"Happy Sunday!"
Yesterday I had written a blog post and shared it on several recovery groups on Facebook. My first thought when doing this is that it is free and out there for all who care to read it or not. My second thought is, if someone should read it will it help them, enlighten them, inspire them and mostly have the same understanding of what I have experienced, shared or struggled with? Lastly, the comments...will the comments motivate me to write more, write less or shut me down completely? I can not answer all of these at once but what I can do is write from my heart, write honest words, present my blog in an honest way and share with all of you my experience, strength and hope. My recovery is nothing but honest!
Yesterday, I had posted my blog in a recovery group and received a very judgmental and rude comment. The comment referred to my blog as only trying to promote my business and that, in other words, I am trying to use all of you to gain or make money. What?...are you serious?...I thought to myself! Give me a break! This is not the first time this has been said to me or about my blog. Why?...because I have three Google ads on my page? Give me a break! Why because I poor my heart out to all and have the courage to do so? Give me a break! Why because someone says so or express's their judgmental and unhealthy comment about me it makes it right? Give me a break! Why because I post things differently from others in groups or on my wall on Facebook? Give me a break! If you want to know if this blog makes any money,...just ask! If you think I am a scam or spam or phony,...just ask! But do not comment under my blog and slam it and judge it when you do not know me or even given me a chance to allow my experience, strength and hope touch you. The ironic thing about all this is that some people have a sneaky way to make money off of others in recovery while others are just plain obvious. I think being sneaky about presenting oneself as helping others and then making money off of them at the same time is dishonest. I'd rather be obvious about it and let others know up front that I attend to make a profit then to hide by using other types of media to gain a profit. Why is the obvious, the individuals who write a book and network it look bad, deceitful and greedy? So I guess if I came out with a book I would be labeled these names? I would be cast out? I would be looked upon as dishonest? Give Me a break! All 12 step groups or programs are a business and if you think any different on this you are either in denial or were taught to think a certain way...sorta like the strait jacket people I have explained in a previous blog that would be the first in your face about the traditions, the steps and the Big Book. Give me a Break! All 12 step programs profit off of us, if they didn't then their so called "APPROVED" literature would be free!...but they are not! And really what or who came up with "approved" literature anyways? "Oh, yeah I know those are the only books allowed in the 12 step program to be sold and profited off of!" Why don't all the board members and some members work for free,...instead they are paid a salary! Why do we pay speakers to give their story at conferences?,...they should give their story for free! Why aren't all the retreats free? Why are news letters not free?,...instead they charge a yearly subscription fee. Why do we ask for donations at all the meetings?...who really gets that money? Give me a break! Lastly, why doesn't anyone attack Facebook for putting ads on all and every single recovery page you see on Facebook?...they are always found on the right hand side of every recovery group...and even found on your own personal wall on Facebook. I never see anyone complain about those ads even when we can plainly see they are in every page! Facebook alone makes tons of money on those ads!,...and I mean tons! Give me a break!
If a person chooses to share their experience, strength and hope in a book or blog, so be it...it is none of your business. In fact I just encouraged my good friend last night to start her own blog on recovery issues and she did! Way to go,...Lynn! If I was to ask for donations just as anyone else does to rationalize the time, the cost of running the site and the hours spent doing so,...I would be looked upon as bad? Give me a break! It is the same as a group asking for donations to cover the rent, the books, the coffee and etc...no difference! If I was to sell stuff on my blog or even write a book,...I would not sell it for free and neither would the 12 step programs or anyone else...let's get real! I am not here to represent or work for AA, nor am I an employee of them or any other 12 step program. I am just a mom sharing my experience, strength and hope, and I ask for nothing in return! I see so many people or even my own friends that had the courage to write their own books and show their honesty in making money and helping others and in return get slammed by so many on how they should make a living and that they should not be making money from a poor, vulnerable, suffering recovering person...Give me a break! The 12 step program does! I am so sick of these people breaking other people's dreams and wanting to share their experience, strength and hope with all and what they have gone through just to get where they are today. Everything in recovery is a business, like it or not! All 12 step programs, rehab facilities and other ways of recovery are a business. For instance, just by saying, "Nonprofit" to hide the really truth behind making their money,...in reality they do make money. Nonprofit is only a soft way of saying it is done all on volunteer work but the board members make the money,...and they do make the money! Just like the Catholic churches, Catholic schools and public education, and so on,...we all know the board members make great money but do we really know where all the money goes? Give me a break! Wake up and smell the coffee! In my opinion, they are hypocrites,...all the strait jacket, groupie individuals who walk around pointing fingers, with their nose up in the air and their tight shirt collars running the meetings and acting all innocent when they are the ones probably stealing the money from the basket...believe me it has happened,...many times! So, if I choose to make money with Sobriety Fitness one of these days at least I'd be honest about it! It is none of my business how others make their money and neither do I care,...so why should you? Just remember, when it comes to my business I will tell you like it is! I am honest in my recovery, how about you?
Lastly, and let me get this straight,...the ONLY way that someone is wronging a 12 step program is if they are a paid board member or employee of them and they go around promoting their good name and profiting off of it. For instance, selling their "approved" literature behind their backs and keeping the money. Steeling the money from the basket and claiming they have no idea where the money went or using the money for their gain. Doing service and getting paid on the side without any paper trail. So, before all you arrogant know hows start pointing fingers with a list of things we honest recovery people do for a living I suggest you buy a mirror and take your own inventory first,...better yet take the cotton out of your ears and stick it in your mouth!
Today, I will run with no dishonest motive in my heart in order to gain a crowd, make a profit or members to my Sobriety Fitness group on Facebook or any other place in this world. What you see is what you get,...honesty! I just might ask for support, why not everyone else does!
Sobriety Fitness by Cathy Shuba is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.sobrietyfitness.com.
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