We made a list of all persons harmed by our self-protection and became willing to make amends to them all.

Step Eight is about becoming specific. After recognizing our patterns and loosening our attachment to self-protection, we begin to see that these patterns did not exist in isolation. They shaped our relationships.

This step asks us to name the people affected by our need to manage, control, withdraw, or stay guarded. We are not asked to judge our intentions or measure our fault. We are asked to notice impact.

Making a list helps move this work out of abstraction. Self-protection can sound general until it has names attached to it. Step Eight brings our attention to real people and real relationships, grounding the work in lived experience.

Willingness is central here. We are not required to make amends yet, and we are not asked to decide how or when. Step Eight simply asks whether we are willing to consider repair. For many of us, this is the first time we have paused long enough to ask that question honestly.

As we make this list, we may notice resistance. We may want to justify ourselves, minimize harm, or avoid certain names altogether. Step Eight invites us to notice these reactions without acting on them. Resistance does not mean we are doing the step wrong. It means we are touching something real.

This step also reminds us that amends are not about punishment or self-blame. They are about restoring relationship where possible. Willingness does not guarantee that repair will be easy, mutual, or welcomed. It simply opens the door to responsibility.

Step Eight prepares us for action by slowing us down. It allows space for discernment before movement. By naming those affected and becoming willing to make amends, we lay the groundwork for Step Nine without rushing ahead.