The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
I've been to 4 f2f meetings this past week and I always hear about working the steps. What I want to know is, how and when do you work them? For instance, 2 of the meetings this week focused on Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. One of the women at the meeting said that she has been in the program for a year and still hasn't done that step. Is there any particular Al-Anon book that might help me get started?
Paths To Recovery is a good starter book, but they strongly strongly recommend you find a sponsor to work the steps with, in case you get off track. It's easy to make the steps a negative experience instead of a positive one.
So- first order of business is to ask someone to sponsor you.
The way you do that, is to look for someone who has some of the qualities you wish you had, and then just ask them. If they're busy they'll say no, and it's not personal. Just ask someone else.
I was in the program for well over 2 years and still had not done that step. I have heard of someone in the program 12 years who had not done that step- we all go at our own rate and pace. Please remember this!
