After making and sharing our fearless moral inventory in Steps 4 and 5, and coming to terms with some of our character defects in Steps 6 and 7, we are ready to do some heavy lifting in our relationships. Step 8 has us make of list of persons we have harmed and become willing to make amends. Step 9 has us enter the danger and go to these people unless doing so would cause further harm. This message encourages us to process our feelings on paper so that amends are genuine and effective.