Five Minutes at a Time: My Real AA Road to Recovery - Tom from Florida

Tom says the alcoholics anonymous took him from that place of panic and desperation, and I'm here to tell you exactly how I stayed sober: one minute at a time, five minutes at a time, one day at a time.

Today's speaker Tom from Florida says "Alcohol changed my brain the first time I drank — it took away inhibitions, it dulled the fear, and it felt like an answer to everything that hurt. It wrecked my life, left me shaking, sweating out detox at home, and with an enlarged liver at thirty. But what saved me was the rooms going back out was a group of people who cared enough to meet me where I was." 

It wasn't bout lectures or magic formulas; it was about showing up. I sat in the same front-row seat twice a week because someone told me it would help me hear the message. I learned to wash ashtrays, fold tables, mop up spilled coffee, and let people be kind to me without judging me. Those small acts and the routine of meetings anchored me.

People in AA shared how they did it — their experience, strength, and hope — not opinions or one-size-fits-all fixes. I had a sponsor after two years who taught me boundaries around the program: we go to meetings, then we do life. That structure, and the kindness I received, taught me how to find answers through the steps and through honest conversation.

If you re new, it doesn't feel easy at first. You do this in tiny pieces. Look around—if someone in the room did it, you can, too. Remember your last drunk not to shame you but to keep you honest and grateful it so it does end up being the last one.

This isn't about being perfect; it's about showing up, asking for help, and letting people love you into recovery. Stay curious, try different meetings, find a home group and a sponsor, and give yourself the grace of small steps. You can do five minutes more, and then five minutes more. believe in you.

 

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