1. We move from reliance on external authority to an internal center of resonance & wisdom based on observation, experimentation, and experience.
2. We bring fascination, curiosity, and interest to all aspects of our lives & to relationships. We are comfortable with differences, and are able to reflect on our own feelings, thoughts, and emotional reactions.
3. We take personal responsibility for our internal experience - we realize we create our own feelings of anger, contempt, and judgments with our demands that situations & people be different than they are. We cease blaming or making up excuses & reasons for our problems.
4. We see situations & people as they truly are & make our decisions based on current reality, not our hopes that people will change.
5. We become increasingly able to attune & resonate with our internal world - including our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. This ability to go deeply within ourselves decreases our need for either disassociation or external stimulation to relieve emptiness & boredom.
6. We realize that we are not our "minds," we are not all the teachings that have been put there. We exist beyond these teaching as essence.
7. We develop the will to do the things we know will help us feel stronger, healthier, more alive, and connected to others.
8. We develop the ability to self-soothe & calm ourselves when we are alone or with other people.
9. Our living becomes more congruent with our beliefs.
10. Our relationships become more authentic, trusting, open, and valued.
11. We are able to give & receive care, friendship, and support.
12. We accept the ever-changing nature of all life. The challenge of empowerment.

Living without a fixed belief system, goal, or agenda is terrifying to the ego-conditioned mind, that equates thoughts with Self. "If I recovered using the 12 steps then it should work for everyone. ... & if it doesn't, someone is wrong ... but certainly not me." The ego wants to anchor itself to rules, beliefs, concepts, and expectations, then measure others by its standards. This keeps life simple - we fit people into boxes then relate to them from the one-up or distant position. Yet the freedom to truly know & connect with each other comes when we give up any fixed beliefs of what should happen. The primary question to ask is, "Does it work? When, how, and for whom?"

This introduces elements of inquisitiveness, fascination, experimentation, and reflection which bring vitality, color, variety & expressiveness to life. We need to open ourselves to the breadth of human emotions, play with ideas, experiment, and discard whatever doesn't work. This gives us a powerful antidote to addiction, which thrives on emptiness, anxiety, fear, boredom, and restlessness. Our inner world becomes dynamic & alive - we become friends with all parts of ourselves.

This greatly lessens the need to use addictive substances, destructive behaviors, or to escape from emotions & feelings. This empowerment approach needs to be seen from a developmental perspective. Someone in early stages of recovery may need more structured guidance, but even then should be supported in self reflection & tapping into their internal world of ideas, feelings, and intelligence.

Developing a richer inner landscape

1. We affirm we have the power to take charge of our lives & stop being dependent on substances or other people for our self-esteem & security.
   • Alternative: We admit we were out of control with/powerless over _________ yet have the power to take charge of our lives & stop being dependent on substances or other people for our self-esteem & security.
2. We come to believe that we have the ability to develop our inner resources through a process of learning, exploration, daily practice, diligence, self reflection, and supportive relationships with others. (This is a new version of this step)
3. We make a decision to become our authentic selves & trust in the healing power of the truth.
4. We examine our beliefs, addictions, and dependent behavior in the context of living in a hierarchal, patriarchal culture.
5. We share with another person all the things inside of us for which we feel shame & guilt.
6. We affirm & enjoy our strengths, talents, and creativity.
7. We become willing to let go of guilt, shame, and any behavior that keeps us from accepting ourselves & others.
8. We make a list of people we have harmed & people who have harmed us, and take steps to clear out negative feelings by making amends & sharing our grievances in a respectful way.
9. We express love & gratitude to others, and increasingly appreciate the wonder of life & the blessings we do have.
10. We continue to trust our reality & daily affirm that we see what we see, we know what we know & we feel what we feel.
11. We promptly acknowledge mistakes & make amends when appropriate, but we do not say we are sorry for things we have not done & we do not cover up, analyze, or take responsibility for the shortcomings of others.
12. We seek out situations, jobs, and people who affirm our intelligence, perceptions, and self-worth & avoid situations or people who are hurtful, harmful, or demeaning to us.
13. We take steps to heal our physical bodies, organize our lives, reduce stress, and have fun.
14. We seek to find our inward calling, and develop the will & wisdom to follow it.
15. We accept that change, loss, death, and re-birth are part of the natural flow of life.
16. We grow in awareness that we are interrelated with all living things, and we contribute to restoring peace & balance on the planet.

Charlotte Kasl has a M.A. in Music from The University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Ohio University. She was a Licensed Psychologist in Minnesota for fifteen years & is currently a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Montana. She is a Certified Addiction Specialist in the areas of chemical dependency & sexuality & has had a private psychotherapy practice for twenty-five years. She is the author of seven books & numerous articles.