Member: Jack H.
Location: United States
Remote Name: 198.81.26.48
Date: 01 Feb 2004
Time: 04:44 PM -0500
Giving over to God helps me to work on the defects of my character. That helps me to stay sober. - Good Luck to all in their sobriety!
Member: Gage
Location: swamp
Remote Name: 205.188.209.38
Date: 01 Feb 2004
Time: 10:12 PM -0500
I'm Gage and I'm an alcoholic. I love the way a man in my group once explained this step. He said that all of his life he'd been like a little kid on a kiddie car ride. The kiddie car has all sorts of bells and buzzers and levers to pull, but, of course, none of them actually do anything. But the little kid thinks they do! He thinks he's driving that car, pulling those levers, honking the horn, and ringing the bells. The car, of course, is on a track, and it's not going to go anywhere but where that track leads. He said that after some good bit of time without a drink, he realized that he wasn't very contented with his life even though he hadn't had a drink. He started worrying that his was just the white knuckle brand of sobriety and that sooner or later he was going to drink again. So, he decided to go back through the steps. When he arrived at this step, he realized that he had missed something before. He thought the step meant that he was to ask God to help him to remove his own defects of character, but that's not what the step says. He realized then that he could not remove his own defects anymore than that kid in the kiddie car can make the car go somewhere the track isn't leading it. It was then that he became entirely ready to have God remove his defects. Are they gone? He says he doesn't know. That's not his job. His job is to be ready, and do the best he can. That made sense to me, and it's how I want to be, because I, too, have been like that kid on the kiddie car ride.
Member: mike
Location: mount forest ,ont.canada
Remote Name: 65.93.138.168
Date: 02 Feb 2004
Time: 10:14 AM -0500
Hi I am Mike a greatful recovering alcoholic, and am going going two years and and how this step is one of the most important one's to remember but at times I find it hard to do. There is a person in my group that we do not see eye to eye on things. this nows how to push my buttons in the wrong way I findly told this person that they were not my sponsor and if they where that I would be out drinking again
Member: AZbill
Location: azbill1172@cox.net
Remote Name: 68.226.19.154
Date: 02 Feb 2004
Time: 04:06 PM -0500
HI Bill here, alcoholic from Arizona. If I assume that "We" prefaces each step, then We were ready for Step 6. This is a "We" program and with the millions that are in AA today makes me feel that some of them are doing these Steps with me. Maybe not geographically but at least spiritually. "We" are not alone. How do I know I am ready? Because I followed the instructions. Just before taking the 6th I carefully read the first five proposals. I made sure that I did not leave anything out. Either by accident or more than likely intentionally. Like omitting something in Four to avoid the Fifth on it..hoping to take care of it when I get to 10. :) Oh yes. It has happened LOL. Don't work very well. Anyway I get to take an hour off between Step Five and Step Six. Not three or four weeks or months. One Hour. I thank you all for being a part of my sobriety today. Love ya, Bill
Member: jimr
Location: chicago
Remote Name: 69.3.216.21
Date: 03 Feb 2004
Time: 12:07 AM -0500
I was more then ready to get rid of the old jim, I was determined. Step 7 was another thing altogether
Member: Craig L (Dogmanor@yahoo.com)
Location: Aloha, Oregon
Remote Name: 65.102.43.100
Date: 03 Feb 2004
Time: 09:24 AM -0500
The first time I did the steps, step six seemed like it would be easy. Alcohol had amplified many of my character defects and I was more than ready to get rid of them to stay sober. As I learned to practice the steps everyday. I discovered there are many character defects I'm not so ready to give up, avarice, lust, gluttony, procrastination all of these will keep me from my conscious contact with God. It is usually only when I am in enough pain that I will become willing to give them up. I always suggest to newcomers, don't think too much just do it for now, more will be revealed.
Member: Adam H.
Location: New York, NY
Remote Name: 64.232.156.194
Date: 03 Feb 2004
Time: 10:28 AM -0500
Adam, alcoholic. One thing I have learned from this step is that God can only take away what I am willing to give Him. In other words, He can only remove defects of character if I express a willingness to have them removed. How do I express that willingness? I try one day at a time to live in the opposite of my defects of character. My sponsor was a big help in showing me how to do that. After hearing my fifth step, he assured me that God would remove that defect of character called dishonesty if I was willing to tell the truth and stand by that truth no matter what. Then, and only then, I would get to be an honest person. Same thing with my defect of character called rage...he said God would remove it too if and only if I was willing to practice restaint of tongue and pen.He said if I was willing to practice gratitude in all my affairs, then that would open the door for God to come in and remove the self-pity that plagued me. God can only help me if I am wililng to cooperate...so this is where I make the decision to walk away from the person I have always been and towareds the person God meant for me to be. Thanks for letting me share.
Member: Trace
Location: England
Remote Name: 62.255.64.7
Date: 03 Feb 2004
Time: 11:57 AM -0500
Funny step 6 being the topic this wk..I am meeting with my sponser on friday to do steps 6/7....haveing done steps 4/5 step 6 has come to me so naturally..gradually but natural....more and more I can understand and feel my defects....and that makes me smile as I know the next step is the willingness to have them removed....and that is exactly where I am right now..WILLING...infact loveingly willing...God Bless all Trace
Member: birdlover-forlife
Location: new hampshire
Remote Name: 64.223.185.139
Date: 03 Feb 2004
Time: 03:52 PM -0500
I need help I can't do it alone
Member: Gabrielle P
Location: Northwest Ohio
Remote Name: 64.12.96.137
Date: 03 Feb 2004
Time: 06:29 PM -0500
Gabrielle grateful recovering alcoholic...We were entirely ready to have these defects of character removed....the key word for me in this Step was entirely....when I was drinking I was most definetly putting every fiber of my being into getting that next drink at any cost....so for me being entirely ready to have all these defects removed, means that I am ready to put every effort into what it will take to become willing to "let go" of them....it means to me to be honest and willing to let God have them lock, stock and barrel and be done with them....but I too am like a child, and unfortunately like a child I do not always trust something I cannot see.....this Step tells to just be honest enough to let Go of them and God will do the rest ...that I can relate to. So I have to work on any reservations I may have in my trust issues with God or my HP which ever you prefer, becasue that for me is where the key lies....being willing to be rid of those old habits that I used to survive with and be ready to go forward, trusting God to replace them with usefulness and purposefulness and kindness and all the other things that we give up when we are drinking...just my view point.... I cannot fail until I stop trying, In Sobriety, In AA, In Life Gabrielle
Member: Nate W.
Location: Spokane, WA
Remote Name: 24.18.115.53
Date: 03 Feb 2004
Time: 07:16 PM -0500
Nate here, I'm an alcoholic and I was grown up in a religious family so I very well believe in God, this is a very good step, I tend to have this be the first for myself to get a clear feeling in my head. But thats about all I have to say. Godbless
Member: Sharon L
Location: AZ & NY
Remote Name: 216.161.145.251
Date: 03 Feb 2004
Time: 11:52 PM -0500
Hi, I am Sharon and I am an alcoholic. Gage, thank you for sharing your friend's understanding of this step. I too, felt that I needed to remove my own defects. And that left me in a place of total self criticism. My perfectionism kicked in and I tried to force myself to be a different person. Then I realized that what I was actually doing was telling God (my HP) that he did a lousy job making me. How arrogant of me! That's when I stopped 'trying' to be something that I wasn't. There is an old song by Johnny Mercer that goes like this: You've got to accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. And latch on to the affirmative. Don't mess with Mister In-Between. You've got to spread joy up to the maximum. Bring gloom down to the minimum. Have faith or pandemonium's. Liable to walk upon the scene. I like this song because it seems to reflect the principals of AA and this particular step. I made a conscious choice to work on 'growing' the positive side of my character, which left me no time to dwell on the negative. And certainly, having Faith worked!
Member: Rarely
Location: rontherocket@hotmail.com
Remote Name: 206.45.164.177
Date: 04 Feb 2004
Time: 02:26 PM -0500
Rarely - alcoholic When I was finished doing my step five. I returned home and to my supprise my book was on the shelf where it had been unopened for a few weeks. ( I was working on the steps using the 12 x 12 ) I was entirely ready to have God remove all my defects of character because I diden't want to be like the guy I had just talked about in my step five I diden't want to be selfish, dishonest, angery jealous,and much much more. I knew I coulden't change these things inside of me on my own. and I doubted if a whole team of psychiatrists could help me. Yes I was ready. But I was soon to learn..... You can pray til hell freezes over and all you'll land up with is a big skating rink. For faith without works is dead. On towards the step that put me on track with all those members who had what I wanted. Step seven save my life and much more. love and hugs.
Member: Les A
Location: Wa
Remote Name: 64.136.26.230
Date: 05 Feb 2004
Time: 03:15 AM -0500
I'm one who is truley grateful fo be able to say that God is on OUR side, an can and will help us with our defects each and every day if we are willing to work at it! Thanks, Les
Member: Kim M.
Location: FL
Remote Name: 66.245.72.229
Date: 05 Feb 2004
Time: 10:00 AM -0500
In step six I realized that most defects of my character involved some imbalance in the expression of and the experience of my most basic human needs. As I held up the known defects of character to GOd, I tried to avoid the self-shaming and self condemnation. My goal on this step was spiritual release, not spiritual-punishment. For me step 6 is an ongoing process; because my recovery is a daily effort to balance and adjust into a healthy lifestyle.
Member: Carolyn
Location: Colorado
Remote Name: 12.45.124.116
Date: 05 Feb 2004
Time: 12:49 PM -0500
I put off doing step 6 for 3 days after step 5. Don't suggest that for anyone. It was a rough 3 days. I finally went to the river and sat alone, making sure I had been as thorough as I could be up to that point. I agree that it's important to be "entirely" ready without reservations. I balked. I didn't want to let go of 1 defect. (I still struggle to let it go on a daily basis with varying degrees of success.) So that day by the river, I asked God to make me willing. He did. I knew I had to hurry and get through 6 and 7 before my self-will took over again. It was a beautiful experience. God did for me what I could not do for myself that day: He made me willing. I love AA. Thanks. Carolyn
Member: Kevin
Location: Pennsylvania
Remote Name: 151.197.211.6
Date: 07 Feb 2004
Time: 06:34 AM -0500
A guy told me that being entirely ready was more of a state of mind than a physical action. I liked this explanation because I could understand it. I am new to the cyber AA. I am excited. I am grateful to be alive and sober.
Member: Peggy E
Location: Salem, Oregon
Remote Name: 67.164.52.213
Date: 07 Feb 2004
Time: 10:35 PM -0500
After spending a long time doing step 5 with my sponsor,the first time I ever uncovered all I knew behind my drinking = painful defects of character - my sponsor asked if I was ready to have God remove these defects of character. I knew God removed the obsession to drink, so I believed he might help with my defects of character. I said "yes". Then we moved right into the 7th step prayer in the Big Book. My sponsor knew (and she was right) that I couldn't just sit on step 6. I compare defects of character to those birthday candles that relight when you blow them out. A defect might leave and I go on to another one and poof the first defect comes back. It is a life long deal with the help of God and the fellowship.