Last year, while trying to learn to cope with my procrastination tendencies, I looked into the traditional "12 step" program designed to help people overcome their addictions.
The problem was that I couldn't get past all of the "giving myself completely over to God" stuff. Not that I couldn't see advantages to doing it that way, but rather that it was just not for me.
So I developed a 12 step program for atheists, agnostics, or theists who would rather try it without the Big Guy's help. Here it is, for whatever it's worth.
The Secular 12 Step Program
- I admit I am powerless over my flaws -- that my life has become unmanageable.
- I believe that releasing my ownership and self-reproach of the problem is the key to my sanity.
- I have decided to turn my life over to my imaginary Perfect Self, and to let this self take care of it.
- I have decided to make a searching and fearless inventory of myself.
- I have decided to admit fully and honestly to myself and another human being the exact nature of my wrongs.
- I am entirely ready to have my defects of character removed.
- I ask my Perfect Self to help me remove my shortcomings.
- I will make a list of all persons I have harmed, and become willing to make amends to all of them.
- I will make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- I will continue to take personal inventory and when I was wrong, I will promptly admit fault.
- I will seek through meditation to improve my connection to my Perfect Self, seeking for wisdom, and for strength to act it out.
- Seeing the light as a result of these steps, I will try to carry these messages to others, and to practice these principles in all my affairs.
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