How Did You Know ? Step 8.....
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Join Date: Jun 2010
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How Did You Know ? Step 8..... 
Ive been working, to the best of my ability, Steps 1-7 with the help of my sponsor. My question is HOW did you really KNOW you was ready to write the list of people you had harmed ? Any thoughts and suggestions feel free to share your experience on Step 8....Clean
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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Completed Step 7?
According to the BB, the answer is 'now'.
Originally Posted by AA BB 1st
We have then completed Step Seven.
Now we need more action, without which we find that "Faith without works is dead." Let's look at Steps Eight and Nine. We have a list of all persons we have harmed and to whom we are willing to make amends. We made it when we took inventory.
Now we need more action, without which we find that "Faith without works is dead." Let's look at Steps Eight and Nine. We have a list of all persons we have harmed and to whom we are willing to make amends. We made it when we took inventory.
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The List....Im Willing....
Spoke to my sponsor last nite and I will be writing the list of people Ive "HARMED" Definition: 1.[n] the act of damaging something or someone
2.[n] the occurrence of a change for the worse
3.[n] any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
4.[v] cause or do harm to .........and Im willing....Clean
2.[n] the occurrence of a change for the worse
3.[n] any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
4.[v] cause or do harm to .........and Im willing....Clean
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Join Date: Jun 2010
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Step 8- List of Harms Done and My Willingness To Make Amends..
Im just about done with my list..Spoke to my sponsor and when Im complete with this list we will meet up and I'll move on to making amends in Step 9But...For now this is Step 8... I believe the principles Ive been practicing in Steps 1-8 are Forgivness, Humility, Courage, Faith, Openmindedness, Willingness, Honesty, Trust, Surrender, Hope, Empathy, Acceptance, Respect...Etc....Clean
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My List of Harms ... 
Writing these people and places etc..on paper was very simple for me..I reviewed my 4th Step and the people I hurt just seemed to flow out..My therapist asked how did I remember these things......I told her I was just ready and willing to face my past....I Believe when Im doing Gods Will it seems things fall into place.....I Prayed before putting pen to paper and God allowed me to see what I needed to see..Im Just about finish..I Mean these Steps are a lifelong process but I guess we learn and grow through them..This has been my experience and thats all its been..Its important to me and hope others are helped by it...Im feeling alot better than when I wasnt doing these Steps...Being miserable in recovery isnt worth it..Eventually I got high and drunk..I know what thats like..Being sick and clean..not a good place to be..So for me meetings and talking about how I feel wasnt enough..Steps 1-3 I know I need help and start developing a relationship with a Higher Power...Steps 4&5 really was where I started to feel alot better about myself....Steps 6&7 I started seeing real changes...Im not the same person I was...Im changing...Steps 8&9...Relationships will get better.....Just what I need...Isolation is ending.....Thank God for the Steps, Meetings, Sponsor, and all the people in Recovery..Clean Member
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Join Date: Jun 2010
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Going Over My List...
I Just got off the phone with my Sponsor and Im a little bit more clear of where Im at with Step 8...We will be meeting up soon to go over each person on my 8th step list...I will keep you posted...Thanks, Clean
12-Step Recovered Alkie
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Bloomfield, MI
Posts: 5,797
Most of your 8th step list will come from your 4th step. Since it's a 24hr program and we're (supposed to be) working all the steps each day, you'll likely have a handful of "new" names to add to the 8th step list. Heck, I've been adding names since my first list several years ago. Darn thing keeps growing! lol
Clean, you hit on a nugget of gold though..... "you asked God for help with the list." That's SOOOOO important. If it's MY list, I guarantee I'll leave names off that need to go on there and I'll put names on that maybe don't need to be on there. When my spiritual connection is on track, and I'm getting guidance for who needs to go on the list, I'm really reluctant to let my sponsor take names off. (some sponsors like to do that.....others won't ever take names off) That can be a sticky situation. If I'm getting really clear guidance from my HP to keep a name on and my sponsor says to take them off....that's a time to slow down (on that name anyway) and seek some more guidance. It doesn't come up that often but it did for me. I ended up making the amend anyway and am glad I did.....I NEEDED to make that one, yanno? .....and I knew it.
Clean, you hit on a nugget of gold though..... "you asked God for help with the list." That's SOOOOO important. If it's MY list, I guarantee I'll leave names off that need to go on there and I'll put names on that maybe don't need to be on there. When my spiritual connection is on track, and I'm getting guidance for who needs to go on the list, I'm really reluctant to let my sponsor take names off. (some sponsors like to do that.....others won't ever take names off) That can be a sticky situation. If I'm getting really clear guidance from my HP to keep a name on and my sponsor says to take them off....that's a time to slow down (on that name anyway) and seek some more guidance. It doesn't come up that often but it did for me. I ended up making the amend anyway and am glad I did.....I NEEDED to make that one, yanno? .....and I knew it.
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Well, Friday my Sponsor and I will be meeting up to go over Step 8. We will look at each person and institution Ive harmed. I made my list and and Im becoming willing to make amends. Will keep you posted...Thanks, Clean
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Going over My List...
Originally Posted by Clean4ever 
Well, Friday my Sponsor and I will be meeting up to go over Step 8. We will look at each person and institution Ive harmed. I made my list and and Im becoming willing to make amends. Will keep you posted...Thanks, Clean
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,966
I did step 8, based on my step 4. Did 8th step discussion and wrote how to make amends (9th step) in 5 short hours. Also have been doing 10th step since 3rd step, no need to add anything to my 8th as I keep in step(s) today. Discussed how to begin 11th. My sponsor is a no nonsense person!
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