Phase 1: Rightsizing Ourselves
Steps 1-3: Acknowledging powerlessness, discovering guidance greater than isolated will, and making a decision to align with values-based principles.
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
Recognizing the pattern and choosing to stop bargaining with what doesn't work.
Came to believe that guidance greater than our isolated will could restore us to sanity.
Finding power in community wisdom, evidence-based practices, and values-led routines.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our values and community.
Choosing to align daily actions with core values rather than momentary impulses.
Phase 2: Taking Inventory
Steps 4-6: Conducting fearless moral inventory, sharing our discoveries, and committing to character development.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Honest self-examination of patterns, behaviors, and motivations without judgment.
Admitted to ourselves, to another human being, and to our understanding of the universe the exact nature of our wrongs.
Breaking the isolation of secrets through honest disclosure and accountability.
Were entirely ready to have our character defects removed.
Developing willingness to change and let go of harmful patterns.
Phase 3: Cleaning Up Our Mess
Steps 7-9: Humbly working to remove shortcomings, making lists of people we've harmed, and making direct amends.
Humbly asked that our shortcomings be removed.
Committing to personal growth with humility and openness to change.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Taking responsibility for past harms and preparing to repair relationships.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Taking concrete action to repair the damage and rebuild trust.
Phase 4: Living a New Life
Steps 10-12: Continuing personal inventory, deepening conscious contact with our values, and carrying the message to others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Maintaining ongoing self-awareness and quick correction of mistakes.
Sought through reflection and mindfulness to improve our conscious contact with our values, praying only for knowledge of how to live them and the power to carry that out.
Deepening awareness of values and commitment to living by them.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Sharing our experience and living by these principles in all areas of life.