Simplicity and Beauty Before program, I dealt with work, family, and friendship challenges through power and manipulation. Tradition Two taught me another way. It suggests we serve and let HP govern. When faced with a difficulty in an OA group, Tradition Two gives me step-by-step instructions: (1) ask for guidance from HP; (2) discuss the issue carefully; (3) vote; (4) trust HP’s will. … Read More
Generous, Willing, and Responsible Studying and working the Seventh Tradition has been one of the most important gifts of my recovery from the disease of compulsive eating. Learning to do my part has taught me how to behave responsibly in all aspects of my life. Truly, I hadn’t known that doing a service or making a donation could be the pathway for me to … Read More
Light Reaching Out Why would you care about a visibly overweight stranger? A person who needs a chair to sit on during long strolls through a department store? A person whose breathing you can hear as you travel close by them in an elevator? Do you understand a person who never seems to gain weight yet always eats or a person who shows … Read More
Giving for Life Although we are in May, it is always a good time for me to work towards being self-supporting. Though I’ve had some slips along the way, I have a lot of experience applying this Tradition in my personal life. Here are two ways I help support the Fellowship that saved my life. I set up an ARC, an Automatic Recurring … Read More
Purpose in Public I truly believe that the Public Information Committee from my HOW-OA Northern California Intergroup has one primary purpose. This is how we’re carrying the message: Last year, we went to a health and wellness fair in nearby Walnut Creek and to another health fair at a local hospital. Several of us distributed printed information, gave away wristbands, and answered questions. This … Read More
Soul Food Step Five is where we begin to learn how to love ourselves. Most of us know something is wrong in the way we’re living, but we have no idea how to address it. When we allow ourselves to get vulnerable with another human being in Step Five, we open a door that creates greater understanding of our personality and character—the … Read More
Self-Supporting through Service I sometimes use an image to explain the concept of OA groups being self-supporting. I draw a giant circle and label it “Everyone in OA.” Then I draw eleven large circles within the giant circle and label these “Regions” (there are ten land-based and one virtual). I zoom in on my own Region Four circle and draw sixteen little circles … Read More
Automatic Recurring Service Service is one of the OA Tools, but it is also the backbone of our program. If nobody did any service, we wouldn’t have any meetings, any literature, or any conventions or other events. Simply put, our program is run on a lot of volunteer labor, and ultimately all our income comes from donations. If you make outreach phone calls, … Read More
The Face of OA Recently, I came home after running a bunch of errands and realized I’d been wearing my name badge the whole time. Not only that, I had conducted my last transaction at a supermarket with mustard on my nose. I couldn’t help but wonder what people thought of me. What kind of impression did I make, and what would people think … Read More
Willing Change I rely on the Principle of Step Six, “willingness,” one day at a time. I am willing to: take Step One (and continue to take Step One daily) work with a sponsor: get honest and drop the excuses and justifications that had taken over my life discuss my trigger foods and trigger behaviors, make a food plan, pray about it, … Read More