Step 10 of the 12 steps of AA tells me to recognize when I am wrong and to promptly admit it. I made a small error and I talk about it today And as I write this brief episode description I realize how that behavior has become more than just habit it's part of my character. Ya me. Thx!

For me the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been need to be the one to make me do it. The steps, Buddhism, other religious sources, meetings, books, talks, etc.  have all provided me with What to do but at the end of it all it's Me that has to make me Do It. I have found often that's been the greatest challenge.

Gratitude is an Attitude! It's one that set me out on the right foot to getting clean and sober. More importantly it's been the cornerstone or keystone that has aided me in maintaining my sobriety. It's also been a key in learning to grow and change cause sobriety wasn't enough for me I also needed to reprogram my thinking and my actions.

grat·i·tude: (noun) the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

I wasn't thankful I was constantly complaining and I didn't show any appreciation but now I am always thankful and ready to show appreciation for kindness and ready to return kindness. More importantly I am the one that radiates kindness.

Some quotes from today's show:

"'Enough' is a feast. Buddhist proverb

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." Charles Dickens

(and one I love very much but forgot to say) It's not happy people who are thankful. It's thankful people who are happy.

Hello and Welcome to Season Two of From Booze To Buddha. Today is just a welcome or a welcome back to listeners and a tiny bit about what season one was about, for those who don't know. As well as some about what's to come as I take today to introduce this new season and get myself back into the swing of being in front of the microphone.

Thank you to everyone who has listened and continues to listen. You all make it easier for me to get over my fear of this program.

Today marks a small anniversary of successful personal development for me. Two years ago I was in a deep depressive state but I was able to recognize I had a problem and then I looked to getting help outside of myself to restore my sanity. I kept faith that things would be better and I did the work necessary to change and grow. In other words I used what I have learned from the 12 steps of AA. If you reread this you'll see that my first step was admitting I had a problem; step 1 acceptance and humility. Then I believed that a power greater than myself could restore my sanity. I was willing to turn my will and life over to the care of applying good orderly direction (G.O.D.). And that gave me the strength do the actual work which has lead me to a new found happiness in my life.

I am grateful for the 12 step program of recovery. I learned about myself and the root of my problems. I knew that I was the cause of my problems. I knew that my addictions were the source but through the program I learned that getting clean and sober was just the first step to recovery. Recovery for me meant finding inner peace and freedom from my anger, my selfishness and my bad habits.

This week I want to go back a bit to the beginning to add to the foundation of this program by talking about why it is that I turned to Buddhism for my religion and spiritual beliefs. I had the beliefs first and then I discovered for myself the religion of Buddhism. What I discovered matched my beliefs and was true for me.

Buddhists meditate on death. This is not a morbid practice nor is it meant to view life pessimistically. Instead the contemplation of death is meant to have the mind recognize how fragile and precious our life is so as to cherish it and treat it with the highest regard. It is a way to put much of life struggles into perspective.

Today's episode is about what is going on for real in my life. I am a regular person who also gets down or experiences a loss of confidence but I am using the tools that I talk about and suggest in my life to cope with my life.