. Getting work done before the holidays, shopping and maybe even a little bit of Seasonal Affective Disorder have got me feeling a little down at times. My old self…

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One Bite At A Time - Part One

Am I A Real Alcoholic?

One Bite At A Time - Part One

Am I A Real Alcoholic?

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A teacher once asked “How do you eat an elephant?” After getting answers like “KC Masterpiece” and “very slowly”, he answered with “One bite at a time”.  I will share my story one ‘bite’ at a time. ‘Am I A Real Alcoholic?’ is the first installment of the One Bite at a Time Series.   My first experience with group therapy was in early of May 2016. My fundamental question at this time was whether I was a real alcoholic. For months…

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One Bite At A Time - Part Two

A Big Scare

One Bite At A Time - Part Two

A Big Scare

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A former teacher once asked us how you eat an elephant. After getting answers like “with barbecue sauce” and “very slowly”, he simply said “one bite at a time”. Some things just can’t be accomplished all at once. This is how I will tell my story. One bite at a time.  This is the story of my first big health scare as a progressively declining and unhealthy alcoholic.  I’ve known for years that I was a functional alcoholic and a binge…

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