Well I think my davening has been missing a very important component, it's been divorced from my connection to other Yidden in recovery. What I mean is ..... as a Baal Teshuva I have never felt comfortable in prayer. I never feel connected..it's just me trying to communicate with this unfathomable concept that we call G-D. It's typically dry, rote and mechanical at best and then it dawned on me that perhaps it's rooted in a lack of appreciation for the blessings that I have in my life. The major one being that I am sober and I have a community of Brothers (and Sisters) that are there right by my side. That is a gift from Hashem. So I am thinking to myself that that can be the first motivating principle, by connecting with others I can then connect with Hashem.. Insofar as that Torah, Israel and Hashem are one. That being the case by logical extension by connecting with other Yidden I can approach Hashem in the spirit of appreciation for what he has blessed me with. I know that may be convoluted but thats it for now.

It's not so convoluted. Much of davening is appreciating the world we live in, the world Hashem created, and all He gives us.

As Dov said many times, we build up that connection thru sobriety; don't expect it to jump out at you.
He also says that with our addiction (or whatever it's called), we are worshippin' another god.....whatever...take it slow and you will see results.

b'hatzlachah