Problem Solving
When you have a problem, what helps you decide where to start?
First things first.
-Alcoholics Anonymous, Living Sober, Chapter 13
What makes someone a good listener when you're having a difficult time?
“A soft answer turns away wrath.”
- Proverbs 15:1
What's something people can grieve besides the death of a loved one?
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
-Ecclesiastes 3:4
Also, the Byrds sang a song about it.
What's an opportunity in recovery that you never thought you'd have?
We do recover!
-NA, basic text
How do you notice when stress is starting to affect the way you think or react?
HALT! (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired).
-AA, Beyond the Walls, a Message of Hope pamphlet
What's something that can turn a small problem into a much bigger one?
Easy does it.
-Alcoholics Anonymous, Living Sober, Chapter 18.
How can you let someone know you need support without expecting them to fix everything?
Bear one another's burdens.
-Galatians 6:2
Get a sponsor.
-AA/NA/CR/ETC.
What helps you remember someone you've lost without getting stuck in the sadness?
“Hope is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul.”
-Emily Dickinson
What's something you'd like to try but haven't because you're afraid you might fail?
I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.
-William Ernest Henley
What's something you can do to calm yourself before making a difficult decision?
Keep it simple.
-AA, Behind the Walls: A Message of Hope.
When does asking for help become part of solving a problem?
“Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
Proverb 15:22
Someone gives you advice you disagree with. How can you respond without turning it into an argument?
“Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”
-James 1:19
How can you support someone who's grieving when you don't know what to say?
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
-Romans 12:15
What makes a new opportunity exciting and uncomfortable at the same time?
Courage to change the things I can.
-The Serenity Prayer, Reinhold Niebuhr
Why do you think old habits can return when you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed?
Whenever I stray from these basic principles, my old habits resurface.
Alcoholics Anonymous, Daily Reflections, January 17
What's a problem people sometimes waste energy trying to control?
Live and let live.
-Alcoholics Anonymous, Living Sober, Chapter 5
When does helping someone start interfering with their ability to help themselves?
Detach from the problem, not the person.
-Al-Anon Family Groups, Al-Anon literature on detachment.
What's a change in life that can be difficult to accept, even when you know it's necessary?
And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.
-Big Book, page 417
How can you tell whether a new opportunity supports your recovery or might put it at risk?
I will try to get a better perspective on my life.
-NA, daily reading
What's something you've learned about your thoughts that has changed the way you handle difficult situations?
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
-Romans 12:2
-Also useful would be the IP 9 from NA- daily inventory.
How do you know when a problem needs a different approach instead of another attempt at the same solution?
We may have to change many things about ourselves.
-Narcotics Anonymous, Basic Text, Chapter 5, “What Can I Do?”
How do you set boundaries with someone you love without becoming cruel or resentful?
“Love and tolerance of others is our code.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous, Big Book, page 84, Chapter 6, Into Action.
How can someone make room for new happiness without feeling like they're forgetting what they've lost?
To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.
-Mary Oliver
If you could start building one part of your future today, what would you want it to look like?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
-Mary Oliver
If you could teach your brain one healthier response to stress, what would it be?
Just for today my thoughts will be on my recovery, living and enjoying life without the use of drugs.
-Narcotics Anonymous, Just for Today