Step 8

Listing Willingness

Sweeping away the debris of the past to prepare for amends.

Am I willing to straighten out the past, no matter what?

“We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out of our effort to live on self-will and run the show ourselves.” (Pg.76, L20)

Changing Perspective: Am I trying to imagine the other person's point of view instead of my own?
The Dependency: Do I realize that "Our very lives... depend upon our constant thought of others"?
The Stakes: Do I understand that "we will never get over drinking until I have done my utmost to straighten out the past"?

We divide our list into four categories to manage our progress:

NOW

LATER

MAYBE

NEVER

"We pray over each name, asking God for inspiration, an intuitive thought, or a decision."

"Our own drinking experience makes us uniquely useful to other alcoholics."

We are not just cleaning the past to be "good"; we are clearing the channel so we can be of maximum service to God and those around us.