Sober living

Step 9: The Best 5 Tips for Living Amends

Before completing step nine, the recovering alcoholic needs to be ready to deliver their message with the best intentions, not motivated by false expectations. The reason why it Substance abuse is better to make amends earlier rather than later is based on experience and case studies. Many recovering alcoholics have relapsed when they allowed their fears to block them from completing step nine.

Understanding the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

Another I have witnessed and have been told (warned) about even more with step 10 amends is a lot (not all) won’t make amends because they don’t want to expose any dents in their spiritual armor. B-7 Living Sober This practical booklet demonstrates through simple examples how A.A. Members throughout the world live and stay away from that first drink one day at a time.

I’m unsure and want guidance

living amends big book

Your actions alone may bring you a sense of peace, whether a person accepts you amends or not. Working through Step 9 allows you to move forward, regardless of how others respond. Today I am working on (the behaviors noted above) by ___________________. If https://oorwin.wasmer.app/2023/07/21/the-role-of-gratitude-in-the-process-of-recovery/ there’s anything I can do today to make things right, please let me know. My only goal right now is to acknowledge the harm I caused and do what I can to make amends, if that’s possible. What happens when an attempt to correct your wrongs may cause further harm?

living amends big book

Gratefully living and sharing the miracle of recovery

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  • After all, the word used in the Big Book to describe “this phase of our development” is “painstaking” (p. 83), a truth to which anyone who has attempted to navigate amends can attest.
  • Because at that point you’ve realized that the answer to your issues, whatever they may be, actually does not come in a bottle.
  • As active addicts and alcoholics, we likely lied, cheated, or stole in order to get, use (and hide using) our drug of choice… because addiction creates absolute moral wreckage.
  • Step 4 calls us to take an honest, fearless look at our past actions, thoughts, and patterns.

What is the 8th step?

If they didn’t pay attention, I do my best to let them suffer the consequence. If they take my words for granted, sometimes, I take a break from talking. I don’t punish them with silence (although I did do that in the past).

  • One can start with those amends that may be easier and work their way up to the more challenging ones.
  • Well, for this final book in my shortlist, we’re going to go out with a bang.
  • In My experience as a sponsor and a s a sponsee there always seems to be at least one amend that seems particularly daunting , fraught with fear and apprehension.
  • Or because of my drug use I ….” have no place in this process.
  • It teaches that by following 12 steps, no matter how big the steps may seem at first, you can change your life and be the person you’ve always wanted to be – without alcohol.

It’s not about perfection but staying honest with ourselves and making corrections as needed to maintain emotional sobriety. Step 10 keeps us free from the buildup of unresolved resentments and harmful behaviors that can threaten our progress. To be “entirely ready” means we no longer justify or cling to the behaviors and attitudes that have harmed us and others. It’s an internal shift where we recognize that our old ways—resentment, dishonesty, fear—are no longer serving us. The Big Book teaches that defects of character are the root causes of our addiction, and this step is about preparing to let them go, even when they feel familiar or comfortable. Being ready doesn’t mean we know how to remove them yet—it means we’re open to spiritual help in releasing them.

Big Book ASL – Chapter 9 – The Family Afterward

This path toward continual improvement underscores the need for patience and receptiveness, showcasing how making beneficial life decisions consistently is crucial. Embracing the 9th step leads to an awareness of the role a higher power plays in our recovery, as we learn that entrusting our lives to this greater force can profoundly shape our path toward healing. This acknowledgment unveils transformations within us—alterations unattainable on our own—and underscores the spiritual principles inherent in embracing the 9th Step. Embarking on the 9th step heralds a significant transformation in both emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

To understand what living amends are is to understand the concept behind amends in a 12 step program.

The living amends United States Supreme Court did not declare the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) unconditional; rather, it ruled the AAA unconstitutional in 1936. The Court found that the AAA overstepped federal authority by regulating agricultural production, which was deemed a local matter and not within the scope of interstate commerce. The decision highlighted the limitations of federal power under the Commerce Clause, emphasizing states’ rights to manage agricultural practices without federal intervention. The goal here isn’t to make an amends over the phone; the goal is to schedule a time to have a future conversation, preferably in person. The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing.