Step 6

🔄 Step 6: Willingness to Change

Official Wording:

“Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”

🧠 What It Means

After uncovering personal shortcomings in Step 4 and sharing them in Step 5, Step 6 is about preparing emotionally, mentally, and spiritually for change.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being willing.

Core concepts:

• Acknowledging the patterns and flaws that have hurt you and others.

• Embracing the possibility that these can be changed or released.

• Trusting that a higher power—or the recovery process itself—can help transform these traits.

🌈 Why It Matters

This step is crucial because:

• It marks a shift from awareness to action.

• It invites humility and openness.

• It reminds you that change is not forced—it’s a choice to be ready.

📝 Journaling Prompts

To explore your readiness, try writing about:

• Which defects of character you’re most ready to let go of (e.g., selfishness, fear, resentment).

• What emotions come up when you think about changing—hope? doubt? relief? resistance?

• How life might feel once these traits no longer control your behavior.

🧘 Visualization – “The Backpack”

Picture yourself walking a winding trail carrying a heavy backpack. Inside are your defects—fears, resentments, old wounds. At a quiet clearing, you pause. You begin removing items, one by one, setting them on the ground. Some are hard to part with. Some you barely knew you were carrying. But each release makes the pack lighter. You stand taller, walk freer. You are ready.

🧠 Identifying Defects of Character

Here’s a list of common traits that often surface during recovery. You might recognize one or several from your journey. Don’t worry—this isn’t about judgment. It’s about transformation.

Defect

How It Might Show Up

Pride

Refusing help, pretending to be okay when you're not

Fear

Avoiding change, pushing people away

Resentment

Holding grudges, blaming others

Dishonesty

Hiding truth from yourself or others

Self-pity

Feeling stuck or constantly victimized

Control

Obsessing over outcomes or trying to fix everything

Envy

Feeling bitter about others’ successes

Impatience

Struggling with slow progress or setbacks

Isolation

Pulling away from connection and support

Perfectionism

Believing anything less than perfect is failure

🧩 These traits aren’t your identity—they’re old tools that once served a purpose but no longer help. Recovery invites you to retire them.

✍️ Journaling Prompt: Your Readiness Check-In

“What am I truly ready to let go of—and what am I still holding onto? What would my life look like without these traits?”

Write freely. No edits. Just flow.

🌤️ Daily Affirmation for Step 6

“I am ready for healing—even if I don't know exactly how it will come. I trust this process to help me become who I was always meant to be.”