THOUGHTS TO TAKE TO AN A.A. MEETING
I will make sure that what I say will be helpful to someone, and not merely use the meeting as an audience for my troubles.
I will listen to everything that is said so I will have some constructive ideas to take home with me and use.
I will not yield to my compulsion to go on talking after I have made my point--and what I say will have a direct relevance to the subject of the meeting.
If someone asks for advice, I will give it only in terms of A.A. principles, and not suggest action to be taken.
The A.A. meeting is essentially group therapy from which each person should derive maximum benefit.
If I have a personal problem to discuss, I will talk about it to my sponsor before or after the meeting, or by telephone between meetings.
I will not waste a single minute of that one hour of an A.A. meeting when we can be together to share experience, strength and hope.
If I want to determine how much help an A.A. meeting gave, I should ask: a) How many of the people here have learned something new about applying A.A. principles?, b) How many have given a constructive idea to take away with me and use?