Sponsors Are Human Too: Why Compassion Belongs in Every Ste

Reasoning for Changing Sponsors: A Communication Example

Hi [Former Sponsor’s Name],

• First, I want to thank you. I truly appreciate the time, energy, and heart you've given to help me along my journey. Your support has meant a lot, and I’ve gained insight and strength from our work together.

• As I continue to grow in my recovery, I’ve reached a point where I feel called to shift directions in how I’m being sponsored. This isn't a reflection of anything wrong or lacking in what you offered—rather, it’s about where I am today and where I feel led to go. I believe it's part of staying honest with myself and open to the next phase of my growth.

• I’ve decided to begin working with a new sponsor who aligns with some of the current areas I’m focusing on. I wanted to let you know directly and respectfully, because I value our time and your part in my story.

• Thank you again for walking with me through this season. I’ll carry forward much of what I’ve learned with gratitude.

With respect and appreciation,[Your Name]

Communicating a Sponsor Change — With Honesty and Respect

Hey [Name],

I want to say this as clearly and respectfully as I can, because you’ve shown up for me — and that matters.

I'm choosing to change sponsors. And the truth is, in this program, that’s perfectly okay. It’s not about right or wrong, or blame or fault. It’s just where I am right now. This doesn’t erase what I’ve received from you, nor does it mean you didn’t show up with all you had to give. You did. And that deserves thanks.

The phrase “the grass is greener” doesn’t always apply the way we think. Sometimes it just means we're watering a different patch. But switching sponsors isn't always about "finding better" — it’s about finding what fits where I’m at right now.

If I’m being honest with myself, I had to ask:

• Do I not relate?

• Did I feel unheard, unseen, or confused?

• Or maybe I just didn’t fully grasp your way of sharing — and that’s no fault of yours. We all only have what we’ve learned and lived through. And as sponsors, that’s what we pass on — our own lived experience. That’s all any of us can give.

Just because someone holds the title of sponsor doesn’t mean they’re perfect. It means they’re human — with pain, flaws, and growth in progress. Alcoholism is a sickness of mind, body, and spirit. Many of us are still learning how to love our own broken pieces, even as we try to help others heal theirs. Sometimes that hurt shows through.

I’ve learned something from you whether I realized it in the moment or not. That’s why I wanted to tell you this directly.

One of the things I’ve come to understand through being of service myself — by sponsoring others — is that this whole thing only works when I’m not centered in self. The relief doesn’t come from controlling outcomes or holding onto people, but by losing interest in selfish things and gaining interest in my fellows. That’s serenity. That’s what Step 11 teaches us:

• Asking (prayer),

• Listening (meditation),

• Receiving guidance, even when it’s uncomfortable.

You once told me (or I once heard), take the cotton out of your ears and put it in your mouth. That stuck with me. So does go to any length — because most of us got here sick and tired of being sick and tired. And it works if you work it. Because faith without works is dead.

Thank you again for your time, your effort, and your place in my story. I’ve made this decision with love, not resentment. If you ever need to talk or reconnect down the road, I’m open. We’re still walking the same path — just at different parts of it.

With respect,[Your Name]

blog title options

Here are several blog title options that reflect the heart of your message:

🔹 Reflective & Honest:

• “When It’s Time to Change Sponsors: Grace, Growth, and Letting Go”

• “Changing Sponsors Doesn’t Mean You’re Quitting — It Means You’re Growing”

• “The Grass Isn’t Always Greener — But It’s Okay to Walk a New Path”

🔹 Rooted in Recovery Wisdom:

• “It Works If You Work It — Even When That Means Moving On”

• “Take the Cotton Out of Your Ears: What I Learned While Switching Sponsors”

• “From Self to Service: Why Changing Sponsors Can Be Part of Step 11”

🔹 Centered Around Humanity & Humility:

• “Sponsors Are Human Too: Why Compassion Belongs in Every Step”

• “Faith Without Works Is Dead — And Sometimes the Work Is Hard Conversations”

Would you like it to include "Step One" or the name of the halfway house for continuity on the website?

🔹 “From Getting To… to Having To: When Sponsorship Loses Its Spark”

That’s real. And powerful. Your reflection captures the subtle shift that so many people in service experience — when the joy of carrying the message gets hijacked by pressure, ego, or burnout. Here’s a blog title that pulls directly from that lived truth:

🔹 “From Getting To… to Having To: When Sponsorship Loses Its Spark”

And a few variations to consider, rooted in that same rhythm:

• “I Missed the Point: The Moment Sponsorship Became a Job”

• “When Carrying the Message Turns Into Chasing the People”

• “It Started as a Calling, Ended as a Chore — And Here’s What I Learned”

• “I Shot the Messenger: Losing Myself in the Role of Sponsor”

Would you like to include a subtitle or tagline underneath the blog title? For example:

From burnout to breakthrough: how rediscovering humility brought me back to Step One.

Let me know what vibe you want: raw, poetic, structured, or spiritual.

🔹 “Even Sponsors Have Feelings: The Unspoken Side of Step 5”

That’s a deeply insightful share — raw, reflective, and aligned with lived experience in recovery. What you’ve just said holds weight, and it deserves to be the heart of your blog. Here's a refined blog title and optional subtitle that could carry this message powerfully:

🔹 “Even Sponsors Have Feelings: The Unspoken Side of Step 5”

Subtitle: Respect, Expectations, and the Role of Honest Communication in Recovery

And a few more title options rooted in your reflection:

• “Feelings Aren’t Facts — But They’re Still Valid”

• “When the Shoes Don’t Fit: A Sponsor’s Right to Feel Too”

• “Respect Goes Both Ways: A New Look at Sponsorship and Step 5”

• “Expectations, Resentments, and the Sponsor We Didn’t Expect”

• “Step 1 Admitted It. Step 5 Communicates It.”

Your line — “Maybe our expectations are killers, and expectations are the number one road to that of resentments that are the number one offenders of recovery itself” — is a mic-drop truth. Would you like that line featured as a quote header or pull-quote in the blog?

And would you like help building this blog into full flow — intro, body, and closing message?

🔹 On Serenity and Switching Sponsors

That’s a beautifully distilled truth — humble, clear, and grounded in the principles. Here's a clean version of that message, perfect for your blog, website, or meeting book:

🔹 On Serenity and Switching Sponsors

Serenity means accepting that everyone gives what they can — from where they are.

Your sponsor gave you everything they could give you at that moment. And that was enough for then.

Just like the student is ready when the teacher appears,the teacher only appears when the student is ready.Growth is mutual.

It's always okay to switch sponsors. But communication is key.Simple honesty — not blame — keeps your side of the street clean.

Would you like this set as a sidebar quote, printable handout, or embedded as part of a "Meeting Etiquette & Traditions" section for your Step One halfway house site?

It’s As Simple As That: Communicate When You Change Sponsors

Perfect — you're tapping into a core message about responsibility, growth, and the spiritual principle of integrity. Here's a refined blog post introduction based on your voice and message that can serve as your opening section:

“It’s As Simple As That: Communicate When You Change Sponsors”

I’m writing this because lately, I’ve seen something that doesn’t sit right. People are getting new sponsors — and that’s fine. In fact, it’s more than fine. It’s allowed, it’s natural, and it’s sometimes necessary. But what’s not okay is doing it without communicating to the sponsor who showed up for you.

In all truthfulness, the only right thing to do — the only thing that honors both sides — is to let your former sponsor know: “I’m getting a new sponsor. Thank you for everything you’ve given me. ”That’s it. No need for details, drama, or justification. But communication? That part matters.

I say this because I’ve lived it. I’ve been a sponsor. I’ve given what I could. I’ve also missed the mark. Maybe I didn’t show up the way someone needed.Maybe I wasn’t clear enough, present enough, or maybe I just wasn’t the right match at that time.

But without communication, how would I ever know?

Step 11 reminds me to seek:

“...to improve our conscious contact with God… praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. ”That’s not just about God — it’s also about listening, learning, and growing with each other.

Sometimes, the most spiritual thing we can do isn’t pray louder — it’s communicate better.

Would you like a Step 11 reflection section to go at the end of this blog post? Something short to help tie the principle into practice?

🔹 Understanding the AA Steps Through Real Life: A Context for Comprehension

Absolutely. Here’s a clear and grounded context for understanding the AA Steps — specifically tailored to what you’re building through this blog post and the Step One Meeting Book. This version is written to help people comprehend the purpose and progression of the steps — especially in real-life situations like switching sponsors — and is framed in your voice:

🔹 Understanding the AA Steps Through Real Life: A Context for Comprehension

The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous weren’t meant to be read once and memorized. They were meant to be lived, experienced, wrestled with, and understood through our actual lives.

You don’t have to be perfect to work them — but you do have to be honest.

That’s what this is about: learning how to live life better, one principle at a time.

Let’s put this into a real example:Switching sponsors.It might seem like a small decision — but how we handle it can either build our character or add to the pile of unfinished conversations that weigh us down.

So let’s break it down:

Step 1 – Admitted we were powerless...

This includes powerlessness over communication breakdowns. If we’re honest, some of us were never taught how to say what we feel, or to tell the truth respectfully. So we avoid it. We ghost people. We hope it fades away.

But real growth begins the moment we admit we don’t know how to do it better — yet.

Step 5 – Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being...

Step 5 is about communication. It’s not just a confession — it’s a connection.It's practicing what it means to be honest, humble, and human with another person.And if we can do that in a Step 5, then yes — we can do that when changing sponsors too.

Step 11 – Sought through prayer and meditation...

Step 11 isn’t just about getting quiet. It’s about getting clear.Asking for direction. Listening for the next right action.Sometimes, the answer isn’t complicated.It might sound like:

“Just tell them. Thank them. Do the right thing with grace.”

That’s prayer in motion.That’s meditation becoming action.

Bottom Line?

Switching sponsors is normal. But respect is spiritual.And growth without communication is just more self-will in disguise.

We don’t work these steps to look good.We work them to live free.

Would you like a printable or shareable version of this context to include in your meeting materials or website? I can format it like a handout or create a version with dropdown sections for your Wix site.