If you’ve been to a treatment center before or attended a 12-step meeting, then you may have heard of rule 62. There are plenty of questions about this rule 62.
What is rule 62? Where does rule 62 come from? Where did it originate from? How can I apply it to my life?
We’re here to explain the origin of rule 62, as well as what it means and how you, yourself, can benefit from it. We will explain the different ways of utilizing this rule.
Rule 62: Don’t Take Yourself So Damn Seriously
Many rules and stories discuss the recovery process and the steps involved within the Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12&12). Rule 62 of recovery is “Don’t take yourself too damn seriously.” It doesn’t always occur to people in recovery that they can enjoy life again or be happy without alcohol. People around them seem to enjoy themselves without using drugs or drinking alcohol, but they cannot quite think of the possibility of this happening to them.
The main lesson of Rule 62 is to take life lightly, have fun, and enjoy it. You should enjoy the little things and laugh at yourself. The concept can be hard to grasp at first, but eventually, people get it.
History of Rule 62 and Who Created It
History shows that a group of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), we’ll call the Middleland group, convinced people in their town to fund a recovery program. They envisioned an elaborate space where AA members could receive medical assistance, recover in residential facilities, and attend support group meetings in almost a three-tier system.
After the group met, they decided that there was a need for rules and regulations to guide the development of this recovery operation. They sought feedback from others to determine which ideas would work best.
Since no one could agree on everything, they created 61 rules that they would abide by and follow.
They sent all 61 rules to the NY office of AA during this process. Those who formed this AA group to create this operation had no idea how to run a facility like this. Those who volunteered at NY had no idea what to say about the rules they had been sent.
This Middleland Group’s operation came to its inevitable end, and frustration fell over the group. When the disappointment was lifted from the group. The leader of the process had re-wrote to the NY office saying he had wished he would have paid more attention to past AA experience and also added in a little card that read “Rule #62: Don’t take yourself so damn seriously.”
How Does This Apply to Daily Life?
We learned a fundamental and crucial lesson from the leader of this group. They had been humbly willing to accept these lessons they had learned and apply them to their lives. The group had gone on to pick themselves up and moved on to much better things with a laugh. Even the leading promoter and architect of this group, who was standing in the ruins of his dreams, could laugh at himself, which is the very definition of humility.
This humility learned from this lesson can be applied in all sorts of areas in our daily lives. The true humility achieved by not taking yourself so seriously can set you up to get you through some serious situations in life.
It allows you to embrace your humanness. For many of us, when we fail at something important, whether it is a relationship, job, business investment, etc., our self-esteem will plummet. Sometimes we tie our self-worth to these things. All of a sudden, we will feel unworthy.
True humility will allow you to feel gratitude. Humility and gratitude and reinforcing of each other. Expressing gratitude can enable humility in us, and it has been seen that humble people have a better capacity for being grateful.
Perhaps the key that lies in humility is seeing your life as a journey. The journey of cultivating the qualities that bring out the best of us and those around us. These are the qualities that can make the world a better place.
What If I Need Help?
When a person is addicted to alcohol or is suffering from alcoholism, they abuse alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs that will have short-term or long-term health consequences. People who drink excessive amounts of alcohol may exhibit risky or dangerous behaviors, including driving under the influence or doing things they wouldn’t normally do, thus putting themselves in danger.
Alcohol Detox
In Southern California, ReAlign Detox is dedicated to the treatment of addiction. By offering unique services, world-class treatment, and a safe, comfortable, and effective detoxification experience, ReAlign Detox stands out from the many detox centers around Southern California. The unbeatable experience of our detox program has inspired us to create a program unlike any other, which can be customized to meet the unique needs of any client.
We can help you today. Contact us to speak to our admissions team. We will help you get started on your journey in recovery. We will make sure that you or your loved one will receive the medical care that they need.