The Three Circles

The Three Circles is one of recovery's most useful tools. You sort your behaviors into three rings: the inner circle (what you're stopping), the middle circle (the warning-sign behaviors that lead you there), and the outer circle (the healthy behaviors that build the life you want). Drawn out, it becomes a clear map of where you are at any moment - and which way you're heading.

A map you can check yourself against: Once your circles are clear, you always know your status: am I in my outer circle building life, drifting into my middle circle, or crossing into my inner circle? That awareness is half the battle.

Inner circle - what I'm stopping

The specific behaviors that are your bottom lines - what you're not doing.

My inner-circle behaviors:

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Middle circle - the warning signs

The slippery-slope behaviors and situations that lead toward the inner circle - not the act itself, but the on-ramps.

My middle-circle behaviors and situations:

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Outer circle - the life I want

The healthy behaviors that move you toward the life and person you want to be.

My outer-circle behaviors:

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Live in the outer circle: Recovery isn't just avoiding the inner circle - it's filling your days with the outer one. The more time you spend building the life you want, the less pull the inner circle has. We'll go deeper on each circle in the next worksheets.

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.
• Relapse Prevention: Seeing the Warning Signs, from Sex Addiction Recovery. Relapse is a process, not an event.
• Replacing the Habit: Healthy Dopamine & New Routines, from Sex Addiction Recovery. You can't erase a habit — you replace the routine while keeping the cue and reward.