When I moved to Sedona three years ago I brought with me a resume that upon examination would have conveyed to the reader - "Here is a guy who spent the last half decade working for a noble charity- helping wounded veterans and their families."

Now a great deal of that is true, however, there was also a lot of fooling around and getting loaded.

I was soon to learn that I had built up a mythological exoskeleton, character armor that I used to justify a selfish, and sensual existence of acquiring short term pleasures.

When I got sober almost two years ago the program of AA is based on working the 12 Steps. The Twelfth being transmitting the message to and helping another suffering alcoholic. Since then I have gotten very active in speaking, running meetings and sponsoring alcoholics- and sometimes I make a difference and they get sober, and sometimes the disease gets them.

I do know one thing for certain, I am at my happiest and best when I am helping others.

I have many spiritual activities that I am involved in, some of them service oriented and others for myself. For me, it is paramount that I continue to grow spiritually.

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So much of living a successful life is suiting up and showing up. That is adopting an attitude of positive intent and then becoming present for the task at hand and giving oneself fully to that which needs to be done.

The thing about the program of AA is that it is a practical, spiritual program of action, it is not simply about the cessation of an addictive behavior, rather it is a design for living in that it is about learning to live a happy life sober one day at a time. I never thought something like that would be possible.

What makes it possible for me is the application of the 12th Step -which is service work.

My happiness and well being is based on service.

No service, no John.

So it is essentially true what all the spiritual masters throughout history have been saying - to help yourself, help others.

Whether one is attempting to change a destructive behavior or not - we all have areas in our life that could use improvement- one of the oldest and best ways to improve yourself is to get out of your own way.

One of the best ways to get out of your own way is to shift your focus from your own problems and challenges to that of helping others.

When something is bothering me, when I experience feelings of self pity or resentment, when I am engaging in dishonest or self seeking thinking I can either experience the results of my own constructed causes and conditions - which is suffering - or I can practice the antidote- which is altruism.

One of the best things you can do to serve humanity is to honor the gift of your life and be the best person you can be. Take your precious human rebirth and run with it. Let your freak flag fly and follow your heart and be kind and loving to all and forgive everyone for everything without exception.