Hi family, Joannie here, an alcoholic.

When I think back to the first time I heard the phrase 'One Day At A Time,' I remember thinking, "that's not going to work for me ... didn't you all know I was unique?" I needed to project into the next day, and the next, and the next. I had to plan my weekends starting on Monday, so this was just not going to work for me. But I was told to try it. Try keeping away from a drink an hour at a time if I needed to, or even less. Make it a challenge to get through that one day and then, maybe tomorrow, I could plan the weekend. They were wise folks in that room because they told me the next day to do the same thing. When I managed to put two days together, I felt I had won the lottery ... and started planning that weekend again! I was going to go to the store and pick up some booze in case company came over. Of course, if you were anything like me, I was always the 'company.' By the time the weekend came, I had talked myself out of stopping at that store for five days. But I did it one day at a time. I got a taste of freedom from hangovers, got a real good look at the mess that was me in the mirror, and knew I had to do something. This One Day At A Time thing worked! I was starting to feel better. Today, after several years of continuous sobriety, there are still days it is one day at a time for me. I have learned to incorporate O D A A T in my everyday life as well. I sometimes want to project what will happen three days ahead instead of letting God work His miracles, so I keep my whole life in one day at a time. And that is why I don't say I work the Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, I live them!