At the beginning of recovery, anonymity can feel like a sanctuary, a shield against public shame. Or, to some of us, it feels unnecessary. Some of us never learned to value ourselves and our inner life, so we’re used to telling everyone everything. We may be tempted to announce our Twelve Step membership everywhere we go, including at work.

But Twelve Step participants through the years have made a practice of not revealing this information unless strictly necessary. Today I will trust the wisdom of this practice. For one thing, my workplace may not be the best place to share my recovery. There could be unintended consequences to disclosing my membership in a program.

But also, maintaining my anonymity can help me grow in understanding that the self I present to the world may not be my truest self, and that my true self deserves attention and care. Anonymity can provide a space to get to know myself better.