Defining My Bottom Lines (Inner Circle)

Your inner circle holds the specific behaviors you're committing to stop - the ones that, for you, mean you've slipped. This worksheet helps you make them precise. Fuzzy inner circles are easy to argue your way around; clear ones aren't. Define these honestly, ideally with your therapist or group, so there's no gray area to exploit in a weak moment.

No gray area for the addiction to hide in: The clearer your inner circle, the harder it is to rationalize 'that didn't really count.' Precision protects you when your judgment is compromised.

My inner-circle behaviors

List the specific behaviors. Concrete and observable - someone reading it would know exactly what crosses the line.

The behaviors in my inner circle:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Pressure-testing them

Tick any that still feel vague or have a loophole.

• [ ] Some of these are still fuzzy
• [ ] There's a 'technically that's different' loophole
• [ ] I'm not sure where one line actually sits

Which line needs tightening, and how would I word it so there's no wiggle room?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Hold them with support, not shame: Crossing an inner-circle line is information, not proof you've failed - but a clear line means you'll know honestly where you stand. Set and refine these with your therapist or group, never alone in your head.

Go deeper

Ready for more? These lessons pick up where this worksheet leaves off.

• The Three Circles, from Sex Addiction Recovery. The Three Circles turn 'stop' into a usable map: bottom lines, warning signs, and a life worth protecting.
• Relapse Prevention: Seeing the Warning Signs, from Sex Addiction Recovery. Relapse is a process, not an event.