Gamblers Anonymous

Just For Today - Summary
Author : GA

Just for today, have a program. Providing we do not gamble, we have nothing to fear in our new life. By having a daily program of things to do we can avoid the problems of forgetfulness, indecision and haste. It is very important that we keep ourselves occupied so that we do not become bored and seek excitement by going back to gambling. If, by the end of the day, we have not accomplished all of the items on our list, then these should be put at the top of the next day’s schedule.

Just for today, have a quiet half-hour by yourself and relax.

It is important, in the hectic world in which we live, that we make time each day to relax and try to get a better perspective of our lives. During this half hour we can try to get an understanding of our illness and what is required to maintain and improve our recovery. This means looking not only at the areas of our weakness but also our strengths.

Just for today, be unafraid.

Fear is a negative emotion that can stifle our recovery. When we were afraid it prevented us from being able to do a thorough financial and moral inventory of ourselves. It stopped us from making the list of all those we had harmed and from actually making amends. We could not accept the concept of a Higher Power, let alone be able to hand over our will and lives to it. Fear of rejection hampered our willingness to be honest and to be open about ourselves to those around us. This led to even more problems when the truth eventually came out.

Face problems a day at a time. Be confident that with the help from your Higher Power, all things are possible. Look at the progress you have already made. Use that as a basis for approaching today without fear.

Just for today, believe that the GA program will work.

Yes, this program works (for those who work the program). GA takes irresponsible, immature, compulsive gamblers and molds them into decent, responsible human beings. Yes, this fellowship works - if you want it to work.

One thing we had in abundance when we were at our peak in gambling was faith ... faith in our own ability as gamblers. We mistakenly had faith that our “skill” as gamblers would lead us out of our troubles and to better lives, secure in the fact that the next big win was just around the corner. It was this unshakeable faith that kept most of us sane.

Sadly, this faith was shattered when we found ourselves in the depth of misery, with nowhere to turn but Gamblers Anonymous.

Active compulsive gamblers don’t have marvelous lives. They all have financial problems as well as problems in their most important relationships. They don’t accept responsibility or reality. In sort, their lives are unmanageable.

Now take a good look at the members of Gamblers Anonymous. Do they look unhappy? Do they look as if they are in financial difficulty? Ask them about their home lives, their relationships and how they feel about themselves. The vast majority of them lead happy productive lives now that they have arrested gambling on a daily basis. Yet when you listen to their therapies you will find that they came from the same hell and misery as you did.

SUMMARY

In this booklet we have only covered some of the obstacles with which we are faced on our road of recovery. We haven’t given all the answers to these problems because we don’t know all the answers. We are compulsive gamblers still learning, still maturing and still trying to stay away from the first bet.

If in some way we have made your journey a little easier then we will have done what we intended. We hope you have read through the pages with an open mind and will put into practice the things you have read.

For instance, referring to the article on involvement, you may ask, “Who wrote and edited this booklet?”

We will tell you. It has been written by some ordinary members who wanted to get involved and to give back a little to a program that has given us a whole new life.

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