Teen and Young Adult Recovery Blog

"Give it away to keep it" is more than just a saying in recovery—it’s a guiding principle suggesting that the best way to sustain our own sobriety is by helping others. Why, exactly, do we place such a heavy emphasis on this topic in the recovery world?

"Give it away to keep it" is a recovery saying meaning that we can’t maintain sobriety over the long haul without freely giving away what was given to us. By helping others on their journey, we get out of ourselves, build vital self-esteem, and begin to have a spiritual experience.

This is, in many ways, the core concept of recovery discovered by Dr. Bob and Bill W. as they began their journey: we stay sober by one alcoholic helping another.

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There’s no question about it, those of us in recovery have no shortage of great one-liners and acronyms to pull form at a moment’s notice! One of our favorites is an acronym for GOD: Good Orderly Direction.

Good Orderly Direction means seeking guidance from others in a recovery program who can provide clearer, healthier direction than we can provide ourselves. It emphasizes trusting the wisdom and experience of those who have walked the path before us. By leaning on this external support, we can overcome our own flawed thinking and grow in recovery.

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