We became entirely ready to let go of our attachment to identities that once helped us survive, but now limit our freedom and connection.

Step Six is about readiness. Not action yet, and not change by force, but a quiet willingness to loosen what we have been holding onto.

After Step Five, many of us clearly see patterns and identities that no longer serve life. Even so, letting them go can feel frightening. These ways of being may be familiar. They may still feel useful. Some of them once kept us safe. Step Six honors that history without asking us to remain stuck in it.

This step does not ask us to eliminate parts of ourselves. It asks us to notice where attachment has formed. We may discover that we are holding onto certain identities—being in control, being right, being needed, being competent, being unseen—because they help us feel secure. Step Six invites us to consider whether we are ready to live without relying on them.

Willingness is different from effort. We do not have to know how to let go. We do not have to feel confident or peaceful about it. We only need to be open to the possibility that these patterns are no longer necessary.

Many of us struggle here. Part of us wants relief, while another part wants to hold on. This is normal. Step Six does not require us to choose perfectly. It asks us to notice our resistance and stay honest about it.

As we practice willingness, we may begin to sense space opening. We may notice moments when we do not react the way we usually do, or when an old identity feels less urgent. These moments are signs that something is shifting on its own.

Step Six prepares us for the next step by helping us loosen our grip. We are not pushing anything away. We are simply becoming ready to stop clinging.