Step Work
Step work is an important part of the recovery process. Even if you do not fully accept the 12 step group idea the premise behind it is very valid and can be used in every area of your life. It is a step by step instruction guide of reacquainting with yourself and evaluating things in your current life. I hear many times of people gliding right through the first three steps when in reality these are the most important steps as these are foundational steps for the rest of the entire process. Most people see this as easy and of course why not? Understanding your behavior has made life unmanageable should be easy to understand. However, when you start to look closer at the next two steps it is movement towards the letting go of control and the inability to control the world around you along with determining what areas you do.
All human beings have a desire to control the world around them as it makes them feel safer in some way. When we don’t have some form of control we feel out of sorts and begin to do things to make us feel like we have control of the environment around us. When working on these steps one of the first things asked is to let go of the need to control and give it to a higher power. So after hearing this and really thinking about letting go of controlling things around you are these steps really the most easiest to get through?
So when working on these steps take your time. Work with someone you trust or alone if you must. Whatever you choose make it a point in being honest with yourself as that will be the first step in starting your journey of change.
Steps 1-3
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol/addictive behaviors/substances—that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God/Higher Power as we understood Him.
