First time you "worked" the steps....
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 74
First time you "worked" the steps....
Did you take separate time to explore each....and if so, how long on average?
Do you think it would be better to initially do a cursory review of all 12, and then go back and delve into each......of just start with step one and stick with it until you feel "done"?
At some level, I feel like I have explored a lot surrounding Step One, feel like I have an understand and acceptance with it (though I have some "issues" with the wording...see previous post, lol).....but at another level it feels like you could spend a year on each one.....
and I do understand you can always go back, review again, explore deeper, etc.....I am just asking opinions on what people did THEIR first time through....and if they would do it the same way again if given the chance.
Thanks!
Do you think it would be better to initially do a cursory review of all 12, and then go back and delve into each......of just start with step one and stick with it until you feel "done"?
At some level, I feel like I have explored a lot surrounding Step One, feel like I have an understand and acceptance with it (though I have some "issues" with the wording...see previous post, lol).....but at another level it feels like you could spend a year on each one.....
and I do understand you can always go back, review again, explore deeper, etc.....I am just asking opinions on what people did THEIR first time through....and if they would do it the same way again if given the chance.
Thanks!
Awakening
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Beautiful Texas hillcountry
Posts: 1,272
The first Alanon book I bought was "Paths to Recovery", each step has it's own chapter and at the end of each chapter are thought provoking questions.
I got a sponsor and answered all the questions and discussed each with my sponsor. To me that's working a step. First 3 went pretty smooth and fast.
Fourth has been very intimidating for me, put it off for a year, and dragging my feet getting through it, at least another year to get 3 sections of the workbook done. Damn.
Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote
I got a sponsor and answered all the questions and discussed each with my sponsor. To me that's working a step. First 3 went pretty smooth and fast.
Fourth has been very intimidating for me, put it off for a year, and dragging my feet getting through it, at least another year to get 3 sections of the workbook done. Damn.
Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Atlanta suburbs
Posts: 33
Jersey, my approach has been the one at a time method.... I've been in the program two years now and pretty much worked on Steps 1-3 during the first year or year and a half, as I did not find a Sponsor until 7 months ago.
I actually used the Step 4 Blueprint For Progress book and started working on Step 4 probably a year ago....actually before I had found a sponsor. I initially probably spent a good 3-4 months just answering all the questions in that book... it's very long and thought-provoking. I kind of then put step 4 on the back burner for awhile for two reasons... one, because I wanted to be completely comfortable that I really "got" steps 1-3, and two, I wanted to develop a relationship with my sponsor first before finishing off step 4 and doing step 5 (with him). We have started step 5 now, and are taking it slow... I'm also making a few edits/additions to what I wrote last year in the step 4 inventory book I mentioned. I would imagine we will be working on step 5 for probably several more weeks (as we are only able to get together once a week for maybe 1.5 hours).
But you know what, this seemingly slow pace (both of getting to step 4/5 and how long this step is taking) is just fine with me. I think my HP is guiding me on taking this at a slow pace, rather than trying to force some sort of timetable on it. With the perspective of looking back, I was not ready for finishing step 4 and doing step 5 until now... I needed those many months to work in Steps 1-3. I suppose that's why my I was not able to find a sponsor that I felt connected with until I was in the program for quite a while... HP was forcing me to "take it slow".
So all that is a long way of saying, my advice would be to do the steps one at a time, and do so at a pace that you are comfortable with.
Larry
I actually used the Step 4 Blueprint For Progress book and started working on Step 4 probably a year ago....actually before I had found a sponsor. I initially probably spent a good 3-4 months just answering all the questions in that book... it's very long and thought-provoking. I kind of then put step 4 on the back burner for awhile for two reasons... one, because I wanted to be completely comfortable that I really "got" steps 1-3, and two, I wanted to develop a relationship with my sponsor first before finishing off step 4 and doing step 5 (with him). We have started step 5 now, and are taking it slow... I'm also making a few edits/additions to what I wrote last year in the step 4 inventory book I mentioned. I would imagine we will be working on step 5 for probably several more weeks (as we are only able to get together once a week for maybe 1.5 hours).
But you know what, this seemingly slow pace (both of getting to step 4/5 and how long this step is taking) is just fine with me. I think my HP is guiding me on taking this at a slow pace, rather than trying to force some sort of timetable on it. With the perspective of looking back, I was not ready for finishing step 4 and doing step 5 until now... I needed those many months to work in Steps 1-3. I suppose that's why my I was not able to find a sponsor that I felt connected with until I was in the program for quite a while... HP was forcing me to "take it slow".
So all that is a long way of saying, my advice would be to do the steps one at a time, and do so at a pace that you are comfortable with.
Larry
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