Group News

Al-Anon’s Slogans
The Al-Anon program includes several simple, familiar, easy-to-remember “slogans” that
members have found helpful for coping with a variety of circumstances. Our slogans
include the following:

Keep It Simple:
The slogan, “Keep It Simple” helps to remind us that simple solutions are
often the most effective ones. This slogan can help us look at what really is
happening rather than what we imagine may happen, and to take a
reasonable, step by step approach rather than act out of fear or panic.

But For The Grace Of God:
The slogan, “But For The Grace Of God” helps to remind us to be
compassionate with others, including the alcoholics in our lives. This slogan
can help us avoid impatience, criticism, resentment, and vengefulness, which
does harm to ourselves as well as to others.

Easy Does It:
The slogan, “Easy Does It” helps us remember that trying to “force
solutions” often does not work. We may not be able to solve every problem in
the time frame we wish to solve it in. Some problems may not be for us to
solve. Sometimes a gentler, more patient approach is more effective and less
frustrating.

First Things First:
The slogan, “First Things First” helps us to set reasonable priorities and to
keep a realistic perspective. This slogan helps us to make choices we are
comfortable with, and to act with balance rather than react to crises.

Just For Today:
The slogan, “Just For Today” tells us that things are more manageable when
we deal with and live in the present. Things that seem way too difficult to
manage long term may seem more manageable if we deal with them just for
today. We can move forward in small steps rather than be overwhelmed by
trying to change everything at one time. This is described further in the Al-Anon
pamphlet, Just For Today.

Let It Begin With Me:
The slogan, “Let It Begin With Me” helps us to keep the focus on and be
responsible for our own actions and behaviors. This slogan helps us to take
action to change the things we can change and to take the responsibility to
get our own needs met, rather than waiting for others to change or to meet
our needs for us.

 

How Important Is It?
The slogan, “How Important Is It” helps us to have perspective, to
determine what is of most value to us personally, and to avoid being upset
over things that are of minimal importance at the moment. It helps free
us to appreciate the good things that life offers.

 

Think:
The slogan, “Think” helps us to remember to think before we act on or react
to situations. This slogan helps us make good decisions about how to act.
When we apply this slogan, it helps free us from distorted thinking and
impulsive, potentially destructive decision-making.

 

One Day At A Time:
The slogan, “One Day At A Time” provides a practical approach to challenges
and fears. We focus our energies on dealing productively with today, and we
give up worrying about a future we can not predict or control and about a
past we cannot change. It helps us break overwhelming tasks into manageable
steps.

Keep An Open Mind:
The slogan, “Keep An Open Mind” helps us to be open to ideas from sources
that we might not have imagined could be helpful. It helps us to take
advantage of all opportunities.

Live And Let Live:
The slogan, “Live And Let Live” has two parts. “Let live” reminds us to allow
others the dignity of making their own decisions and experiencing the
consequences of their decisions and choices. By minding our own business, we
are freed from feeling responsible for changing other. We also learn to “live”
by taking care of our own physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Let Go And Let God:
The slogan, “Let Go And Let God” helps us to let go of trying to control
things we can not control. When our attempts at control are not working,
when we feel we have run out of options, when we don’t know what we can do,
this slogan helps us trust that a Power greater than ourselves will help us
when the time is right.

 

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
The Al-Anon literature has many references to these slogans, along with information and
stories about how Al-Anon members apply these slogans to their daily lives. Perhaps the
best way to learn more about these tools for recovery is to attend an Al-Anon meeting and
listen to other members describe how they use the slogans, and share their experience,
strength and hope in recovery.

The Twelve Traditions of Al-Anon
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 A.A. 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.

 

 

Al-Anon’s Twelve Traditions, copyright 1996 by Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.
Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.

The Twelve Concepts of Service of Al-Anon
1. The ultimate responsibility and authority for Al-Anon world services belongs
to the Al-Anon groups.
2. The Al-Anon Family Groups have delegated complete administrative and
operational authority to their Conference and its service arms.
3. The right of decision makes effective leadership possible.
4. Participation is the key to harmony.
5. The rights of appeal and petition protect minorities and insure that they be
heard.
6. The Conference acknowledges the primary administrative responsibility of
the Trustees.
7. The Trustees have legal rights while the rights of the Conference are
traditional.
8. The Board of Trustees delegates full authority for routine management of
Al-Anon Headquarters to its executive committees.
9. Good personal leadership at all service levels is a necessity. In the field of
world service the Board of Trustees assumes the primary leadership.
10. Service responsibility is balanced by carefully defined service authority and
doubleheaded management is avoided.
11. The World Service Office is composed of selected committees, executives
and staff members.
12. The spiritual foundation for Al-Anon's world service is contained in the
General Warranties of the Conference, Article 12 of the Charter.