"The Tenth Step can help us correct our living problems and prevent their recurrence."

Basic Text, p. 42

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Our identities, how we think and feel, have been shaped by our experiences.  Some of our experiences have made us better people; others have caused us shame or embarrassment; all of them have influenced who we are today.  We can take advantage of the knowledge gained in examining our mistakes, using this wisdom to guide the decisions we'll make today.

Acceptance of ourselves means accepting all aspects of ourselves--our assets, our defects, our successes, and our failures.  Shame and guilt left unaddressed can paralyze us, preventing us from moving forward in our lives.  Some of the most meaningful amends we can make for the mistakes of our past are made simply by acting differently today.  We strive for improvement and measure our success by comparing who we used to be with who we are now.

Being human, we will continue making mistakes; however, we need not make the same ones over and over again.  By looking over our past and realizing that we have changed and grown, well find hope for the future.  The best is yet to come.

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Just for today:  I will do the best I can with what I have today.  Each day I'll learn something new that will help me tomorrow.