Traditions Service and Belonging Our First Tradition states, “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon OA unity.” To be part of this whole, to belong, my piece of the puzzle is service. The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous states: “We need daily opportunities to be of service to other compulsive overeaters, opportunities which the OA group provides” (p. … Read More
Steps Much in Common I came into program in May of 1985. I didn’t think I could possibly fit in. I was finished with diets, but my weight and eating were out of control. Thank God I found Overeaters Anonymous. I had been a yo-yo dieter all my life; I’m a sugar and carbs addict. I’d never understood my addiction, so every diet failed … Read More
Recovery Around the World Part of the Mosaic We all belong! We all belong! We are like pieces of a puzzle individually coming together to form one picture, not because of our differences, but because of what we share—compulsive overeating. Most of my life I didn’t feel as though I fit anywhere. I was a fat child suffering the indignities of what today would be called bullying; then … Read More
Traditions Remarkable Unity We all have heard the ancient saying that a house divided cannot stand. I see this happening throughout the world today; division seems to be a preferred way of life, though it seldom brings desired results. In OA, we seek unity. Unity does not mean conformity. Through practicing the concept of unity, I have learned patience and openness; differences among … Read More
Traditions Only Through OA After learning about humility, I became able to share more of my personal self with a group. This was a very different experience for me. Growing up, I’d been taught that outward appearances were the most important thing, and any problems I had should stay at home. Through recovery, I learned about sharing with others at a more intimate level, … Read More
Traditions A Part Of My obsession with food was so disruptive, it required me to ignore my basic needs and the needs of others. I spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about myself: what I was going to eat next, how I was going to use food to numb feelings I didn’t like, and when and where I was going to do it. I … Read More
Traditions Always Rewarded Unity plays a role for me in going to any length to recover. My sponsor told me to attend OA events, and not only was it good for my program, but also it was a service to support all the OA members who organized the event and all the others who attended. So often I need to make attendance a … Read More
Traditions Common Interest Solidarity is the Principle behind Tradition Six. It reminds us, among other things, we are all equal in this program and we can’t let money, property, or prestige divert us from our primary purpose. Some definitions of solidarity include terms like “unity,” “agreement,” and “consensus among individuals with a common interest.” In Overeaters Anonymous, there are a lot of differing … Read More
Recovery Birthday Share As I celebrate my twentieth birthday of abstinent recovery in OA, I am filled with gratitude, joy, and hope. Prior to February 14, 1996, these incredible gifts were in short supply as I navigated through life, bingeing and depressed, depressed and bingeing. For decades, I expended endless amounts of energy keeping up appearances and maintaining my dirty little facade. I was … Read More
Traditions Building Balance For me, the beauty of unity is realizing I’m not alone in this disease of compulsive eating. I never knew that others had the same beast inside, compelling them to eat everything in sight—I felt like a freak because of it, a freak inside and out, my heavy body an outward manifestation of the obsession within. Just knowing I’m not … Read More
