We are powerlessness on Alcoholism- we didn’t cause it, we can’t cure it and can’t control it. We begin to learn the basic Al-Anon premise of taking our focus off of the alcoholic and keeping the focus on ourselves. We have to relearn to take care of ourselves.
When we are focused on another person’s alcoholic and behaviour, many of us develop the habit of putting that person’s need first. We may suffer from low self- esteem and not believe that we deserve to take time for ourselves. Whether we judge ourselves as good or bad doesn’t matter, we are always defeated by Alcoholism. In Al-Anon we find help.
Admitting our powerlessness may be very difficult for us. In Al-Anon, we come to understand that our lives may be unmanageable because we are trying to control the people and situations in our lives. It can be hard to conceive that our well-meaning efforts have been part of the problem but by the time we reach Al-Anon, we are finally ready to try something — anything — new. We have to admit that nothing we do or don’t do can control another person’s drinking.
We learn to accept the things we cannot change(the Alcoholic/another person) and change the things we can ( ourselves). To recover we have to learn to keep the focus on ourselves.
Accepting this I am powerless it didn’t mean a weakness of character. It meant honestly admitting there are things that we can’t change. Today I know I am powerless over all the nouns and pronouns in my life other persons, places, things but I discovered what I am not powerless over myself. I am responsible for me. I am not responsible for another person happiness , nor are they responsible for mine.
My admission took the burden off me. I no longer had to fight and struggle constantly. I could work on other things such as my self and free my mind from all. Today my life is just that, my life — to concentrate on and to live the best way that I can.