Step 5: Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

Principle - Integrity

Personal Inventory

Honesty and willingness collide. We face our past and share every aspect. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the faith to overcome it.

Okay, so you thought taking a written inventory of your resentments and fears was bad enough. Now you are asked to share your inventory not only with God, but with another human being! Most of us think that admitting to God is scary as it is, but why tell another person?

Confession Promotes Healing: We are as Sick as our Secrets.

Secrets cause:

Shame
Guilt
Fear
Isolation
Alienation
Dishonesty
Denial
Low Self Worth
Inadequacy
Depression
Anger
Defensiveness
Self Hatred

Honesty promotes:

Trust
Confidence
Purity
Belonging
Acceptance of Others
Patience
Tolerance
Gratitude
Serenity
Peace
Openness
Self Acceptance
Forgiveness

It's important that you choose wisely this person who will listen to your inventory. It is best to choose someone who is also active in practicing the 12 steps of recovery: ideally, one who takes regular written inventories and shares them regularly with another person. The person should also be close-mouthed, trustworthy and understand the importance of confidentiality. If such a person is not available, perhaps a minister, priest or someone in a similar capacity can be approached. Most clergy nowadays are trained and aware of the 12 steps of recovery.

There is something powerful about sharing your inventory with another person. From my personal experience, I have found that telling someone else my story -- my fears and resentments, has left me feeling connected with humanity. I have found that the other person usually understands how I feel and have either experienced the same or knows others who have. Second, there is something liberating about the 5th step: by telling another person, I no longer seem to be holding on to the weight of the fears and resentments.

Why not just admit to God the exact nature of our wrongs? Do we need to tell another person? The act of admitting to another human being the exact nature of wrongs is humbling, even humiliating at times, but most of the time, it is a liberating feeling to unload the burden that has been weighing us down for years.

Resentments can kill us. We must rid ourselves of them and avoid new ones.

Working guide for Step 5. Read and share your personal story about Step 5 at: Step 5