Friday, September 11th
I want to enjoy the gifts of recovery.
When we join SCA, we might be confused by the slogan Stick with the winners. For many, mentioning winners in this context implies that there might also be losers.
Some of us judged ourselves to be among life’s losers in our compulsive state. We acted out to avoid feelings, fantasized, or obsessed to avoid reality, but deep down, we felt unsuccessful in many aspects of life. Holding on to such negative self-judgment may have added to feelings of shame, which could refuel our desire to use compulsive sex as an escape.
Working our recovery is not a contest or game. We don’t keep score. We work the Steps and use the Tools of Recovery to overcome our sexual compulsion: replacing harmful, demeaning, and isolating behaviors with healthy, affirming, intimate ones. There are no losers in recovery — only winners. By listening to shares, reading the literature, doing service, and socializing, we may identify with recovery paths that others have taken.
We might be inspired by hearing their stories or by seeing their results. We may aspire to follow in their footsteps as they followed in the footsteps of others.
“Stick with the winners” means we can take what we like and leave the rest.