Fellowship Recovery Responsibility and Reward Service is both the responsibility and the reward for recovery through the Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous. During my thirty-plus years in OA, I’ve had many service positions. I’ve loved every one of them and learned from them too. Service has taught me about myself, about human nature and addictive behavior, and about my weaknesses and assets; it’s also taught … Read More
Higher Power Spirituality Fresh and Vital While doing some writing about the “vital spiritual experience” described in the Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th. ed., p. 27), I had a brand-new thought. I identified with the person being described: someone wanting very much to be free of the addiction that was making his life impossible, puzzled and despairing over why he couldn’t stop. For myself, I’d given … Read More
Diversity Newcomers What OA Is Not I realize after six months in OA that when I ate in the past, I was searching for the good feelings I had as a child. I remember happy family gatherings centered on food: family reunion picnics, camping trip cookouts, holidays, and celebrations. The fun and happiness had disappeared from my life. Why? I ate the same foods as I had … Read More
Tools & Concepts Whatever It Takes I am writing this as one of the assignments my sponsor gives me. She asked me to write on the action plan Tool. As I understand this Tool, it means using whatever it takes to help me achieve and maintain my abstinence. What actions have I started to take to help me do this? I make sure I get to … Read More
Gratitude Recovery No Stone Unturned OA recovery helps me with my relationships with my Higher Power, myself, and other people. Abstinence gives me clarity to be open to my Higher Power’s messages: I listen to the wisdom of my own body and I hear my HP’s voice in my sponsor and in meetings through members’ shares. I pray to see and hear others through God’s … Read More
Recovery Relationships Healing Relationships With OA Traditions I was one of those people who, when first arriving at OA is interested in all aspects of OA except for ____. And I had a list of what I was interested in and willing to give my time and attention to. The Twelve Steps? Yes. Telling someone what I ate? No. Getting a sponsor? No! Then came another bottom … Read More
Tools & Concepts Thought, Preparing for Action Step Three: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. When I first joined Overeaters Anonymous, the first three Steps annoyed and frustrated me. What were these Steps that could not be proven with any tangible evidence? I wanted to be writing my inventory in Step Four so … Read More
Fellowship Recovery Open Commitment Without a commitment to unity, OA would be a diet and calories club. Everyone would follow the food plan of the most convincing or loudest member. There would be no world service, so groups would only be supported locally. Literature would not be developed and sourced from a central body, and groups would have no reason to meet and reach a … Read More
Higher Power Spirituality Different Spiritual Beliefs Editors note: Below are two world service contributions from OA members in support of our Strategic Plan. When I first came to OA in 2005 at 275 pounds (125 kg), I thought I had the God thing down. Others might have trouble with the concept, but I had spent years studying theology, was working as a religious professional, and was … Read More
How OA Changed My Life Recovery Mysteries Solved After two years of denying I needed OA, I surrendered. Attending my first meeting was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I was desperate and out of ideas. I had reached my goal weight with a commercial weight-loss program a year prior; at first, I thought I’d solved all my problems. But the struggle to keep the … Read More
