Aside from financial contributions, how do you practice Tradition Seven in your group and in your personal life?
July’s topic is, “Aside from financial contributions, how do you practice Tradition Seven in your group and in your personal life?”
As always, you can also write about Al‑Anon’s three Legacies. This month features Step Seven, Tradition Seven, and Concept Seven.
Sharings on the Member Blog may be used in future Al‑Anon publications.
New topics are being added each month!
In my group, I practice Tradition Seven beyond financial donations by volunteering to read and share. Over the years, I’ve also helped with meeting set-up and clean-up, and served as meeting chair, group treasurer, literature chair, and Group Representative. The key words for me are “self-supporting” and “voluntary contributions”. I’ve learned that healthy groups are groups whose members willingly pitch in to do the work it takes for a meeting to exist and grow in recovery. This has carried over to my home life through changed attitudes toward my share of housework and other responsibilities. I no longer keep a… Read more »
Learning about Tradition Seven in Al-Anon has been a monumental influence in my life. Being fully self-supporting means that I am no longer dependent on others for joy and happiness. I no longer depend on my relationships, another’s personality, actions, or up and down emotions to sustain me. Tradition Seven keeps me focused on what is essential in my life and allows me to focus solely on my self-care, free from the turbulence of the disease of alcoholism. It means that I contribute service to my meetings without dominating, and it means that I share my experience, strength, and hope… Read more »
A good topic, thank you. Recently, I rethought about what my primary purpose is. It is to support myself to grow and to care for myself emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. I do this in partnership with my Higher Power (HP), to help myself thrive in these areas. This guides me to be self-supporting with help from my HP. Sometimes this help is asking for help from professionals, my doctor, a counsellor, a friend, a bank manager etc. To be self-supporting well, I need to reflect and consider how I am and what I might need. Reflection requires quiet, spaces… Read more »
Once I understood Tradition Seven completely I was dedicated to it and I have remained so ever since. I always contributed financially to the group according to my budget and to the needs of the group. I have also always raised my contributions according to the increase of the cost of living. It has always been clear to me that the needs of our Fellowship, that is following the increase of the cost of living, has greater needs as the years go on! I always keep this in mind when deciding what my contribution will be at my next meeting,… Read more »
Practicing the 7th Tradition in my home group includes the following: · Sharing – In my sharing I stick to Al-Anon principles, avoiding contributions from outside literature and philosophies. · Setting up for the meeting – my home group does a good job of everybody pitching in to set up tables, chairs, posters, and the group notebook and putting things away afterwards. · Business meetings – I make sure to attend business meetings and share my point of view and also listen carefully to and consider everyone else’s point of view. When I lead a business meeting, I make sure to ask each… Read more »
Beside being financially self-supporting, I feel less emotionally dependent on those around me. There was a time I felt alone and found myself inviting my children to places they didn’t want to be. I decided to find activities to get myself out of that restricted way of feeling independent and happy. I got busy. I started noticing that I had options. My favorite activity is dancing, I joined a class. Now, I respect their time. If they call me to join them in an activity, I participate gratefully. This topic gives me lots of insight. It makes me think about… Read more »
I volunteered to be the treasurer in our group even though I thought I was terrrible with money. I don’t have any debt but I just don’t care about accumulating money or property. What I learned is just collecting the money and making the distributions is enough. Our group has integrity and so do I even if I am not rich as a savvy investor. I am still learning that if I invest too much of my time or money in outside enterprises such as family members, long phone calls, or work off the clock that I am violating my… Read more »
Being “self-supporting” means not relying on others for things that are my responsibility. Take managing my own emotions, for example. I am responsible when I feel, identify, name, and take appropriate action. I am not self-supporting when I demand that others alter their lives to decrease my anxiety or fear, or when I ignore my feelings and allow them to drive unconscious and destructive actions.
Tradition Seven has brought me significant balance in my life. I learned some deeper meanings about being “self supporting” in all aspects of my life. To not expect others to bring happiness or joy to my life. While that may happen, I am responsible for my own happiness and joy. To understand that I am not an island unto myself but a functioning member of greater humanity. We are connected in so many ways and I am responsible for my part in whatever situation I am a part of. To support myself first is ok. At first, it felt selfish… Read more »
Tradition Seven, when I first started coming to Al-Anon, didn’t make a lot of sense to me. One night, a fellow member shared his experience, strength, and hope on Tradition Seven and it made a lot more sense after that. I realized that this Tradition meant more than just putting money into the basket when it was passed. It meant supporting my group by signing up to be the chair for a meeting. Taking a newcomers meeting was another way to support my group. Even if the only thing I do for the evening is greet someone who walks into… Read more »
I contribute A LOT in terms of service. In addition to being an ISR (Intergroup Service Rep) for my home group, I took on the Facilities Coordinator position for the last brick-and-mortar bookstore in the San Francisco Bay area. My program and skills have improved hugely as a result of these service contributions. I am living the 12th Step and it is amazing! I love supporting the World Wide Service of Al-Anon. Because it has been there for me, I want to give back.
In addition to financial support to the meetings I attend, I’m quite active at the group level and with my local AIS. At my home group, I just recently was accepted as the Group Rep. For my secondary group, I’m filling the role as Literature Chair. Both positions have been rewarding by providing service and support to my fellow members. My favorite service for the last couple of years has been as the Newsletter Editor of our AIS. There are many facets of personal rewards from this service. I get to meet and interact with many individuals in various stages… Read more »