Society today is all about instant gratification. Patience and tolerance must be our code not just with others but with ourselves and our recovery.

Sobriety (or ending any other addiction) does not mean we are well. The only way we can change our lives is by working the 12 Steps. This article is about someone who didn't. Anyone of us could be this person. If you see yourself in this at all, you have time to change.

The personal inventory we make each evening helps us maintain our sobriety and spiritual connection to a Higher Power. It is not always about good and bad but what could we have done better or different in words and actions for the good of all.

It is so easy to say we have faith and trust in a Higher Power. But when we are put to the test, is it really that simple or do we still want it our way? When we turn our will and lives over to a Higher Power, do we honestly trust 100%?

It seems that if we have one addiction, there is always another lurking right around the corner. How do we deal with these and should we even try to get rid of all of them at the same time?

There are many ways to describe relapse and many reasons why it happens. Prevention is the key but regression doesn't happen overnight. Identify where you are in your recovery and know if you are entering the danger zone.

No matter how many times we read and share about the 12 Steps, there is always something new. Sometimes it is just a new thought and other times it is a real awakening. More is always revealed to us.

"12 steps that can save your life" by Barb Rogers is not just another book about the 12 steps. It is an opportunity to see the steps in action. This book is great for anyone who wants to refresh their sobriety and for newcomers who still aren't sure what the steps are all about.

Steps 8 and 9 are somewhat behind us. The Promises as given to us in the Big Book can be both prayer and meditation. When and how we see the Promises unfold depends on us, the action we are willing to take, and how we are living life in recovery.

My most popular article to date is "How To Make Amends - Step 8". Since that is only the first part of the process, I wanted to republish my thoughts on Step 9. Only by working these two steps can we begin the maintenance of our sobriety and know the fruits of the Promises.