The Global Conversation

Tag: twelve steps

  • They are just words, or are they more?

    Hi my name is  (_________) and I am an addict, alcoholic, compulsive gambler, sex addict, risk taker, over-eater.  These words are repeated daily by millions of people in recovery.  The reason given for saying these things lies in the belief that those who forget are doomed to repeat.  This is decent logic, but is there a better way to achieve the same result?  And when I say better I mean, more effective.  After all, isn’t effectiveness the goal of all that we do in life?

    Life is all about the effects.  Our thoughts, words and actions, are the process that we use to create the effects which we desire to experience in our lives.  Not very many people would ever admit to striving for mediocrity, although behaviors may indicate otherwise.  Most people wish for and strive for higher and higher effectiveness in their daily lives.

    I’d like to call into question the logic of placing a derogatory statement about ourselves behind the two most powerful words in the human language.  If those of us in recovery are seeking to remain abstinent from the substances and behaviors that we found ourselves unable to control, wouldn’t it stand to reason that we may want to make a more positive and empowering statement about who we are?

    In the world of recovery there is most important thing is of course personal sobriety.  In order to achieve and maintain long term sobriety a person either needs to be extremely determined not to use under any circumstances or create a life that is so grand that using would never even be an option.  I recommend the second choice there if you are wondering.  The first option is called abstinence or as the old timers would call it, “dry drunk.”  The second option is called sobriety.

    You may ask, what is the difference between abstinence and sobriety?  That is a very good question.  Abstinence is simply taking away the substance like alcohol or drugs and doing nothing at all about the underlying conditions that created the issues in the first place.

    Sobriety is a daily practice of self awareness and self improvement.  Persons who take on the role of raising their consciousness about themselves and their surroundings often find themselves to be happy and fulfilled, as well as inspiring to others.  Sobriety in this form is very contagious and people flock to you to share in the energy.

    Many words have negative energy as well as negative connotations surrounding them.  Words like, junky, crackhead, drunkard, lush, addict, alcoholic etc, not only have a darkening effect on the user but also projects out that same dark energy to surrounding ears.  Place the words “I am” right before them and we are actually summoning that definition to our reality.

    There is a recovery film out now called “The Anonymous People.”  If you get an opportunity to watch this please do.  In this documentary the political history of the 12 step programs is investigated deeply.  Many people have lobbied our politicians to find more funding for recovery programs and addiction treatment facilities. Currently the political answer to addiction is incarceration. Because we can all see how well the prison system is reforming people (sarcasm.)

    So the question then becomes how is that one of the greatest public health threats, addiction, isn’t treated as a healthcare issue?  One possible answer lies with the image of those of us in recovery.  When a person who is not in recovery hears one of us introduce our self as, “Hi, I’m Kevin, and I am a drug addict.”  They see a person with a moral deficiency.

    The same “normal” person responds differently when I introduce myself in a more positive light.  Hi, my name is Kevin McCormack.  I am a person in long term recovery from the disease of addiction.  For me long term means almost 27 years of continuous sobriety.  In those 27 years I have experienced great things in my life such as a long term job of 20 plus years, continued education, but most of all the respect of my family, friends and self.

    This type of shift in our language not only sheds light on the positive in our life which keeps our mind on what is most important, but it also brings about a certain level of respect and admiration from those who do not fully understand the disease of addiction.

    Ultimately, personal recovery is goal number one, however, the twelve steps is very clear that “we cannot keep what we have without giving it away.”  How can we give it away if we are hidden away in the basement of a church surrounded by those who have already found it?

    Humanity would be well served if we took the anonymity of ourselves a little less literally.  By all means I am not saying we should disclose someone else’s participation in recovery.  But it serves very little good to keep who we are secret.  It is time to stand together and raise the awareness of those in need.  Recovery is possible. A happy, productive life is at your finger tips.  Come walk with us, people in long term recovery who wish to help others achieve the same.

    (Kevin McCormack, C.A.d ,is a certified addictions professional and Recovery Advocate.  He is a recovering addict with 26 years of sobriety. Kevin is a practicing auriculotherapist, recovery coach, and interventionist specializing in individual and family recovery.  Kevin has a passion for holistic living, personal awareness training, and physical meditation. You can visit his website Life After Addicton for more information. To connect with Kevin, please email him at Kevin@TheGlobalConversation.com)

  • With arms wide open

    “As long as the ties that bind us together are stronger than those which will tear us apart, all will be well.”   Narcotics Anonymous literature

    Conversations with God, along with countless other spiritual and religious institutions, mention that we are all one.  Many of us, myself included, would nod their heads in approval not truly knowing what this means, or if we really even believe it to be true.  I mean, how can the guy who nearly ran me off the interstate today truly be one in the same with me and my God?  You see, my God is loving and caring and compassionate, and always considerate!  My eyes tell me we are not one in the same.

    Ah, now there is the rub.  We are one, just not the same, by design.  We are one on our journey of self-improvement, evolution, and struggle to overcome what our eyes tell us we are separate from.  We are cut from the same cloth of God and we come here to experience the grandness of life.  Many times we become entrenched with the conflict between what our heart feels and what our senses pick up from external sources.  Resistance and opposition are viewed as negatives while offering us the grandest of all gifts – contrast.

    When I first began my sober life, I was fortunate to meet people who welcomed me in and identified with me.  In fact, I was told that I was the most important person in the room that day.  This was because the people who were already there needed to see that their old ways were not working. I was the gift for them that day; I was the contrast.

    Together we are in this physical plane of life where we require a contextual field to provide us with a definition of ourselves.  Without all of you, I have no way of knowing anything about me.  God has given us this life, indeed.  He has joined with us in this physical vessel we call our bodies so that she, too, may know the grand nature of his-herself.

    The first thing that brought comfort to me when I entered the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous was the togetherness, the oneness, the comfort in knowing that I was not alone in my dis-ease.  The 12 steps are the same regardless of which program you enter.  The wording only changes slightly, but the meaning stays the same.  So the reason there are so many different programs available is simple. We are all seeking like-minded people.  We feel comfort around those who know what we have been through by their own experience.

    Recovery in the purest sense is not possible without incorporating others into our healing process.  Healing cannot take place without the help, support, and encouragement of others.  This is not to say people can’t stop using on their own.  They can and do.  Recovery is a completely different than simply being abstinent; recovery is a state of being.

    When in recovery, we are a light unto the darkness that others suffering with similar dis-ease can be drawn to.  Our energy is shifted from that of reaction, to a place of creation.  Each day brings about an opportunity to consciously observe and create our self in a more grand way.  We look at areas of shortcomings and recognize the need for change.  In moments of enlightenment, we can admit to others that we behaved in ways that we were not proud of and express our intention to make every attempt to correct our behavior.

    Doing these things brings about a sense of pride in ourselves that we have not experienced in a very long time.  We share with others our struggles and our victories.  We ask each other for help in our times of weakness and we lend our shoulder to others when they experience theirs.

    The sober/recovering person is a gift to the community and inspiration to those still suffering.  In this state of beingness, one invites others into the dark corners of their life and does not hide behind excuses any longer.

    Isolation is the partner of dis-ease.  Experience tells us that where two or more are gathered, God is made flesh.  Many years have gone by since I was greeted that fateful day.  I owe a debt of gratitude to that room of people who opened their arms and welcomed me in. I have long since moved away from that room of people, but I have taken the gift they gave with me.  It is now my place in recovery to welcome newcomers into the room, and tell them they are not alone anymore.

    Join us Path to Peace recovery retreat in Orlando, Florida, October 24 – 27th.  JR Westen and myself are taking the messages found within the ”Conversations with God”  Cosmology, along with our combined 53 years of personal recovery from alcohol, drug, and food addictions, and offering these retreats as a means of returning people to their authentic selves.  We understand the difficulty people face with overcoming these challenges in life and offer a simple, compassionate, and effective means of living a happy, joyous, and free life. These retreats are not simply a weekend long reprieve from our troubles.  Each attendee will be introduced to past and future participants through our community Facebook page.  In addition, any past participant can attend any future P2P retreat for any donation they wish to make.  You read that right – any donation, from $1 to infinity.  We have seen the lives of people change and remain changed from these retreats.  If this is for you, click here to register.

    We understand that there may be financial hardships keeping you from attending this retreat.  If you feel you would benefit from this retreat but cannot afford it, please contact Will@cwg.org and ask about our scholarships.  It is our deepest desire to help those who truly seek change and we want nothing to stand in the way of that.

    (Kevin McCormack, C.A.d ,is a certified addictions professional and auriculotherapist.  He is a recovering addict with 26 years of sobriety. Kevin is a practicing auriculotherapist, life coach, and interventionist specializing in individual and family recovery and also co-facilitates spiritual recovery retreats for the CWG foundation with JR Westen. You can visit his website here for more information. To connect with Kevin, please email him at Kevin@TheGlobalConversation.com)

  • Came to believe

    Just about everybody knows someone who is addicted to something, and I am not talking about the soft addictions that limit our connection to our highest self.  I am talking about hard core addictions that are affecting the lives of not only the addict, but also many lives around them.  Addiction takes no prisoners and it spares no lives. Families are torn apart, friendships are dissolved, businesses go bankrupt and employees lose their jobs.  Children are left without parents and parents lose children to drug related tragedies.

    Many of us have been asked to help someone who is in need of treatment, only to find that after a few days of sobriety the person has returned to their past behaviors.  I know of one person who has spent over $200,000.00 on treatment programs for his son only to have him end up using after all was said and done.

    Addicts are not soulless-bad people who willingly harm others for the sake of doing so.  They are suffering with a disease that affects their mind, body and spirit.  They are doing what they feel they need to do in order to survive and they live in fear of having to change their way of life.  They are afraid because the disease of addiction strikes at the center of the brain that operates through our subconscious; the same part of the brain that controls our heart beat and our breathing as well as many other survival functions.

    If you have ever watched the television shows such as; Addicted, Intervention, or even My Strange Addiction, you will see the cold hard truth of what it is like to be under the spell of addiction.  You will see, “Continued use, in spite of negative consequences” up close and personal.  Still, without having the experience yourself, you can never truly understand what is going on in those persons thoughts. The behavior appears to be completely insane, and it is.

    Insanity is defined:  Repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.  The addict truly thinks that the next drug is going to fix them and they will never need to use again, hence the term “get my fix.”

    What I have found in my experience, as well as in the experience of others, is that insanity is temporary. The second step of the Twelve Step programs is; Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.  So how do we do this? How do we come to believe?  How did you come to believe?   Have you always believed? Do you still not believe?

    When I first came to sobriety, and was confronted with this step, I did what many others have done; I went on faith.  If it worked for others it could work for me – unless they were lying!  Yes, I didn’t believe yet, but I was willing to give it a try.  What I have come to understand over the years of being clean is that to be fully sane, is a lifelong process. I return to sanity in bits and pieces only to awaken to other areas of insanity.  Through the enlightenment of unhelpful behavior patterns exposed in my life, my level of joy and freedom are increased.

    To be fully sane, is a lifelong process.

    Faith is simply taking someone’s word for something and being willing to give it a try. It doesn’t mean just trust me and don’t question me.  Faith is not going blindly on what others say.  Faith is temporarily putting aside current beliefs to experience another way of doing things.  Faith, with experience, turns to belief.  Belief, with experience and awareness, turns to knowing.  When you get to a place of knowing something to be true, you have found peace.

    So this is what I am here for, to help others to take a leap of faith, and support them through their process of coming to believe, and then walking beside them as they get to know, who they really are and what they wish to do.  This is life in recovery.  This is the path to peace.

    In June we kicked off our first in a series of CWG on recovery retreats.  A small group of people all shared a life-changing event.  If you are in recovery and not experiencing great joy and freedom or are still suffering with addictions, please consider giving yourself this experience.   Our next retreat will held in San Jose, California, Sept 19 -22nd, 2013.  On October 24 – 27th, 2013, we will have another retreat in Orlando Florida.  Click here for more information on these life-changing retreats.

    (Kevin McCormack, C.A.d ,is a certified addictions professional. He is a recovering addict with 26 years of sobriety. Kevin is a practicing auriculotherapist, life coach, and interventionist specializing in individual and family recovery and also co-facilitates spiritual recovery retreats for the CWG foundation with JR Westen. You can visit his website here for more information. To connect with Kevin, please email him at Kevin@TheGlobalConversation.com)

  • A path to peace

    My family and I just spent a week in a big city that we had never been to before.  We were there to help our 19-year-old son move from where he went to school to the city where he will be looking to start his career.  Much like the drama found in reality shows, we felt the stress of having to search for a place that was available, connect with the person who was renting, get the background checks done, and move his belongings with enough time to catch our scheduled flight back to where we live, which is clear across the country.

    Our trip began with a thorough cleaning of a bachelor apartment and the packing of all its contents.  Once we were packed, it was time for our 7-hour drive to the destination where our son would pursue turning his passion into a profession.  The one-week time frame had now dwindled down to 4 days, and we had only a few leads which we found on Craigslist.  As we drove around to check out these leads, we quickly realized how precious our time was and how fast it was going by.

    The odds started to appear to be stacked against us.  We did not know the area at all.  We had a budget we had set which was a random number we had all agreed on prior to even knowing what the market value was.  We were following directions from our Smart Phone map programs and a GPS unit, all of which wanted us to take traffic-jammed freeways just to travel short distances.

    As a group, our frustration began to build.  We had been driving around for four hours and had only seen three properties.  Taking a look at the reality of our situation, we had decided it would be wise to take two cars so we could cover more ground.  Although this was not the way we had wanted our trip to go, it was not very long after this decision that it became clear things were exactly the way they were supposed to be.

    I knew in my heart that we would succeed in our mission.  This was never really in question for me.  What I failed to keep in my mind was the bigger picture that is always present.  Think small and you will surely experience little results.  The bigger picture always includes engaging all people on a deeper level than “what can I get from you.”  True happiness seems to always come from a place of mutual energy exchange.

    We had not kept in our awareness that all of our human tasks, no matter how big or how minor, revolve around one very important thing:  our relationships with others.  Our relationships with all people are the single-most important aspect of the contextual field we are here to experience.  When we bring the energy of Oneness to each and every interaction with others, the heavens rejoice and the treasure chests are opened.

    Here is what we began to do that changed everything:  We made a decision to not go it alone.  We began to engage strangers in our plight.  As we were driving around, we saw “for rent” signs and would call them.  If the person did not have a property that was suitable to us for one reason or another, we ended the phone call by asking a uniting question:  Do you know of any apartments or people we could contact that may have something for us to consider?

    This simple question seemed to bring out the best in everyone we posed it to.  Every single person took the conversation to the next level.  We had simple suggestions like “try this part of town” or “stay away from this particular area.”  A few said, “I do not, but here is the number of someone who might.”

    We had one person whose name was Harold go way above and beyond by not only giving us three great leads right away, but also called us back the next morning and gave us two more!

    Not one of those we engaged on our journey did we meet face to face, nor did we have any prior relationship with them.  They had no financial reason to help us, as they were also landlords looking to rent their own properties.  So why did they do so?  Why did they take time out of their busy schedules to help us, someone they didn’t know and would likely never meet?

    I think I know why.  I believe that we all want to help others and have an internal and eternal desire to be of service to Humanity.  I feel they were as empowered and enriched by helping us as we were by their generosity.  I know, in the core of my being, that we all want to give freely our gift, and we are just waiting for the invitation to do so.  Great joy always seems to involve doing something for another without the thought of what is in this for me.

    So how does this article end up in the Addiction in Recovery column?

    Recovery only works when we engage those who have gone before us and ask them to share their experience, strength, and hope with us.  The founders of the Twelve Step method knew right away recovery could not take place without the support of those who could relate to the plight of the addicted.

    Addiction is a solitary disease.  Many start off using in a social setting in order to fit in.  At first, the disease seems to be the cure for all of our ills.  We become social and outgoing.  Ironically and slowly, the disease progresses and takes all of that away again.  We become lonely, isolated, and avoided.  Sick, tired, and dying, we are faced with the decision:  Do I continue to use and kill myself slowly?  Or do I reach out for help and give someone the opportunity to experience their purpose, helping others?

    Would you like to be part of a group of recovering people who share a similar belief system?  Join us for the CwG on Recovery Path to Peace retreat in Medford Oregon June 23 – June 26.

    Kevin McCormack, C.A.d ,is a certified addictions professional. He is a recovering addict with 26 years of sobriety. Kevin is a practicing auriculotherapist, life coach, and interventionist specializing in individual and family recovery. You can visit his website for more information at www.Kevin-Spiritualmentor.com  To connect with Kevin, please email him at Kevin.Spiritualmentor@gmail.com or call 407-808-6431.

  • What are Soft Addictions?

    Soft addictions are patterns of behavior we develop as coping mechanisms.  These so-called addictions are considered endogenous in the treatment community.  What this means is that the end result of the behavior is an internal release of reward chemicals in the brain.

    Human beings are all reward driven.  Some of us like the reward of excitement, that feeling of being “on top of the world,” and there are others who seek to feel more repressed or subdued.  Regardless of which you are, you would not choose to continue to live if you could not experience an emotional reward.

    Truly depressed people will share that their life is dark and empty, with no meaning.  These people are experiencing a life with little or no reward; and many who are truly in this place choose to end their lives.  It has been said that no normally functioning person could imagine what the person whose brain chemistry lacking in reward chemicals experiences.

    These naturally occurring chemicals are either dopamine or serotonin, and they control our moods.  When we have extra dopamine flowing, we are considered “high” or excited.  When we inhibit our serotonin levels, we are mellow or maybe even depressed.  Just for the sake comparison, cocaine is considered to be a dopaminergic drug; it increases the amount of dopamine in the synapses of the brain, giving us the reward of a high.  Alcohol is considered gabainergic, which is a depressant.  Alcohol acts to lower serotonin levels throughout the body.

    When we find a particular behavior that seems to work to bring the desired result, some of us become dependent on them.  When this dependency stops us from maturing and developing other coping mechanisms, that addiction takes place.  The difficulty in diagnosis is that most of the so-called “soft” addictions are common behaviors that, much like drugs and alcohol, if consumed correctly and with moderation, are very normal human actions.  What defines them as addictions is also the same as with drugs:  “repeated usage in spite of negative consequences.”  You will see this phrase used in this column often.

    When you lose multiple jobs from being tardy or absent, you may want to see if you are continuing unhelpful behaviors in spite of negative consequences.

    If you find your partners, whether they be spouse or other, continue to leave you, citing your behavior, it may be time to see if you have been repeating behaviors that bring negative consequences.

    Do you know all the first names of the police officers in your town because they have all given you tickets?  This is continued dangerous driving in spite of negative consequences.  And just to let you know, when a normal driver, one who is not seeking brain-reward chemicals from speeding or running red lights, gets a ticket, they take the blame for it and see to it that it never happens again.  Okay, I’ll admit, I needed to hear that and see it in writing as well!  My own son termed me a “habitual traffic offender.”  Nothing like the innocence of a young one to help break down your denial!

    Do your friends not want to hang out with you anymore because you argue all the time?  Have you ever admitted to being wrong about something?  Have you admitted you were wrong just to win another argument and be proven right again?  Has anyone ever called you “Mr. or Mrs. Right,” first name “Always”?  The addiction to being right could be one of the most damaging behavioral defects in our society. The effects are very clear to all but those who are smitten by this very divisive, anti-social, ego-driven compulsion.

    These are just a few of the soft addictions that plague humanity and keep us from experiencing our full potential as Triune Beings.  The willingness to look at ourselves and do a simple inventory of our lives and experiences we have had can unlock the door to the freedom and joy that we all say we wish to experience.  The world outside of us does not need to change for this to happen, and we would do well to stop waiting for the world to change before we do.

    Recovery is a personal journey that starts when we turn our focus inward and confront the reality which is our lives to date.  Every act is an act of self-definition, meaning everything we have said or done is who we are.  The hardest thing to do is give ourselves an honest and open appraisal.  The help of another person on the same journey is extremely important for us to arrive at our own truth.

    Denial is the biggest obstacle to recovery.  When we continuously place the blame of negative experiences outside of ourselves, we are in a reactive pattern.  Keep this in mind:  When you have one finger pointing at someone or something other than yourself, you have three fingers pointing back at you.

    (Kevin McCormack is a Conversations with God Life Coach, a Spiritual helper on www.changingchange.net, and an Addictions recovery advisor.  You can visit his website for more information at www.Kevin-Spiritualmentor.com  To connect with Kevin, please email him at Kevin@theglobalconversation.com)

  • The first step, it’s a doosy!

    The Twelve Steps were originally written by Dr. Bob and Bill W. in 1939.  They are to this day considered the foundation of recovery for all types of addictions and compulsive disorders.  And without question, the application of the Twelve Steps into one’s life gives the best chances of long-term sobriety.  It has long been my belief that there is no human condition the Twelve Steps could not improve.  They are simply a guide to living life in an honest, open-minded, humble, intentional, and responsible manner.  What I cannot believe is that there has not been anyone who dares to expand on them, until now.

    I am going to offer an alternative to the original Twelve Steps.  I want to be very clear here, these are not meant to replace the Twelve Steps, they are not intended to imply that there is something wrong with the Twelve Steps.   There is, however, something that has troubled me — and from what I now know, this has been a huge stumbling block for others as well — and that is the idea that we are somehow powerless.  For those who do not know, the current First Step states: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and our lives had become unmanageable.”

    A great friend of mine laughingly says, “I don’t remember booze jumping down my throat on its own.”  I am very clear that it was my thought to go to the bar, it was my words that asked for the drink, and it was my hand that lifted the poison to my lips.  I see no powerlessness there; I see the deliberate, albeit insane, act of doing the same thing over and over, all the while expecting different results.  I will grant you that after the first one, I was compelled to continue drinking by the mind-numbing action of the alcohol, coupled with its amazing ability to make me feel like I fit in.  This is the point where I felt the most powerless.  And even then, I was able to regulate my intake enough to not overdose or get sick; that is, most of the time…. So was I truly powerless?

    The other bone of contention I have heard from people, and again I would agree with, is the labeling of oneself as an “alcoholic” or “addict.”  Anyone who has spent any time in the spiritual community or with a life-coach or a counselor knows that the word directly following “I am” is an extremely powerful word.   Taking on such a label for the rest of one’s life could, in fact, bring about a relapse or a repeat of the past.  Many in the Twelve Step programs have chosen to alter that saying with statements such as “I am a grateful recovering addict.”  This is a step in the right direction as far as I am concerned.  A truthful and extremely powerful statement would look more like the following:  “Hi.  My name is Kevin.  I am choosing sobriety.”

    Maybe the original thought when writing the Steps was based on the knowledge of the terrible guilt, shame, and remorse most of us feel when we hit the bottom and seek help.  Somehow the word “powerless” seems to take us off the hook for the horrible behavior and unthinkable selfishness that we continually expressed.  Maybe the sheer thought of taking full responsibility right off the bat would send the genetically predisposed addicts right back to their drug of choice.  Is that a good enough reason to use the word “powerless”?  I will leave that up to you.

    What I am going  to do here is create a new First Step, one that allows us to acknowledge our own divinity and at the same time gives us the opportunity to admit that our choices up to this point were not in the best interest of ourselves, our loved ones, or anyone whom our behavior damaged in any way.

    This new First Step will be the largest step, the most intensive step.  And just like the original AA First Step, it will be the most difficult step.  There will be no rushing through this or any of the new spirituality steps to recovery.  The days of someone going over to their sponsor’s house for the weekend to do all Twelve Steps are over.  This is a lifetime of work that we are about to undertake here.  After all, the reason for getting sober is to live, right?  The reason for making a drastic change to your way of life is to live a joyful and full life, right?  So how can one do that by spending a weekend working on the erroneous thoughts they have spent their whole life tending to?

    Reading words in a book and feeling them in your gut only makes them a concept with which you resonate; it does not bring about a knowing.  Experiencing those words in your own actions is what will cause you to know them as real.   There is a huge difference between thinking, believing, and knowing.  Thoughts change all the time.   New thoughts pop up by the thousands per second, not always our highest thoughts by the way!  Beliefs are also subject to change based upon things we see and how we interpret them in our mind.  Knowing is something different altogether.  When you know something to be true, you will base your life around it.

    So without further ado, I offer you the first in a series of new spirituality steps to use in the process of changing those lifelong behaviors, attitudes, addictions, compulsions, or obsessions that have alienated family, friends, and loved ones, harmed countless other people, and left your life lonely, empty, and dark.

    Step 1.  I see that the way in which I have chosen to live does not work.  I am now ready to create myself anew as a sober, responsible, and accountable member of society.

    This step will require much work be done, as it clearly states that everything we thought we knew about living life was faulty or no longer viable.  We will need tremendous support and guidance in building a new foundation for our lives.  As the original program states, “You need to change your people, places, and things.”  Having those around us who are willing to tell us when we are not being who we now say we are and reeling us back in when we fall prey to old thoughts and behaviors will be vital to sustained change.

    I once again will state that I am really clear that for 20 percent of the addicted population, the Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Steps are working quite well.  What I find incredibly disturbing is that leaves 80 percent of the group in the grip of this continuing and progressive illness without an option.

    It is my belief that the soul brings us to the physical so that we may experience ourselves in ways never before experienced.  In honoring that belief, I feel it is my duty to offer this new solution to one of life’s biggest problems.  Stay tuned.   This is only Part One in a series of blogs that will re-write the Twelve Steps to align with the new spirituality.

    (Kevin McCormack is a Conversations with God Life Coach, a Spiritual helper on www.changingchange.net, Addictions recovery advisor.  To connect with Kevin please email him at Kevin@theglobalconversation.com)