Anne W – How did we become willing to take step three?

Anne W – How did we become willing to take step three?

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This SoberQ episode centres on a raw, honest share from Anne W as she answers a simple but loaded question: how did she become willing to take Step Three? Anne speaks directly to anyone who’s been around meetings, got a sponsor, read the literature, and still picked up that first drink.

She explains that her own willingness came down to one stark word: "desperation." After 18 months in Alcoholics Anonymous, several relapses, and "increasing bewilderment and despair," she reached what she calls a "jumping off point" – that place where she knew something had to change or she’d drink herself into even more trouble.

With help from AA members, Anne went back into detox and then started working with a second sponsor who hammered home one key message: she needed "something between me and that first drink" and that "needed to be a power greater than myself." Anne is open about not being sure what this higher power was, or if it even existed, but she started anyway.

Each morning she asked this "something" to keep her sober for a day, and each night she said thank you for another sober day. A piece of advice from a religious worker helped her stop overthinking it: "maybe the best thing you can do is to sit still and let your higher power find you." For Anne, that simple idea took the pressure off needing to define anything perfectly.

She finishes by saying she "truly believe[s] that third step for me was and has been the key to recovery" and goes further: "I don't believe there is a spiritual side to this program. I believe it is a spiritual program." If you’ve ever wondered what actually gets someone to hand their will over, this honest share may give you plenty to think about.

Have you reached your own jumping off point yet, or are you still trying to do it all on self-will?