Your Bottom Lines

In recovery, your 'bottom lines' are the specific behaviors you're committing to stop - the things that, for you, define a slip. Getting clear and concrete about them matters, because vague goals ('be better,' 'cut back') give the addiction room to negotiate. This is where you decide, in plain terms, what you're moving away from.

Clear beats vague: 'I'll be more careful' is something the addiction can argue with. 'I will not do X' is a line you can actually hold and actually notice crossing. Specifics are your friend here.

Drafting my bottom lines

Name the specific behaviors you're committing to stop. Be concrete and honest - this is yours to define, ideally with your therapist or group.

The specific behaviors that count as a slip for me:

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Why these

Why these lines matter to me - what I'm protecting by holding them:

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What I'm moving toward

Bottom lines say what you're stopping. It helps to also name what you're moving toward, so this is about a life, not just a list of nos.

The life I'm holding these lines for:

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Lines are living, not perfect: Your bottom lines can be refined with your therapist or group as you learn more - and crossing one isn't the end of recovery, it's information. The point isn't a flawless record; it's a clear, honest direction. Define them with support, not in isolation.

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.
• Starting Recovery: The First Steps, from Sex Addiction Recovery. Recovery doesn't start with willpower — it starts with reaching out.
• Relapse Prevention: Seeing the Warning Signs, from Sex Addiction Recovery. Relapse is a process, not an event.