Thought for today:

Taking a personal inventory isn’t for sissies.  The defects of character we uncover can bring feelings of shame, remorse, fear.  That’s why we took the Fifth Step with another human being who had been through the Steps and who knew what we were trying to carry out.

Sharing our inventory with another person in the program also makes us feel less unique.  We finally feel as if we are making progress, gaining understanding.

With renewed confidence, we become ready to start shedding the things that hold us back.  Reviewing our Fourth Step list, we make sure we have covered everything.

DA Step 6

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

A member shares:

“After I shared my Fifth Step, I felt a freedom I hadn’t had before.  For the first time, I saw myself as having gone through an illness, that I was coming through slowly.  But I also felt regret for time wasted.

“My preoccupation with money and debt had cut me off from my family and friends.  Having to hold down multiple jobs, I had no time for anything or anyone else.  In this situation, I made poor choices that I continued to pay for.

“Acutely aware of my defects, I knew I needed a Power greater than myself to help remove them.  I also had to turn my attention to the program of DA more than ever.

“DA helped me come full circle, to become the best version of myself  It took self-honesty, and willingness to learn a new, sane way of reacting to life, but it was worth it.”

The “true us”

In our disease, we felt isolated and afraid.  No one could ever understand us, we thought.  Then we found people in DA who could understand where no one else could.  We were able to share our Fifth Step.

We learn about feelings in Step Five.  We see the issues holding us back from the person we  want to become.

In Step Six, we look over the landscape of our life.  We can usually find assets that we can hold on to, as well as the deficits we would rather let go of.   We start to see a new path, and we become willing to follow that path.

Ask:

“Am I willing to let go of the defects that keep me from enjoying life?”

Meditation for today:

We can always learn new ways to express and receive joy.  There are infinite opportunities to find awe-inspiring people and situations in a day.  When we cultivate patience with ourselves, and focus on a worthy goal, we find ourselves inspiring others.

Affirmation for today:

“Just for this day, I will face my life with courage.  With the help of DA and my Higher Power, I have what I need to live through whatever this day brings.” *

* From DA’s “Just For This Day” bookmark – literature P-129.

Recommended reading:  

See our Fourth Step Template which helps us to take a fearless moral inventory.

For a detailed analysis of all the steps, read Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

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