We may have formally taken Steps 8 and 9 but there may be certain people that prompt us to think twice about the amends we made and is there anything more to say.

We always talk about principles and practicing them means we get the opportunity to work on them every day. You can focus on specific principles when you work the steps if you know what they are.

It took us so long to get into recovery that the early days of sobriety might seem too good to be true. When life becomes "normal" it might be something unfamiliar to us. We might question our recovery and ask, "what am I missing?"

There are a number of ways to lose our identities. Addiction is one of them. The solution, though, to finding our true selves again, is in working the Twelve Steps.

The literature of Alcoholics Anonymous may sound dated. The beauty of this and other 12 Step recovery programs is that they work if we work them. Would we really want to change it all just to reflect a new millenium?

Our Higher Power, sponsor, and honesty are the main ingredients to a successful Step 5. We will never be perfect but we can begin to practice the principles that will give us peace and serenity.

Each day we have choice. Will we do what we can to make it a good day? Or will we revert back to old behaviors and blame someone else. We know we are not perfect but we can control our own destiny.

Finding a sponsor can be challenging but having a sponsor is vital to recovery. There is a special person out there for you and all you have to do is want what they have and ask the question, "Will you be my sponsor?"

No matter how long we are in recovery or how strong we thing our program is, our humanity sometimes gets in the way of peace and serenity. It is truly the "bondage of self".

There is a tremendous amount of information online for recovering addicts. We need to be responsible and careful about advice we receive and also the advice we give in a chat room, blog, or forum