We may not catch every mistake as it occurs, but a daily check can help us become more adept at recognizing and changing our behavior.
The goal of daily inventory is not the eradication of all mistakes, but becoming more adept at recognizing and correcting them. My first few months in Step Ten, my inventory felt like a list of failures. But over time, I noticed I was catching my errors sooner. I went from catching a defect at the end of the week to catching it an hour later, and now, often, in the moment it occurs.
This adeptness is the sign of spiritual growth. It means the new behaviors are becoming habitual, and the old defects are less comfortable. The process requires vigilance, but it’s a gentle vigilance, not a punishing one. The daily check-in is the quiet exercise that builds my spiritual muscle, making me quicker to turn to the solution and slower to turn to the disease.
Practice
At the end of the day, I will review my inventory. I will specifically ask: 'How quickly did I recognize my defects today?' I will congratulate myself on speed of recognition, even if the correction wasn't perfect.
Today’s Reminder
The purpose of inventory is not to eliminate mistakes, but to become faster at correcting them.
