1newcreation

Interested to know when working a fourth step again how to go about it. Do I have to recall & revisit all the things I did wrong, hurts, resentments etc all over again? Or is it a diffrent list now? Thanks guys

Joe Nerv

The way I see it, if you've done it thoroughly and gone through the rest of the steps, there's really no reason to go over what you've already gone over? Only thing I ever did when revisiting my fourth was catch things I missed the first time around, and things that cropped up since. There were a handful, too.

Anytime I ever did a fourth step I also checked in deeply with my third. If there were any doubt about what I was writing, the problem was with me not trusting that my life and will were truly under gods care.

Why are you redoing your fourth?

DoubleBarrel

I also don't really see why do some of the steps over again. Some are meant to be continual, some are meant to do when you quit drinking, then move on with your life.

1newcreation

Thanks for input! That's what I kind of figured but wasn't sure. Just got a new sponsor after moving here up north & he actually told me that I really didnt need to do so again; that step ten everyday which I do nightly was sufficient. My old sponsor taught me that when done with twelve to start @ one again. And I saw that w/ others in network & program.
Fair enough;was just asking

sugarbear1

i had new resentments come up as I got more and more sober.

I worked with a sponsor each time I worked my 4th step.

I also needed to have my own experience so I could guide another through the steps; one time wasn't enough for me to remember (although Ihave written notes for each time through)

the third time through iI learned the sponsor's role.

DoubleBarrel

With all due respect, what does it mean to get more and more sober?

When I have a "new" resentment, I do the 10th step.

I honestly don't understand this doing the 4th step over and over again.

We do the program to have a life, not as a replacement for our life.

The founders walked people through the 4th step, and that was it. In fact, IMHO that's the reason for the existence of the 10th step.

The 4th step is addressing the past, the 10th step is addressing your future conduct.

If you discover that you hold a resentment that you did not cover in your 4th step, shouldn't you, be honest about the feeling, look at your part in it, and admit where you might be at fault? 10th step. Done.

Maybe its tomayto tomahto, but thats the way I see it.

MIRecovery

I have always used the guide of all of the crap that rattles around in your brain on a regular basis.

deeker

For me 1new, I have done more than one 4th cuz I felt I missed something.

I would just read it over and make sure I have not forgotten anything from the past still weighing on my mind. Anger, resentments, To high expectations, things that made me uncomfortable growing up. Ideas we were raised with. Things that we felt insecure about, people who belittled us. Our reaction to all these things be it appropriate or not. How we have treated others. Seeing our part in each situation. I could go on but I think you get it right? Pretty much by the Big book.

Also Anything recent that has built up since you have done that last 4th step. I suppose that would be 10th step work.

Just my take on it.

Mountainmanbob

when I did my second 4th with a new Sponsor many years later

I didn't cover all of the things shared in my 1st (felt no need to)
but did
share some very important things that I left out from the 1st one shared

didn't really wish to share those with anyone in the beginning
but
in the end I knew that it would be best to get all the crud out in the open

MM

sugarbear1

more and more sober means more clear-headed.

I was quite fuzzy brained and foggy in early recovery.

my ego likes to rebuild itself, I remembered things I hadn't even thought of, so off to do another 4th step on it.

glad I (and HP) continue to look at me! The founders suffered from either deep depression or a desire to drink, I currently am not suffering from either one. Maybe the founders could have tried working through the steps again? Who knows. It's how I am working the steps, on a continuous basis.....

Peace

Gottalife

I have never understood the repetition of the fourth step. It does not appear to be part of the program or they would have said we continued to do fourth steps.

Having said that, I think we are all taught slight variations on the steps and they seem to work just the same. The idea is to do them.

My line of sponsorship seems to have been influenced by Clarence S, to whom steps one to nine were oncers, and we learn to live in 10 11 and 12 which incorporate all the principles of the other steps anyway.

There is a caution in step eleven about the danger of drifting into morbid reflection. I once read that at least half of all alcoholics are neurotic. A person who constantly looks inward for faults will always find something.

There comes a time where we must accept our faults and leave God to remove them at His leisure. We need to be looking outwards to what we can do for others. This seems to be the true path to spiritual growth.

I have found it necessary to do only one fourth step. However, I usually find myself reviewing it very time I take someone new through the steps. Though it is not exactly a work of literature, I was barely capable of writing when it was done, I am still amazed at how accurate it was. Yes I still have it. It is not a document that needs to be hidden or destroyed.