Unity, Service and Recovery are the three key proponents of the AA program. If you ignore one of them, the triangle is broken and cannot function in its greatest capacity.

Just going to meetings and reading the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous will not give you the results that you want. Service to others is one of the very things that will help you to stay sober, but it has to be unconditional. The people who have the greatest success are the ones who dedicate their lives to helping others, not looking for anything in return.

This is no easy task for anyone, especially an addict. Their lives have always been a selfish one, a ‘what’s in it for me’ attitude. Their internal programs are centered around how something is always about them, how it might benefit them, and how they can keep satisfying their needs and wants. In order to break this cycle, the three pillars, Unity, Service, and Recovery, must be incorporated into their lives.

We can all benefit from service work. Do you remember how you felt when you performed an act of kindness for a person in need? It probably left a warm spot in your heart and every time you think about it. I remember when I got my first sponsee. I looked forward to sharing with him every Saturday. But one day, he just stopped showing up and I felt like a failure and was so disappointed. I shared this with my sponsor, Big Rock, and he gave me the greatest advice. He said, “Christopher, I need you more than you need me!” His words have stuck with me for many years and I have come to understand them more and more as time goes on.

It is when we do something for others that we are the ones who benefit from it because it helps us grow in our spiritual nature. It gets us out of our ego self and connects us more to our higher self.

Ask yourself, “How can I be of service to another person today?” The answers will come, especially if your house is in order.