In Step 1, "We admitted that despite our efforts, many of the factors affecting our sense of self and self-esteem seemed out of control, leading to increased unmanageability in our lives." Sometimes, those "many factors" include current events.  What happens then?

Good self-esteem involves living my values. But what does that look like when current events change the conditions in which I live? When current events change the standards by which I measured my values and the concept of manageability/unmanageability?

In Steps 10 and 11, I align my life, relationships, and actions with my values in a way that is healthy, sustainable, and manageable. But what if my alignments are disrupted by current events? And if events are still in flux, how can I know what sustainability and manageability mean relative to what's happening?

I don't have these answers yet. But going back to earlier Steps is helping me to feel at least a little more grounded. I've been engaging with Steps 6, 7, 8, and 9: investigating the ways in which my sense of self and self-esteem are informed by outside influences, exploring the idea of individual needs and self-care, examining personal values, and considering the connections between myself, other individuals, and communities.

I'm finding my thoughts on each of these topics have changed a little since last time I worked these Steps. That's helping me feel in touch with what's going on inside me. Eventually, I hope to form a new, up-to-date basis for Steps 10 and 11: updated alignments between my self-care, values, relationships, and my actions, in a way that is healthy and manageable for me.

The Steps are cyclical. I can work them in any situation in which I feel that "factors affecting my sense of self and self-esteem seem out of control, leading to increased unmanageability in my life."

Share questions:

• Has the context for your values or the concepts of manageability/unmanageability ever been impacted by current events? It's okay to answer generally or with references to recent events. 
• Have any of your Step 10/11 alignments ever been interrupted by current events? Please describe. 
• How are current events affecting your thoughts on... the ways in which your sense of self and self-esteem are informed by outside influences? Individual needs and self-care? Personal values? Connections between yourself, other individuals, and community? 
• Any tools, resources, or strategies to share? 
• Anything else to add?