![]() ![]() Simply refraining from using drugs or alcohol is not enough to achieve lasting recovery. Melemis, MD, Ph.D., writing for the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, states that changing your life is the first rule of recovery. Focus on the actions and events that are within your control and break larger goals down into smaller steps. According to the American Psychological Association, starting small, focusing on one thing at a time, and receiving support from others are proven ways to make changes that will last. Making recovery-focused choices day-by-day or moment-by-moment allows you to create a life that helps meet your goals. Recovery is more than simply sobriety-it involves changing your lifestyle and daily routine. This phrase reminds you that your life is ultimately shaped by the seemingly small decisions made daily. “Nothing changes if nothing changes” is an AA mantra that invites you to make the changes in your life necessary for recovery. What Is the Meaning of “Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes”? One of the most commonly repeated AA mantras is “nothing changes if nothing changes.” This saying reminds members that small, consistent changes are the key to moving toward their larger recovery goals. If you are in the early stages of recovery and have started attending a peer support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), you’ve likely heard many sayings come up repeatedly in meetings. Last Updated: Septem| Author: Karen Eisenbraun Just like our president-elect is doing right now, build your own transition team to help you succeed in making the changes you desire.What “Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes” Means for Your Recovery ![]() Recruit a mentor, pastor, coach, consultant, support group or therapist to guide you.ĭon’t go it alone. Recruit your friends and your family to help you. Build a team of people to inspire you, cheer you on and help keep you accountable. Second, let others know about the change you seek. First, ask for help from a Higher Power to fuel the change you seek. Along with AA, I recommend two outside forces: God and other people. You must seek out and invite an outside force to help you change. Individuals, families and organizations that are growing and thriving will continue to thrive until some external force disrupts their momentum.Ĭombining the wisdom of AA and Sir Isaac Newton, here’s my recommendation for any person, family or organization that wants to change. Why the disconnect between intentions and actions? Let’s turn to Sir Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion to shed some light on this topic: “Because of inertia, a body at rest remains at rest, and a body in motion continues moving in a straight line and at a constant speed, unless a force is applied to it.” A simpler way to say that is “a body at rest tends to stay at rest and a body in motion tends to say in motion, unless some external force is applied.” So that explains it! Individuals, families and organizations that are “stuck” will stay “stuck” until some external force is applied. How many times have each of us desired some change (lose weight, spend more time with family, develop a spiritual practice, save more, get more organized) only to find months, even years go by, without any progress on making the change a reality. The wisdom of this saying is the fact that it addresses the disconnect between one’s desire for change and one’s actions. My friends who are active in AA tell me that the one that has meant the most to them through the years is “nothing changes if nothing changes.” Like many wise sayings, on the surface it seems so obvious, even trite, but after you let it sink in for a while its wisdom begins to work on you.
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