Step 5

“Admitted to God, ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”

 It has been said that confession is good for the soul. This is particularly true for this step, as it represents one of the first major steps of humility and bravery - to confront ourselves as we are and take responsibility for our own behaviors. The magic of this step lies in the conversion that takes place from confronting our false self and being willing to let go of our delusions of innocence in regards to our behavior. Taking this step helps to result in the emergence of true perspective on ourselves and solid self-esteem based upon taking personal responsibility and owning up to difficult truths. The steps helps us to bridge the gap between who we really are and our false self. Honesty and responsibility are bridges to true self-esteem and self-respect. Through the process of admitting the harm that we have caused others and ourselves we come to grow and compassion and empathy for ourselves and those who have suffered at our hands. This is a critical aspect of spiritual growth and a critical component of growing in true love. Remembering, that true love is about honoring the value of ourselves and others, and is respectful to that value to take responsibility for harm and suffering committed. As we admit the truth of what we’ve done, we come home to ourselves and the possibility of a new life and new personality that is founded on love, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness. We find freedom from our own shame and guilt as we take responsibility and ultimately find forgiveness in the humanity of our personality and actions. This is true maturity and also helps us to evolve from the rampant immatruity demonstrated  back in our using days and through our addict/alcoholic personalities.