What is Step 4 of AA? What do you include in the 4th step inventory?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 4th step inventory is a list of the things that make you drink. In Step 4 of AA, you’re trying to identify the emotions or your other flaws through soul-searching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read more about the process of making the 4th step inventory and what you do with that list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Conduct a moral inventory of yourself.<\/strong> Recognize your flaws and emotions that cause you to fail around alcohol. This will help you find what makes you drink; removing these flaws will free yourself from drinking. Confess these personality defects to another person. A weight will feel lifted from your shoulders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is soul-searching. As if you owned a retail store, do an inventory of yourself. Find the damaged and unsellable goods\u2014search for your flaws that cause your failure when drinking. The 4th step inventory includes the flaws that drive you to drink\u2014your anger, guilt, resentment, and other emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freeing yourself of these flaws means freeing yourself of the need to drink. <\/strong>If you become sorry for what you\u2019ve done, and you have an honest desire to become better, you\u2019ll be forgiven and avoid the guilt that drives people to drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resentment is an especially common and powerful flaw. The 4th step inventory helps you avoid resentment. Make a list of what and who makes you angry. Then ask yourself why you\u2019re angry, and how this anger causes you injury. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When doing the 4th step inventory of yourself, you must avoid blaming other people\u2019s flaws. Focus just on yourself\u2014where had you been selfish, inconsiderate, dishonest, or self-seeking? Make a list of your wrongs only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you can\u2019t help blaming other people, consider that the people who have wronged you are themselves spiritually sick. Had they been perfectly fine and of right mind, they wouldn\u2019t have behaved in a way that angered you. So treat those other people with the same compassion you would treat a physically sick person\u2014by being tolerant, patient, and helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal is to confess every single dark corner of your past, every twist of character, to another person.<\/strong> This is a big shift from keeping your secrets\u2014you admit your shortcomings out loud to another human being. This step relieves you of the burdens of your past, as though a great weight were lifted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why is another person important? In the authors\u2019 experience, an individual, solitary confession is insufficient. It doesn\u2019t push you to examine all your dark corners, and you leave your worst items in your inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should find a person who can keep your secret and is willing to help you. This often means a doctor, a discreet friend, or a member of your trusted community. Don\u2019t choose someone you\u2019ll hurt with this confession, such as your spouse or parent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Explain to the person you\u2019re confessing to what you\u2019re about to do and why you have to do it. Help them understand that this is a matter of life and death. Most people are glad to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Go through all your confessions. After you finish, it should feel as though a huge weight has been lifted. You\u2019ll look at the world afresh, with relief. You\u2019ll feel your drinking problem has disappeared. You\u2019ll be at peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At times, you may find it necessary to revisit Step 4, do more moral inventory, and then confess a second time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is Step 4 of AA? What do you include in the 4th step inventory? The 4th step inventory is a list of the things that make you drink. In Step 4 of AA, you’re trying to identify the emotions or your other flaws through soul-searching. Read more about the process of making the 4th step inventory and what you do with that list.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":5379,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,43],"tags":[137],"class_list":["post-16158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychology","category-self-improvement","tag-alcoholics-anonymous-the-big-book","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nStep 4<\/strong> of AA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Confessing What Was in Your 4th Step Inventory<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n