Readers Respond: How Has Step 4 Aided Your Recovery?

Please share your personal experience with step 4. Post Your Answer

4th step

Step 4 has helped me see my part in things.. I no longer blame others.. I can see I where i was wrong.!! I no longer blame god or my mom or the ex husband for anything.. after all they are human too.. i am soo grateful to my 1st sponsor.. she was patient with me..

—Guest missy

Trust the Process

From an intellectual stand point, Step 4 just did not make sense to me. I could not understand how writing down the people I was angry at, would keep me sober. My sponsor just kept telling me to trust the process. It wasn't until I got to the 4th column, that I could clearly see for the first time, just how much hurt I had caused others. It had a profound effect on my entire life. I tell the women I sponsor the same thing. Don't think about it too much and just trust the process!

—Guest Tall Kay

Clearing the wreckage

After I did this step and cleared the wreckage and saw what my part was and took cae of it I felt the monkey on my back leave.

—Guest Ed R

Fear

Self centered fear, that was the root of our problem. Through step 4 it became obvious that my life was fear based.

—Guest norm chychota

Awareness

Step 4 has help me become aware of many character defects that held me back for years, I am very grateful for this step.

—Guest John W

look at positive

I'm grateful that when I worked this step 4 for the first time, I was encouraged to look at positive side of myself. This was difficult too because I was feeling worthless at the time. Building on positive characteristics helped overcome negative shortcomings. I learned to look at faults and try to find the positive side of it.

—Guest amor

Blueprint for Progress

Thank you so much for your articles. I so appreciate your wisdom and insight into the disease of alcoholism. I am glad you mentioned Al-Anon. This program has literally saved my life. Being married to an Alcoholic for 12 years was traumatic for me. Program is helping me to keep the focus on myself and to restore myself as my Higher Power intended me to to be--happy, joyous, and free. In my personal opinion, The revised "Blueprint from Progress" is easier to digest than the original. It allows one to reflect more on the personal inventory. It costs a little more, but I find it worth the price. I'd wanted to post a link to your readers from the Al-Anon Virginia Beach Office. Since Al-Anon is a non-profit agency buying, directly from them helps support the Al-Anon program. http://www.al-anon.alateen.org Blueprint for Progress: 4th Step Inventory P-91 7.50 (Revised and Expanded)

—Guest Adriana

How important step 4 is

I did a very intense step 4 early in my recovery, it was very difficult. There were things I didn't want to remember, things that I learned about myself. It open alot of emotional doors later on in my sobriety. At the time I didn't realize how this was going to become very important for me and it has. It has help me become able to work the other steps in my life an today I can do a daily inventory with ease. All the steps are important for me but the 4th really starts the growing process.

—Guest Johanne

Thanks......

Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience, I'm in the middle of Step 4. I am not really enjoying it, but it's no where near as bad as I thought it would be. From all the people I know who have done it, there will be light at the end of the tunnel! Hope you're doing well and enjoying life!

—Guest Vixstar