My ego is responsible for my addictions. I needed to let go of my ego in order to allow my Higher Power to heal me of my addictions. The 12 steps taught me how to do that. This was 11 plus years ago. Now I have a great life and I have never been happier!

God Bless

I know for sure that every time I think "I've got this," whether it be about relationships. overeating, or whatever, I am screwed. I have heard over and over in my 10 years, eight months at AA meetings that overconfidence and complacency takes people out, to that first sucker drink. As usual, I am looking forward to my 8:00 (eastern standard time) Sunday morning meeting.

Overconfidence and complacency a toxic combination. I am so glad you brought my attention to those two things, we hear a lot about complacency in the meetings, but we don't regularly hear that the complacency comes because of the overconfidence usually.

I have sectors that I become overconfident in, and most of the time it offends the authorities I work for. Funny thing is most of the offense comes from their looking into if I am complacent or not, after noticing I have become overconfident!

LOL.

Fredrick,

Is it your ego that urges you to repeatedly post about your ego on Daily Strength?

Asking for a friend.

I have been working on the ego issue throughout my sobriety. I agree that it’s something to keep in check but I don’t think it’s the enemy either. Instead of focusing on removing the ego I am finding that by gaining emotional and spiritual intelligence through the daily practice of staying in the moment and being a witness to my actions is slowly bringing my ego under my control. It doesn’t have to be our master. It’s just a part of us that takes over when we are being complacent. I see Quiet confidence as a good thing. We need to be strong for those around us. To be a positive example takes some confidence if we can keep the ego tamed. Otherwise we can’t offer anything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqvN9SBxoiQ

The ego isn't the enemy, but easily abused if we haven't healed.

As my Insecurities grew bigger so did my ego. When I was able to lay everything out and let go of the envy and comparing, life for easier and better for me.

Somehow in sobriety I have become less and less envious; I used to despise driving through expensive neighborhoods. AdelynRene, thank you for the Matt Kahn youtube link; often willing to learn...another gift of sobriety... I have started it.

Thanks for the replies, it might be my ego that wants me to talk about my ego. The big book says the ego is what wants to run the show so maybe, I did start the topic after all. I think having an ego and being ego centric might be two different things. We all have ego’s but not all of our ego’s are our Gods’. I had a really good sponsor when I wasn’t ready to quit drinking that talked about the ego constantly, at the time I thought he was way full of himself and not very helpful, it was only later after much more pain, from only listening to myself cheered on by an ego did I understand he was trying to warn me not to be ego-centric if I was to believe in real powerlessness.

be Humble and you will have less ego. To have self esteem one must do esteemable acts. Have a good day and do something kind for someone today! 1-2

good topic. not sure that the ego-related issues ever completely go away, but they can be managed with discipline and commitment to our higher power as we each deem it to be.

when I feel these tendencies start to surface now, most of the time I'm able to see them for what they are and defuse them before they reach the surface. being observant and mindful in my sobriety has been key to evolving into the person I want to be, rather than continue to blindly follow my impulses in the direction they chose, which was usually self-serving and irresponsible.

this is the real gift of sobriety, living the life you were intended.