Use of the Step Seven Prayer

As I go through the day, I encounter temptation to think unhelpful thoughts (selfish, dishonest, resentful, or fearful thoughts). It is from such thoughts that all my bad behaviour stems. I don't think recovery is about not having these thoughts; I think it's about turning away promptly from them. A good way I have found to do so is to say the Step Seven Prayer as soon as a negative thought comes into my mind. Generally, if I catch the thought in the first five seconds and replace the thought with a recitation of the Step Seven Prayer, the thought does not return for a while. It is easier and more effective to do this than to let it embed itself in my consciousness and then to try and dig it out once it has grown roots.