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As you approach Step 10 in the 12-Step Program, a part of you may feel done with all the heavy lifting and that you can finally stop working so hard to be sober. However, if there’s one thing you learn from sobriety, it’s that there’s always more work to be done.
Step 10 is a maintenance step. It reminds you that your recovery requires ongoing effort and daily practices to help you stay sober for the long-term. If you’re confused about what Step 10 means, you’re not alone! In this article, we’ll take a closer look at it to help you understand its overall purpose in a life of recovery. We’ll also provide helpful tips and printable worksheets to help you get started as you work Step 10 with a counselor or sponsor.
What are the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?
Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.
Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Step 3: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Step 4: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Step 5: Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Step 6: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Step 7: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Step 8: Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
Step 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Why is Step 10 of the 12-Step Program important?
Step 10 is all about admitting when you are wrong and taking immediate steps to right the wrong and nip the problem in the bud before it grows into something bigger. Taking a personal inventory means you watch for daily emotional disturbances that can trigger you to use drugs or alcohol and address them before they become significant problems.
One of the primary benefits of Step 10 is that it helps you keep a clean spiritual house. When you quickly admit your mistakes and take responsibility for them, you prevent them from growing into feelings of anger and resentment, which can ultimately result in relapse. Not only is this beneficial to you, but it is also likely to improve your relationships with others.
To work Step 10, you’ll need to change the way you deal with negative emotions. In being willing to release them right away, you will also learn to stop blaming others for your negative emotions and take responsibility, admitting that you may be in the wrong also.
Essentially, Step 10 of the 12-Step Program helps us deal with life and relationships in a way that’s conducive to recovery and long-lasting sobriety. Working this step will help you develop a plan of daily action to cope with life, grow spiritually, and protect your sobriety.
How should I work Step 10 of the 12-Step Program?
It’s never fun having to admit that you’re wrong, so understandably, working Step 10 can be difficult. However, here are a few tips that may help you get started:
- Set aside time each day to take inventory. By dedicating time each day to taking inventory, you are prioritizing your mental health and your recovery. You can use this time to meditate, journal, or just sit in a quiet place to reflect on your day. Think about the good and the bad and ask yourself if you need to make anything right and what you can do to make tomorrow a better day.
- Don’t allow your ego to get in the way of progress. The act of admitting when you’re wrong takes humility and courage. It’s definitely not easy! However, if you practice setting your ego aside, it will gradually become easier to take responsibility for your actions, admit when you’re wrong, and do what you need to do to make things right.
- Work with a counselor or sponsor. It’s helpful to have an outsider’s perspective and view on things, mainly because taking a daily inventory can be challenging at first. A sponsor or counselor can help you review your actions objectively and provide support as you learn to deal with life in a radically different way.
Printable AA Step Ten worksheets
Working with a sponsor or counselor and following the tips listed above may help you work Step 10 of the 12-Step Program. However, you can also use the following printable Step 10 worksheets as an additional resource.
Who can help me work the 10th Step of the 12-Step Program?
At Briarwood Detox Center, we provide safe and effective drug detox in Austin. We work with addicted individuals to create individualized treatment plans that help them achieve the foundation for a stable and sober life. Adopting the 12-Step Program and its principles is an essential part of this process for many of our clients.Although it’s not required, working the 12 Steps can be a beneficial tool for recovery.
The caring and experienced professionals at Briarwood are well-equipped to help you achieve sobriety and begin creating a sober lifestyle for yourself. Although we are not a rehab program, we provide medical and clinical care during alcohol and drug detox in Austin, Texas. In addition, we offer 12-Step support with H&I meetings, where you’ll have the opportunity to hear from other people in recovery and connect with potential sponsors who can provide help and support as you begin working through the 12 Steps.
Once you complete your detox program, we can also help you find and enroll in an alcohol and drug rehab program in Austin, Texas, so you can continue receiving proper support and treatment in the next stage of your recovery. Depending on your treatment history and individual needs and circumstances, you may choose to attend one of the following types of drug rehab in Austin:
When you’re ready to make a change, the compassionate team at Briarwood Detox Center is here to help. We work with many different insurance providers to ensure that detox is as affordable as possible. Please call (512) 262-4426 or contact us online to get started today.
