I’m not always wrong. If I took my inventory every ten minutes, the right-sized me would realize that others are sometimes responsible for my poor moods, my agitations, my anger, my depression.
Step 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
I am always wrong, however, when I react inappropriately to these perceived provocations.
Step 10 needn’t be a step practiced in the past tense. It can be done in the moment. There are times throughout the day where my brain says, “this would be a perfect opportunity to say or do something off-putting.” First of all, I thank this program for my new-found awareness of this moment. It’s one of those “out of body experiences” where I get to watch myself act like a normal.
That’s “fake it ‘til you make it” in action!
Because, I’ll be honest – most of the provocations are perceived. If someone’s a jerk to me, and they are honestly, 100% being jerky, I try not to make this a moment one that I’ll be putting on my personal inventory. And if I choose to engage, which feeds my ego, I’m absolutely taking back my will. And for what? Well, for the emotional rush that frazzles my serenity, duh.
But when I look at it through the empathetic lens afforded me, normally I see a great deal of pain, confusion, anger, etc., radiating out at me. And boy, do I know what that’s like.
So, in dealing with the difficult: Take what you want and leave the rest. Works in real life, too.
12 the hard way 