[Sugah]

Well, the "promise" you're talking about follows step nine--the amends making step. It's a process, and we don't get sober one day, then find ourselves okay with everything we've done and full of self-forgiveness the next.

Acceptance plays a part in it. A larger part for me was to when I started to see that my past experiences could help someone else. Each of the twelve steps have their foundation in humility (not humiliation), and with humility, we can move out of self and realize our usefulness to others. In other words, be part of the world, rather than insisting it revolves around us.

If it's something you'd like to experience, the best suggestion I could give you would be to latch onto somebody who has been on the path awhile and ask for help. Find someone who "has what you want" -- and ask her (you are female, yes?) to show you how she did it.

Peace & Love,
Sugah