The Fear Inventory

[Signal30]

Signals Disclaimer: The following information on the 12 steps, are from how I interpreted the Big Book and/or the 12 & 12 book. I did my absolute best to explain what the books say on a step as simple as possible, but without straying from what the book says. All exact quotes have been changed for copyright reasons. Any quotes that do appear are from the first edition in the BB. Some of what I have written is from original homework assignments on the steps from what my sponsor gave me to do. Hopefully what I write can help. If anything, take what is useful and leave the rest. Keep it simple!


The following is some of the rough draft a few AAers and myself made for a workshop type meeting that is in the works. This is set up as kind of a "how to" when doing an inventory. There are many "precharted" blank inventory guides available online that are helpful to some. This is a suggestion on how to do a Resentments inventory. Make sure you are ready, you have a sponsor, and your sponsor knows you are ready. This step separates the men from the boys! This goes right along with the chapter How It Works in the Big Book on fears.



Fear is defined as a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, etc. whether the threat is real or imagined. There is also an acronym for fear that you will hear in the meetings stating:

False
Emotions
Appearing
Real

Fears to us do not have to be even real, and can do massive damage to our well being. The Big Book on page 67 speaks of fears as, “an evil and corroding thread,” setting “in motion trains of circumstances, which brought us misfortune we felt we didn’t deserve.”

On page 68 of The Big Book it states that, “Sometimes we think fear ought to be classified as stealing.”

So fear is a thief! It robs us of our relationship with God and others and prevents us from reaching our full potential. It is said that our driving force may be classified as self-centered fear that we will lose something that we already have or not get something that we want or need.

So who or what really creates this fear? We do! The Big Book says, “But did not we set the ball rolling?” How do we create these fears? By yet another form of selfishness. Self-reliance. Throughout most of our lives when dealing with fears we felt that we had to deal with them by ourselves. When we were not able to overcome fears, they usually turned into resentments, and like resentments, fears stemmed from selfishness.

So how do we rid ourselves of fear? By asking God to remove our fears, and direct our attention towards His will. Remember in the Second Step, we came to believe that a power grater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Then in Step Three we made a decision to turn our wills and lives over to the care of God. The Third Step Prayer we ask God to take away the “bondage of self”, so we can better do His will. God can restore us to sanity. God can help us outgrow fear and the other forms of “bondage”. This is done by asking God to REMOVE our fears and direct our attention to what He would have us be. Remember when we read The Promises before meetings it says, “God can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.”


So now we are at the understanding that we are to give our fears to God. But first we need to list them. These of course are only examples, there are fears you may have that are not on this sheet.

The Big Book say that, “We reviewed or fears thoroughly. We put them on paper, even though we had no resentment in connection with them.” The following is a Fear Personal Inventory. Like the Resentment Inventory, we will list our fears. Then we will list what part of ourselves, (self-reliance), has failed. And finally we will ask God to remove them.

What Am I Afraid Of: (column One) We list all our fears regardless if we think there no resentment connected with them.



What Part of Self Have I Been Relying On Which Has Failed Me: (column two) Like in the Resentments Inventory, we ask ourselves what part of self has this fear affected? Which part of self have you been relying on that has failed? The Seven Parts of Self apply as they do in the Resentment Inventory. Revert to the definitions of the 7 parts of self if you need to as stated in the resentment thread I made.


Fear Prayer: (column three) This is where we ask God to remove the fear, so we can better serve him and others.


Once doing a Fourth Step Inventory on resentments, the actual “how to” part of filling out a Fear inventory is easier to understand. Also like the Resentment Inventory, it is essential that you are thorough and honest with your fear inventory. Otherwise, how do you expect God to remove these fears, if you are not willing to be honest with yourself?


Those who are honest and thorough who believe that God will remove these fears and defects of character, will be amazed how “Letting go, and letting God”, actually works. It works everyday. The proof is all around you.




Tom

[MMM]

Where do we find the definition of the 7 parts of the self? Are they on this website? Thanks much.

[CarolD]

MMM....Welcome to SR
and our Alcoholism Step Study Forum...

Sorry....
I don't know where the 7 parts of self can be found.

My guess? Read the 4th Step in your Big book
Also look at Step 4 in the 12&12.

Hope some other members will reply with info for you.

[sugErspun]

Self-Esteem, Ambition, personal relations, sex relations, security, pride, pocketbook..

I believe this is what you are referring to???

Pages 64 and 65.

[HercTRock]

Originally Posted by Signal30

Fear Prayer: (column three) This is where we ask God to remove the fear, so we can better serve him and others.

So... column three is the same prayer over and over for each fear?