1. Clean house with the family: Complete an additional Harms Done Inventory (The same as you did in Step 4):
   • Read the AA Big Book: Beginning on page 76, third paragraph, “Now we need more action…” through the first paragraph on page 84 ending with “They will always materialize if we work for them.”
   • Read the AA Big Book: Beginning on page 82, second paragraph, “If we have no such complication…” through the first paragraph on page 83 ending with “Creator show us the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness, and love.”
   • Go to each member of your household and ask how you have been like a tornado roaring through their life (or use words of your own choosing). Ask them if you have any selfish or inconsiderate habits that have impacted them. If it is helpful, you may read the third paragraph on page 82 of the Big Book to them.
   • Fill out a Harms Done Inventory for each of the items that people have brought to your attention.
2. Listen to Our Side of the Street: The Amends Process, a Special Edition podcast from the A Vision 4 You website. 
3. Read A Study Guide for Overeaters: Step 8, Step 9.
4. Read AA 12 & 12: Step 8, Step 9.
5. Use the Step Eight and Nine List worksheet.We will not be making direct amends to everyone on this worksheet. Rather, this worksheet enables us to become clear about our part and harms done. 
   • Column 1: Transfer all people, principles, and institutions from your Resentments, Sex, and Harms Done inventories. Put them on this list whether you believe you caused harm or not.

• • Column 2: Before you begin writing, ask your Higher Power for guidance to help you understand your part. Describe what you did to cause harm, the story you told yourself, or the judgements you made in each instance. Completely fill out column 2 (column 2 has a rectangle around it in this example) before moving to column 3.
  • Column 3: Ask your Higher Power for guidance as to whether an amends is needed—if so, what type: direct apology, restitution, public acknowledgement and/or living amends. Ask your Higher Power for further guidance as to how to proceed. Write down the specifics.
  • Column 4: Ask your Higher Power to help you discern whether making each amends may cause harm to others. Mark either “Yes” or “No.”
  • Column 5: Indicate how ready you are to make each amends.

6. Make an appointment with your sponsor to go over the Big Book reading (pages 76 – 84). Discuss your worksheet and potential amends with your sponsor.
7. Read the paragraph below:

The purpose of Step 8 is to become entirely willing to make amends. There might be some amends you will not or cannot make face to face. Your sponsor will help you sort those out. The amends process is for you to make things as right as possible without causing more harm. Written amends should be very simple, direct, honest, and concise. 

8. Using your Step Eight and Nine List worksheet, keeping in mind the guidance you received from your Higher Power, use the following procedure for each person to whom you owe direct amends. Write your own words on a 3×5 index card. If you need to make more than one amends to the same person, use a separate index card for each amends.
   
   

FORMULA:

• • • State the incident.
    • Determine the character defects involved. Using the Character Defect Sheet (CDS).
    • Express your regret.
    • Ask how you can right the situation.

 

EXAMPLE:

• • • “When I was young, I did not understand you needed your own time and space. I withdrew.”
    • This was selfish and inconsiderate of me.
    • I deeply regret how this has impacted our relationship.
    • What can I do to make it right?
      
      

9. After completing all your index cards, one by one, check in again with your Higher Power for any further guidance regarding additions or changes to each amends.

10. Review and, if necessary, revise each of your amends with your sponsor.
    
    

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE COMPLETED STEP 8. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT STEP 9.

1. Read the following Step 9 tips:

• • The Big Book suggests when making amends, “We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out of our effort to live on self-will and run the show ourselves. If we haven’t the will to do this, we ask until it comes.” (page 76)
  • For each amends, we ask our Higher Power’s guidance for what to say. We follow the Big Book’s directions. We go to each person (or institution) in a helpful and forgiving spirit. 

Under no condition do we criticize such a person or argue… We tell him that we will never get over our drinking until we have… straightened out the past. We… sweep off our side of the street realizing that nothing can be accomplished until we do so. His faults are not discussed. We stick to our own. (Big Book, page 77)

If someone does throw us out of his office, we have made our demonstration, done our part. It’s water over the dam. (Big Book, page 78)

• • Read the Big Book, page 79.
  • Don’t forget to check out each amends with your sponsor before making it.
  • We can prepare for making an amends by doing the following:

1. 1. 1. Read and try to memorize the amends. You may be able to recite some amends from memory; for others, you may be too emotional. So, take your index card(s) with you.
      2. If you are going to read your amends, tell the person you are going to read it because you want to make sure you say it well. Making amends to close family and friends can be a deeply emotional experience.
      3. Remember to make amends to one person at a time, and pray before and after making amends to each person.
         
         

AFTER YOU HAVE MADE YOUR FIRST STEP 9 AMENDS, YOU ARE READY TO MOVE ON TO STEP 10!

Continue cleaning up the past by making the rest of your amends. After you make a few amends, read the Step 9 Promises (Big Book, page 83) and see if they have begun to come true for you. “They will always materialize if we work for them.” If these promises are not coming true, you might need to look for some unfinished business.