With reading Sobrietyspell's decision to go do her Step 4, it ignited something inside of me. I was pretty despondent in my last post. I was procrastinating on Step 4, but have now started ! I get it, I mean I really get it. And if I didn't get it I wouldn't understand that it is unrealistic of me to ask my friends here or at work to fix it. I mean really come on. Thank you so much for your patience. If I wouldn't have started Step 4, I wouldn't have learned the following;
Disillusionment and helplessness are not my lot. I have to be my own protector, or I will never grow to the point of being able to fearlessly do this on my own, and this must be done by me, and only me.
Amen, phew !
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I'm proud to say I am an Alcoholic, and my name is Scott.
If the plan for me is divinely inspired, no man shall find fault with where I am today, or how I got here.
hey Scott, Make sure that you've got a sponsor to guide you with this 4th and 5th step. You should be identifying who you will be doing your 5th step with, and scheduling it for say 2-4 weeks from now. 1. to prompt you to finish it soon because you don't want to languishing around in your past and possibly drinking over it. 2.) you will want to do your 5th step almost immediately after your 4th is completed, to get it off your chest and press on. Usually the 5th step is done with a sponsor (not always, sometimes a priest) so that they can help you identify your character defects in your 6th step (which can be done right after the 5th). It's good to and productive to work right through your 4-7th steps as they all go together. Remember "easy does it" and nowhere in the steps does it say "me, my or I". We don't do these steps alone Many of us had an amazing transformation after completing the 4th and 5th. A lot of the "Promises" start happening and many of us also have that "spiritual awakening" upon completing the 5th step. I did.
sounds like you have identified a good plan, all the best with step 4 and I, also found that taking step 5 shortly there after was helpful for me.
I shared my stuff with a safe understanding person and it sure was helpful, I was encouraged to do these steps and the benefits were many, some immediate some took longer, but the promises on page 83-84 in the BB are great, i have experienced all of them, and by continuing to work the program, they stay with me, if i get off track then i start to lose them
keep up the good work, and good posts, glad you are here, Deb
Hey Scott! I was so anxious to get my 4-5th done and then procrastinated the heck out of it! In my case, I was glad I waited a little bit. I really got to know my sponsor and had no fear in sharing my "shitty" self , lol, with her! Was happy when I finally did share...I had shared before that after I shared, and she related to almost everything that I said, I responded, " dang, your worse than me, I really dont need to be here!!!" We laughed and all went great!
Im learning that the more we share of ourselves and the more honest we are, eventually, the old "me" is going away and I have room to fill myself with good things, honest things. With nothing bad anymore to hide, I no longer am living in fear!
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"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. "
Well done, Scott! Thanks for sharing your journey with me too. We are not alone. I am alone when I sit down to my computer with my reviews in front of me & questions to honestly ask myself but my bond with my Higher Power is helping me to be fearless & thorough in truth. To truly look at myself & my part alone in every instance unreservedly. I am coming out of this with my defects to treat & amends to make. It is this action that will help me to deal with myself & my life on a daily basis. I will no longer have to or be able to lie to myself which will keep my disease at bay & I won't have to take a drink again. So I am told & I hope & I believe. Just for Today. We work our programs diligently because we want to live & have a quality of life. There is nothing to fear. We can do it 1Day@aTime. Together. God bless. See you on the other side ~ Daniella x
-- Edited by Sobrietyspell at 17:39, 2008-09-04
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Progress not perfection.. & Practice makes Progress!
Many of us had an amazing transformation after completing the 4th and 5th. A lot of the "Promises" start happening and many of us also have that "spiritual awakening" upon completing the 5th step. I did.