In 12 step programs, we hear the phrase "practice these principles in all our affairs." But what does this actually mean? After all, we go to meetings. We have an amends list. We've found a sponsor. Don't we spend enough time thinking about staying clean and sober? What this means to me is that we don't stay clean or sober in a vacuum.

I think this means we take the principles and concepts we learn in the meeting rooms and from reading recovery literature and apply them in our daily lives. A good guide for us is to use the 10th step. "Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it." This is an excellent concept for our daily lives.

Was I short with one of my coworkers today? Did I cut ahead of someone in line? Did I ignore my children when they sought my attention? Was it half listening when my mate was talking to me? Did I cut someone off in traffic? Did I not do my part at work today and let my coworkers carry the load? Did I leave work early without permission?

The actions in the paragraph above might seem minor. But isn't life mostly about the small things?

When I look into the history of my drinking and drugging I don't recall ever relapsing over something big. It was always something small. I never started drinking because our country went to war. I never relapsed over an election. But if the sun didn't come up when I thought it should, or if I broke a shoe lace, then that was enough to send me for a drink or a drug.

So, "practicing these principles in all our affairs," is what my recovery life is all about. If I take personal inventory all day and clean up my messes as I go, then I won't have a lot of garbage to clutter my mind. I won't have to deal with guilt. I won't have a pile of resentments. I can end my day with a clean slate.
This constant focus on the seeming minutia of our lives may seem self absorbed and extreme. But I believe that if I relapse it will likely kill me. I've had too many friends who returned to drinking and drugging, and didn't survive. So I view recovery as a life-and-death battle, the outcome based on how I carry out the mandates of the 12 step programs.

So while I don't do it perfectly, I do my best to practice 12-step principles as I trudge through my daily life.