Step 1: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.”
By Dan, Renascent Alumni
I owe a lot of my recovery to following the 12 Steps, and every one of them is important.
But the truth is, none of them can happen until you fully embrace Step 1. You must accept that your addiction is ruining your life. Ironically, you must accept your powerlessness to regain your power.
Accepting Step 1 requires a degree of humility. You must be humble enough to accept that your life has become unmanageable, and to take responsibility for that. Maintaining recovery is not like going to school; there is no teacher ensuring you’ve done your homework. You either do it or you don’t, and there are no half measures. If you’re only partially committed to the first Step, don’t continue to Step 2. Instead, work on the first Step until you accept it wholeheartedly. When you’ve accomplished that, you’re ready to move ahead.
Six years into my recovery I still return to Step 1, especially when I feel like I want to drink. I come back to this Step because it’s the foundation of everything; you must believe and accept it with your whole being. I keep my Big Book close by, and my willingness to humble myself in this way has been a big part of my success.
