“When I first heard the Traditions read at a meeting, I thought they were boring and dry, a waste of precious time that could have been spent sharing. I thought they weren’t useful or applicable to me, but they were there if an Al-Anon group had a problem. “After I worked the Steps, my Sponsor suggested I start on the Traditions. Boy, was I in for a spiritual awakening! Turns out those previously pesky Traditions have changed my personal life. Our Fourth Tradition has been incredibly powerful to me. It states, in part, that ‘Every group should be autonomous.’ I was never autonomous in the alcoholic home I grew up in. I wasn’t given a choice about how to act or think. I couldn’t even comprehend that there were other ways to live my life. I just followed what my mother and father told me to do. I was so scared of the repercussions of stepping outside the lines that I didn’t have the emotional space to imagine a different way to live.” “They Were All Autonomous,” “The Forum,” April 2025 Did you know we have a Traditions Blog on our website? It’s a great place for members to share how they have grown their recovery with Al-Anon Family Group’s Traditions and for newcomers who want to find new ways to incorporate the program principles in their personal recovery journey. Check out the blog and share your experience, strength, and hope. 🔹 https://al-anon.org/blog/category/the-traditions/ #AlAnon #Alateen #AlAnonFamilyGroups #AlAnonBlog #HowAlAnonWorks #FamilyDisease #FamilyRecovery #alcoholism #addiction #12Step #AA #recoveryjourney #COA #AlcoholAwarenessMonth #ODAT #recoverywarrior (fb)

“I used to think with a little self-control that the father of my children could avoid drinking too much. Or, if he didn’t hang around certain people, if I could love him enough, if I maintained a comfortable home and served delicious meals, he’d stop the excess drinking. However, that didn’t work. I tried bargaining by offering to fix a drink for him at home and even offering to give up chocolate if he’d give up drinking.” “All the Trying in the World,” “The Forum,” March 2018 Al-Anon is a Twelve Step program for the families and friends of alcoholics. Find out more about the program at: ➡️ https://bit.ly/3jDPexb #AlAnon #Alateen #FamilyDisease #FamilyRecovery #alcoholism #addiction #12Step #AA #recoveryjourney #COA #itsaboutme #alcoholicproblems #familysecrets #fact #raiseawareness #breakthecycle #truth (fb)