Episode 8 - Step 4 (Continued) - Emergency Protocol

Emergency Protocol

In this episode, Denise and Jackie expand on Step 4: “With courage, honesty, and curiosity, we write the stories of the fears, shame, and resentments we carry with us.” They reflect on what’s come up for them during the inventory process and how it’s revealed different root causes of behavior and thought patterns.

Most people would rather do anything else than an emotional archeological dig, but breaking through the initial resistance is often the hardest part. The thing about fears is that people tend to have the same ones, but there’s this extra layer when it comes to confronting them or sharing them outloud. Luckily (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective), Step 4 asks you to do both.

Denise and Jackie talk about some of the major fears that show up on their lists, which include everything from earthquakes to living authentically. They also look at how resentments impact their lives and discuss how this framework opens up opportunities to discover where you overextend yourself or act in a way that’s of service to others, but misaligned with what’s best for you.

If you’re curious to see what Step 4 looks like in practice, listen in to hear how Denise and Jackie navigate it.

Topics Covered:

• Confronting the fear of discovering where your behavior stems from
• Recognizing the degrees of rationality when it comes to your fears
• How practicing forgiveness starts to decrease the emotional charge of resentments
• Exploring the lasting impact of childhood friendship and social dynamics
• Why it’s so important to understand your energetic strengths and weaknesses

Resources Mentioned:

• Find a Twelve Step group near you
• The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
• The Narcotics Anonymous Step Working Guide

Follow Us:

• Follow Jackie: jackiefreed.la
• Follow Denise: @denise.freed
• Follow us on Instagram: @12stepsforeveryone
• Follow us on TikTok: @12stepsforeveryone