I have been working the steps with my current sponsor for almost a year, we have both read the bigbook together, and worked all 12 steps.
I had to find someone that I could trust, someone that wouldn't steer me the wrong way. The guy I have to sponsor me has 2 years sober, and is a little older then me. We have a really good relationship with one another, and I am grateful we do because he isn't scared to call me on my bullshit. I call him daily,and pretty much go over my day with him. Sometimes I have stuff to talk with him about, and sometimes I just call him to say hey. It's really good to have someone that understands the shit I go through. My parents do not understand me like the way my support group does, if I call my mom at like 2am shes going to think the worse and flip out, and with my support group I can call them anytime and tell them i feel like drinking or using and they talk me through whatever it is I am going through.
Working the steps with this man has really opened some doors in my life, and was able to work through a lot of built up anger and feelings that I've been holding onto for years,and those feelings were keeping me sick as fuck, so thats the importance of doing a honest 4th step, is getting all that shit out there.
Steps 6 and 7 helped me understand my shortcomings and character defects(which were pointed out to me on my 5th step), there was a lot that i didn't understand at the time, like it was hard for me to see that i am a people pleaser, then after looking back at my 4th i relised that it was true, and many others that i have.
There are few things i do every day and night to reassure my soberity, and thats doing a daily inventory, i journal at the end of my day weather its just calling my sponsor and telling him or writing the shit down. Thats why my sponsor has been such a big deal.
I highlyyy suggest to newcomers the importance in getting a sponsor, or a temp-sponsor, just someone to talk to.
If anyone wants more information on how do you choose a good sponsor, and what are some things to look for in getting a sponsor then I will be glad to answer those questions, also any questions that anyone has on the 12 steps please feel free to ask me, i dont mind helping others, its what I do!
1 thing I pratice more than anything is attraction rather then promotion, people are going to notice you doing better if you really are doing better. I look at new comers no different then me, no matter what the situation is. I know by the end of the day and we are both sober then we both have 24 hours, and we both have another 24 hours ahead.