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Daily Affirmations - Strengthening My Recovery


September 03


Step Nine

"Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others." BRB p. 235

Amends can be scary. It's hard having to admit we are wrong or that we did something to harm another. We learn that our first amends are to ourselves. But we also must make decisions about when amends to others will harm ourselves or others, or when we're avoiding personal responsibility due to pride.

As we recover in ACA, we learn to trust our instincts. But we also need to be sure that the fear we bring from childhood doesn't get pulled into the mix inappropriately. We're adults, and most amends situations we face will put us in very little danger of being physically harmed as we were in childhood. So it's the emotional part we're worried about, whether we can handle what comes back at us. And even though we may not realize it right away, that eventually starts to make the decision of whether or not to make amends easier.

After we talk it through with our sponsor and others we trust, we'll know whether the amends are appropriate; if so, we'll decide whether we're strong enough to make them. If not, then we'll wait until we are.

It's about keeping our slates clean.

On this day I will make amends to myself first. Then I will prepare for my necessary amends to others, which I will do if, and when, I'm ready.

Copyright © 2013 by
Adult Children of Alcoholics®
& Dysfunctional Families
World Service Organization, Inc.

Page Number 256

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