Jamie Hess recalls his sponsor's advice in recovery: help other alcoholics and be of service to escape self-doubt. Self-esteem builds through esteemable acts and small daily disciplines like making your bed, which create structure and pride. When you struggle to feel grounded, help someone else.
Chapters
When I went into recovery and my sponsor, she was like, I totally understand that can be hard. You should reach out your hand and help another alcoholic. I don't think you heard me, ma'. Am. I said, me, I'm having a problem. I'm having these problems. She's like, yes, so you should go help someone else. It was news to me. It was news to me. The only way to get out from between my two ears was to go help somebody else. To go be of service. We build self esteem by doing esteemable acts. It's why the first thing they teach you in rehab is to, like, make your bed every day. By having structured discipline and doing things that make us feel complete and pride, we build self self esteem. So if you're waking up every morning and you're just feeling like, I can't get to a place of gratitude, I'm just having a hard time getting my two feet on the ground and feeling good, go be of service. Go help somebody else. Because I'm telling you, it's the life hack that people don't realize.