Addiction is, at its core, a disease of self-obsession. For years, we were the stars of our own tragic movies. We focused on our pain, our needs, and our cravings until everyone else in our lives—our spouses, children, friends—became just background actors or obstacles in our way. We viewed people not as human beings to be loved, but as resources to be used. Recovery is the process of reversing that flow. It is the journey from “me” to “we.” We humbly ask God to remove our shortcomings not just so we can be “good people” or follow the rules, but so we can get out of our own way and start seeing others again. Humility isn’t thinking you are worthless; it isn’t self-hatred. True humility is simply thinking of yourself less. It is realizing that you are not the center of the universe, and that is actually a relief. When we let go of “selfish ambition”—that exhausting need to be right, to be first, to be recognized—the pressure to perform disappears. We find the deep peace that comes from simply being a servant. When we value others, our world gets bigger, brighter, and far less lonely. | 
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