Next week I’ll be posting an update on several Al‑Anon guidelines that have been revised this year. However while I was researching those, it led me to this guideline for The Forum that was very recently updated – just last month, in October 2021, in fact! It got me wondering, 🤔 “What changed exactly?” See…
Tag: Letting Go
MTG – Orlando – “Peace Within”
WHAT I LEARNED: When I substitute the phrase “I hope” in place of “I expect,” then it allows me to let go of the outcome & my expectations don’t grow into resentments. Even better, is when I add at the end of “I hope…” this phrase: “…and if it doesn’t happen, then I will still…
N. FL Area Convention 2018 – Days 1 – 3
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Fear is a dark room where negative emotions are exposed. 2. After I make amends, my weapons are no longer licensed. 3. The more I forget, the more I keep coming back! 4. I need to let go… of my need to know. 5. Sometimes I need to experience the consequences of…
PODCAST – How Al-Anon Works / Just For Today Bookmark (Item #’s B-22 / M-12)
EPISODE 10 of my “CAL Chat” podcast is now available to listen to! What are good consequences? Where does the fear of letting go come from? What are literature discussions like at the World Service Conference? (To hear this episode, please visit the show’s website at: calchatpodcast.com – or you can subscribe to it for…
MTG – Orlando – “College Park 12 Step”
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. A few paradoxes of the Al-Anon program: A) Letting go takes a lot of work; B) Being powerless gives me power; C) Helping can harm. 2. There are 3 levels of detachment: middle-finger, neutral, & loving!
CAL – Area Archives (Item # G-30)
WHAT I LEARNED: Much like a library’s collection, archives grow continuously & are typically limited by physical space. This guideline focuses on the preservation of Al-Anon’s local history, but only from a standpoint of keeping paper items & audio tapes – which means we are relying on the Area Archivist (or a designated committee) to…
CAL – The Al-Anon Focus (Item # P-45)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Originally, in 1978, this pamphlet was called “Double Winners” but was given its current title 4 years later (with the added subtitle: “For Al-Anon/Alateen Members Who Are Also Recovering Alcoholics”) to avoid giving the impression that one member was more important than another. Although I sometimes still hear the term “Double…
CAL – How Can I Help My Children? (Item # P-9)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1.“Helping” is a tricky word in this program. This pamphlet basically boils down to setting a good example & “Secure your own mask first” before assisting children (or anyone else for that matter). It’s full of tips, personal stories, a checklist for parents, Steps, Traditions, slogans, & an excerpt from the pamphlet “Dear…
CAL – To Parents of Alcoholics (Item # P-16)
Yesterday I finished the Adult Children of Alcoholics Newcomer Packet (item # K-21). This week there’s only this one pamphlet to read from the Parents’ Newcomer Packet (K-24). –What I learned about all the other items in this packet can be found in previous entries for the general Al-Anon Newcomer Packet (K-10). WHAT I LEARNED: 1. This…
"CAL Chat" Blog ~My journey in Al-Anon~ 