Outsourcing “In OA we learn that a lack of willpower isn’t what makes us compulsive overeaters. In fact, compulsive overeaters often exhibit an exceptional amount of willpower. But compulsive eating is an illness that cannot be controlled by willpower” (The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, p. 1). For more years than I care to remember, I could not allow … Read More
Step One Relief On May 28, 2017, I attended my first OA meeting. The courage to attend arose when I discovered the pamphlet Maintaining a Healthy Weight. I finally admitted I did not like my body or my weight. I realized I could not manage my weight by myself. Most importantly, I realized and admitted that not liking myself made me have nasty, … Read More
Story at Ten Step Ten – Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. A Tenth Step inventory is one day of my story. Any harms have I done? Did I help anyone? Judged others, “If only . . .?” Offered hope to the lonely? To old grudges cling? Or self-pity’s song sing? My duties remiss in? Did … Read More
Mopping Up Mistakes Step Nine Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Almost no one looks forward to doing Step Nine, yet it plays such an important part in any recovery that goes beyond weight loss. Two experiences showed me the advantage of working this Step with a sponsor. Whenever I reviewed … Read More
Step Seven Save My favorites among the literature are The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous and the AA Twelve and Twelve. Both books have helped me, especially with Step Seven. I struggle so much with the character defect of pride, and I find the antidote in the Principle of Step Seven: humility. Before OA, I didn’t even know how to … Read More
Principle Links I think I always had honesty, OA’s First Step Principle. I was 15 in 1971 when the disease descended upon me, and I knew something had gone seriously wrong in my life. “A human isn’t supposed to live this way,” I thought, as I scarfed holiday sweets and felt an overwhelming sense that I would never be able to control … Read More
Principle Focus The last line of our Twelfth Step reads, “to practice these principles in all our affairs.” Twenty years ago, when I first came to OA, this part of the Twelfth Step seemed a lofty goal. What were these Principles? And what a tall order, to practice them in all my affairs! To do as instructed, I first had to become … Read More
Humility Keeps Me Abstinent I used to joke that when I first came into program, I was very proud of my humility. Not that I knew what humility was—I thought of it more as self-deprecating behavior. And I really did not think I had a problem with it. Now I think of it as balance. And I know I have a problem with it. … Read More
The Enough Prayer Let me have faith so I will love as if there will always be love enough for me and I have never been hurt. Let me have faith so I will be a friend, as if my friends have always been here and I have never been alone. Let me have faith so I will eat as if there will … Read More
Connection Bridge Step Eight: Made a list of all persons we had harmed and become willing to make amends to them all. The list of people I had harmed was very fresh in my mind the day I walked into OA. In fact, it was branded on my conscience and burned fiercely as shame whenever I encountered someone I had harmed. But … Read More