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1. Our common welfare should come first; personal progress for the greatest number depends upon unity.

2. For our group purpose there is but one authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants—they do not govern.

3. The relatives of alcoholics, when gathered together for mutual aid, may call themselves an Al-Anon Family Group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend.

4. Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting another group or Al-Anon or AA as a whole.

5. Each Al-Anon Family Group has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, by encouraging and understanding our alcoholic relatives, and by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics.

6. Our Family Groups ought never endorse, finance or lend our name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary spiritual aim. Although a separate entity, we should always co-operate with Alcoholics Anonymous.

7. Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

8. Al-Anon Twelfth Step work should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

9. Our groups, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10.The Al-Anon Family Groups have no opinion on outside issues; hence our name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, and TV. We need guard with special care the anonymity of all AA members.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.

Just for today, I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do something for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for today, I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, that "most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.

Just for today, I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my "luck" as it comes, and fit myself to it.

Just for today, I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and not get found out. I will do at least two things I don't want to--just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt; they may be hurt, but today I will not show it

Just for today, I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low, act courteously, criticize not one bit, not find fault with anything and not try to improve or regulate anybody except myself.

Just for today, I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.

Just for today, I will have a quiet half hour all by myself, and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.

Just for today, I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.

Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.,

Alateen is:

… a fellowship of young Al-Anon members, usually
teenagers, whose lives have been affected by someone
else’s drinking.

Purposes of Alateen

Young People Come Together To:

  •  share experience, strength and hope with each
    other
  • discuss their difficulties
  • learn effective ways to cope with their problems
  • encourage one another
  • help each other understand the principles of the
    Al-Anon program

Alateen Members Learn

  • compulsive drinking is a disease
  • they can detach themselves emotionally from the drinker’s problems while continuing to love the person
  • they are not the cause of anyone else’s drinking or behavior
  • they cannot change or control anyone but themselves
  • they have spiritual and intellectual resources with which to develop their own potentials, no matter what happens at home
  • they can build satisfying and rewarding life experiences for themselves

Sponsorship

Every Alateen group needs Al-Anon Sponsors who are a minimum of 21 years old, currently attending AlAnon meetings, are active members of Al-Anon for at least two years in addition to any time spent in Alateen, and meet their area requirements. Sponsors are an active part of the group, guiding, and sharing knowledge of our Twelve Steps and Traditions. Members of Alateen can also choose to have a personal sponsor, who can be another member of Alateen.

Where Alateens Meet

Alateen members meet in church halls, school rooms or other suitable places (many times in the same building as an Al-Anon group, but in a separate room.)

Alateen Literature

Members are encouraged to read Al-Anon and Alateen Conference Approved Literature and materials.  Written from members’ personal sharings, these recovery tools can help them deal with their problems.

The Twelve Steps

The Al-Anon/Alateen program is based on the following Twelve Steps which members discuss and apply to their own attitudes and relationships with others. This can help the Alateen member develop strength to deal with problems maturely and realistically.


1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol -- that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs

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