07/27/2026
Someone asked:
Can you stay sober without steps or meetings?
My Response:
Loaded question.
I’m celebrating 41 years in recovery this week.
There was a time when I believed meetings and the Steps were the only way to stay sober. I no longer believe that. And I say that as someone who has attended countless meetings and had the privilege of taking thousands of people through the Steps.
For me, the Steps and meetings have been an incredible gift. They gave me a foundation, a community, and a way of living that changed my life.
Where I think we need to be careful is telling people—directly or indirectly—that if they stop going to meetings or working the Steps exactly as they always have, relapse is inevitable. When someone believes there’s only one path, hope can disappear the moment life changes.
Recovery is deeper than attendance. At some point, the principles become part of who you are. As we often say, once you’re a pickle, you can’t go back to being a cucumber.
I’ve seen people thrive by continuing meetings and working the Steps for the rest of their lives. I’ve seen others carry those same principles into their churches, families, workplaces, and communities. The common thread isn’t where they practice recovery—it’s that they continue living the principles and helping others.
Does relapse happen? Absolutely. It can happen when we lose our connection to the principles that helped us recover. But I don’t believe fear is the greatest motivator. Hope is.
Recovery is the greatest gift I’ve ever been given, and I cherish it every day.
May you all be blessed. Stay connected to whatever keeps you spiritually and emotionally healthy, and never lose hope.
