Step Six

[janbear]

Here we go again-into the "letting go" mode. We first did it in Step Three, but now we're supposed to believe that the only way our defects can be removed is to trust a power, whom we're still uncertain of, to do the job for us.

Well, not exactly. The principle that faith without works is dead, holds true for Step Six. The Twelve Steps in their entirety are part of the process of recovery. None of them, however, suggests that we passively relinquish all personal responsibility.

Sometimes we have to act as if a defect has been removed, even though we don't feel it has been. We experience reluctance to let go of those defects we feel are part of our personalities, arguing that without them we'd appear very dull and uninteresting.

As we begin to learn that we can live our way into good thinking, but cannot think ourselves into good living, Step Six becomes more valuable and understandable.

-Step by Step

[clean42day]

Sometimes we have to act as if a defect has been removed, even though we don't feel it has been.

As we begin to learn that we can live our way into good thinking, but cannot think ourselves into good living, Step Six becomes more valuable and understandable.

so very true.... I always feel conflict during acting as if. For many years I acted from a false self.....and was taught that it was dishonoralbe to be anything other than my real true self.....and here the program tells me to pretend to be something I am not? this was very confusing for me. But underneath my character defects is my real true self....I had just never discovered the real me....so it 'felt' false. Does that make sense?

anyway....acting as if is like practicing exercising a new muscle....after the muscle has built strength it supports the rest of the body around it and becomes naturally strong. I don't even think about it anymore....it just becomes part of me.