Joy of Living Sober in AA

There is a newness that comes with recovery in AA when you are working and living the AA program of recovery. It is the joy of living sober. That change in attitude seemed to occur gradually for me as I got sober. Sometimes the changes were subtle and went unnoticed. Nonetheless, change was occurring. As a result, my emotions became less volatile, my actions were less impulsive, and my thinking became more balanced. I assume this is true for others in the fellowship who are trying to work and live within the framework of the AA 12 Steps of recovery.

In my own recovery, life became a gradual letting go of old ideas and embracing new and better ways to live and deal with life. Serenity became a new norm for living. Chaos started to lessen, fears diminished, and hope started to abound.

For me, sobriety was freedom from slavery to alcohol and its irrational way of thinking and acting. It didn’t happen overnight, nor did it occur in my first 90 days. I got a taste of those potential benefits when I was on AA’s “Pink Cloud.” Believe it or not, it was a time of trust, faith in AA, and hope. There is a lot of potential in sobriety, and thank God I also had great teachers and mentors to guide me along this path.

The Power of Example

In the fellowship of AA, I am surrounded by powers of example—most often good, and sometimes not so good, but they were all teachable moments. It is comforting to know that others are trying to improve themselves and live this new way of life, too.

They lead and inspire me by the power of example through the way they live their lives and deal with life’s ups and downs. That, in itself, is a living testimony to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. There is joy in seeing people continue to grow, change, and move forward in sobriety.

That inspired me.

A New Way of Seeing Life

There comes a time in sobriety when you start to realize you are walking a new path. Fear, resentment, and self-pity may still show up, but they no longer have to control your life.

As the committee in my head quieted down, I became grateful for the progress I had made and the distance I had come. My mind wasn’t racing all the time. I had an opportunity to enjoy life just as it was.

These were moments to give thanks and be grateful for the peace of mind I was finding in sobriety.

This is the joy of living sober in AA.

Sobriety can bring contentment—the understanding that life remains good even when problems arise. For me, this grew into genuine joy and the assurance that I was on the right path.

I learned to trust my Higher Power and follow His path, whatever happened.

More Than Just Stopping Drinking

When I came to AA, I would have been satisfied with simply stopping drinking. But there was so much more.

I would have sold myself totally short.

There were 12 Steps in recovery that dealt with the whole alcoholic person. Working these 12 Steps on a daily basis gave me an opportunity to deal with illnesses, deaths, financial woes, and all of life’s joys and sorrows.

Sobriety did not make life perfect. Difficult days remained, along with things I did not understand or could not control.

But my joy came from knowing that I no longer had to drink to deal with them.

I could live life on life’s terms.

Life on Life’s Terms

I could experience the good without needing alcohol to enhance it, and I could experience the difficult without needing alcohol to escape it. That was something I never understood when I was drinking.

The joy of living sober isn’t that everything goes my way.

It is knowing that whatever comes my way, I don’t have to drink.

For that, I am forever grateful to my Higher Power and to AA.