Step 10: “Continue to take personal inventory, and when you are wrong, admit to it.”
In this blog post, we will focus attention on understanding Step 10 in A.A. This step can be seen as a kind of maintenance step, where you continually work to reinforce what you have achieved in prior steps.
Step 8 asked us to create an actual list of the people we had caused injury to while in our substance use; Step 9 takes that to the next level by having us actively make amends for them.
Now with Step 10, we are reminded to continue reviewing our actions, thoughts, and behaviors to identify when we fall short, and to immediately admit it. Step 10 provides us an opportunity to keep watch over ourselves, allowing us to quickly nip any backsliding in the bud.
Working Step 10 in Alcoholics Anonymous
Step 10 is a call to action. It isn’t enough to simply be aware that we have wronged someone along our recovery journey. Instead, Step 10 asks us to not only recognize the misstep, but to take it to heart. To do so, we not only admit that we made a mistake in our actions or behaviors, but that we also strive to do better.
As we have learned in the earlier steps, the A.A. 12 Step Program is about growing in humility. Being willing to humbly admit when we are wrong is a brand new skillset for many of us in recovery. From a place of humility, we are able to take the next action, which is to apologize and correct the misstep. No one is expected to be perfect! Step 10 just allows us to “clean house” on a regular basis so the “clutter” doesn’t collect and begin to bog us down again.
Working Step 10 can be compared to getting in shape. You can’t build muscle without making the effort to work out regularly. In recovery, we can’t achieve the hoped for spiritual awakening without practicing humility and taking inventory regularly.
Working Step 10 can be simplified by implementing a daily practice of reviewing the day. This can be accomplished through meditation, prayer, or journaling. By noting the things we should have handled differently, we then actively repair any damage done.
Repair, Restore, and Rebuild your Life through the 12 Step Program
The Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Step Program is a progression of actions that involve making promises and commitments. Each step progresses along a continuum, with one building upon the other..
Success in recovery is dependent on a willingness to be honest, transparent, and humble. This is actually harder than it sounds. Our prideful egos present a stubborn barrier that we must push through if we are going to keep the promises we made along the way.
During the course of our journey, we are blessed with the opportunity to repair, restore, and rebuild our lives in recovery. We work on achieving a healthier lifestyle in sobriety by participating in this ongoing transformation. The 12 Step Program isn’t magical! It involves hard work and resolve to progress through these sometimes very painful steps. But the payoff is invaluable.