Al-Anon daily reflection ·

Afraid I Did It Wrong

When I have completed my job, I am accountable to others and report the results.

Paths to Recovery, p. 312

When someone asks how a task went, I can hear criticism before they have said anything critical. Did I spend too much? Did I forget something? Will they think I should have done it differently? My need for approval can turn a simple update into a test I am afraid to fail.

Concept Ten reminds me that reporting results is part of accepting responsibility. If I agree to organize a meeting or handle a household task, others need to know what happened. Yet perfectionism can make me put off that conversation, overexplain my choices, or list excuses before anyone asks a question. I want to be sure no one can find fault with me.

I can practice giving a straightforward account: what I completed, what remains, and any problems that need attention. If I made a mistake, I can acknowledge it and help put it right. If someone suggests a better approach, I can consider it without treating it as proof that I failed. My responsibility is to be honest and follow through. I do not need everyone’s approval to have done my part.

Practice

I will report back on one responsibility today, noticing whether I feel the urge to defend my work before anyone has questioned it.

Today’s Reminder

I can be accountable without being perfect.

More on progress not perfection

Explore further

Written by people with lived experience of someone else’s drinking who practice the Twelve Step program of recovery. Published by Daily Growth, LLC.

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