During the first nine Steps, we concentrated on identifying and giving up the problems of the past while acknowledging our assets and good qualities. We turned our will and life over to the care of God/Higher Power as we each have come to understand. We set the stage for moving into the rest of our life with joy and freedom.

Step Ten helps us stay in check on our progress in this new life. On an ongoing basis, we examine our daily actions and interactions with ourselves and others. We identify any problem areas in terms of our behavior on each day. We make amends to those we might have offended, and thank God and ourselves for our successes.

This Step helps us to be right with ourselves, others, and our Higher Power. Healthy behavior and healthy attitudes are important to recover from nicotine dependence. Through this Step we are given the opportunity to keep our commitment to strive for openness, honesty, humility, and love for ourselves and others. It is our path to peace and serenity. It clears the path to closeness with ourselves, others, and with our Higher Power. Step Ten helps us maintain behavior essential in remaining abstinent from use of nicotine.

The Tenth Step asks us to continually be aware of how our actions influence the lives of those around us. This helps us maintain an awareness that we are as important to other people's recovery as they are two hours. We learn to be responsible to the values we cherish in relationships with others, such as openness, honesty and truthfulness. Step Ten provides us with the direct knowledge that these values are our guides to our behavior.

Working this Step daily provides us with continuous feedback on our progress and on our stumbling blocks. It may reveal to us just how often we have to make amends to others before we are willing to change our behavior. We begin to see our resistance to change, openness, honesty, and humility. We are able to see the struggle we have inside, especially when we don't want to admit

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our wrongs or apologise for an act that hurt someone else. Strength can come from acknowledging our resistance and may provide us with the humility that may be necessary and asking for help.

The Tenth Step helps us keep our side of the street clean. It is a great reminder to keep the focus on ourselves. When we can do that, we are generally more assured that we are still on course. Our faith is strengthened that we will receive the promises of sanity and serenity.

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*The Twelve Steps reprinted and adapted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Service, Inc. Permission to reprint and adapt the Twelve Steps does not mean that AA is affiliated with this program. AA is a program of recovery from alcoholism -- use of the Twelve Steps in connection with programs and activities which are patterned after AA, but which address other problems, does not imply otherwise.