Supporting My Own Recovery

Before recovery, I went to meetings because I was desperate. I needed help, and meetings were where I might find it. My attendance was about what I could get—tools, relief, understanding, a way to survive. Nothing wrong with that. We all start there, needing what meetings offer.

Now I support my own recovery by attending meetings because I want to be available when anyone needs them. My motivation has shifted. Yes, I still fill my own cup at meetings. I still need the reminders, the connection, and the wisdom. But I also go because someone might walk in who needs what I needed when I first came.

I go because I want to be part of creating the safe space that saved my life. Because someone staying after a meeting to talk to me made all the difference. Because the person who smiled at me that first terrifying Tuesday gave me courage to come back. I want to be that person for whoever walks through the door.

This shift in why I attend isn't about being noble or selfless. It's about understanding how recovery works. I can't keep what I have if meetings disappear. My recovery depends on a healthy program. Being available for others is how I support my own recovery.

I will stay after my meeting today. I will be present and open, ready to offer a smile or a word of welcome to anyone who looks like they need it.