Do you take responsibility for your own actions? Do you take on responsibility for the way others live their lives? Do you sometimes try to play God?

Spencer and Akilah talk about responsibility and authority, as set forth in Concepts one and two.

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.

The readings in the books Paths to Recovery and Reaching for Personal Freedom include some writings on personal application as well as explanations of how it works on the service level.

• What do “authority” and “responsibility” mean (to me)? What is the difference?
  • Authority: “the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.”
  • Responsibility: “the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something” or “taking ownership of my thoughts, words, and actions.”

For concept one

• For what part of my life am I ultimately responsible? What responsibilities might I share or delegate?
• How do I contribute to the group conscience?
• How does this concept help me to keep the focus on myself?
• How can I learn to trust the decisions of others?
• When have I assumed responsibilities that are not mine?
• When have let others take on responsibilities that should have been mine?
• Can this concept help to me to “Let go and let God”, knowing that I am not the ultimate authority?

For concept two,  the questions are:

• Why is it important to delegate both responsibility and authority in general? In Al-Anon?
• Am I able to share responsibility? What responsibility? Am I willing to offer my assistance to others?
• When do I rely on others? Can I ask for help?
• What responsibilities in my life could I delegate to someone else?
• Whom can I trust to be reliable?
• How does delegating responsibility help to trust the abilities of others?
• How willing am I to work with others and to consider their ideas? How often do I trust the knowledge an experience of another person? Do I support and encourage others?
• When delegating how do I define boundaries to separate my responsibility from someone else’s
• How does my attempt to take charge of everything without delegating keep me from completing the work that needs to be done?
• For what am I responsible?

A listener emailed some questions. Listen to the show to hear the whole email. We put the questions to you, in hopes that you will share your experience, strength, and hope with our listener.

• Do any of you out there have any personal experiences setting ultimatums with your addicts that were not respected, acknowledged or met with insult?
• How have you handled the negativity from your addict, and the anxiety and heartbreak of not knowing if the relationship will ever be restored?
• What has it looked like for you to practice loving detachment with an intimate partner through a separation or divorce?
• What is the next right thing to do once a boundary has been communicated?

Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email feedback@therecoveryshow.com. Or just leave a comment right here.

Music from the show

Dido – Life for Rent

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car

Cat Stevens – If you want to Sing Out, Sing Out!