blackandblue

Here is where I am with step work. I feel I am cycling through these 3 steps a lot. Sometimes I walk away from them and neglect them. Conceptually this is where I am at the moment and am seeking advice for step 3.

Step 1- Yes I am powerless over my addict ex, powerless over any drug; powerless over others and circumstances and life has become unmanageable.

Step 2- Yes I believe that I was acting insane and moving farther in that direction. And I believe that my higher power could restore me to sanity. And I made a list of both insane and sane behaviors throughout my life. Insanity as a direct result of denying any higher power.

Step 3- My will is subordinate to my higher powers will. I cannot control life circumstances or others. I give it up to my higher power. I seek refuge in god and neither blame or praise dependent on outcomes. The serenity prayer is now my mantra and it brings me to tears now when I pray. What I have been seeking all of my life has been repressed. Self-love comes through knowing that their is a power greater than myself. I trust that my higher power will continue to open new doors and that I have to choose to walk through them. I pray for guidance.

Veritas1

Maybe it's time to move on...to step four.

I would cycle through the first three steps as well.

I heard a good definition of decide recently...

Decision... cut away

We make that decision to turn away from our old life, and begin our new life.

I think that when we take that action to procede with step four, it solidifies our decision in step 3.

I need to start a step four as well.

I will pray for the willingness to start step four, instead of cycling through 1, 2, and 3.

paul99

I am not sure what advice you need for step 3 - sounds like you've made the decision to turn your will and live over to a HP. Like Veritas1 mentioned, perhaps step 4 awaits you.

We tend to do the 1-2-3 dance a lot in AA, complicating something that is quite simple. It's that plunge into the unknown that frightens some of us, but it's not really as big a chasm as it may seem.

What does your sponsor say?

sugarbear1

then the big book states "...at once..." we commenced to step four......

Sapling

Step three you make a decision...Steps four through nine is the action you decided to take. Without working those steps...Step three means nothing.

Tommyh

follow the clear cut directions in the big book on step 3 and you will be fine

Fernaceman

Holy cow. I agree with everyone here. Just make the decision and move on! Only when the steps are completed do we have a spiritual awakening and the promises start to come true starting with step 9.

I would talk with your sponsor, do what's been suggested here and move on.

"Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning." Alcoholics Anonymous page 63