Honesty and Hope
January/February 2024
|
|
|
|
As the holidays conclude, many of us take the time to reflect on the past year and draw up goals for the New Year. We hope one of your resolutions is to join us in the fellowship of Overeaters Anonymous.
Attending meetings (in person or on Zoom), reading literature, and reaching out to fellow members is a wonderful way to strengthen your program during the cold months of Winter.
We hope this newsletter offers you support and inspiration as we navigate the challenges and opportunities this season presents.
|
|
|
We have 23 active meetings each week in our area. Fifteen on Zoom, one on the phone only, and seven in-person meetings (including one hybrid/in-person). We invite you to try a new-to-you meeting and explore the different formats. All meeting details can be found on our website.
|
|
Happenings Around Connecticut |
|
January 25 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm EST
Newcomer Orientation Thursday, 01/25/24 @ 6:30 pm on Zoom: Meeting ID: 825 6764 0886
Passcode: 476018
Dial in by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US
Newcomers should read the pamphlet, ‘Where Do I Start,’ available at this link. After a short welcome, we will use the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) format. Anyone is welcome to join us to give the newcomers hope and show that the program works.
|
|
Zoom Meeting - Recovery From Relapse |
|
Saturdays at 6:00 pm Eastern time
Zoom: 874 305 1352, Password: recovery
For info: Sandy G, 860-391-7092
|
|
Marathon: Happy 64th Birthday OA! (Flyer Below) |
|
Hosted by the Danielson OA Group
January 13, 2024 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST
Danielson, CT, and on Zoom
|
|
January & February Step Highlight: Steps 1 & 2 |
|
Step 1
We admitted we were powerless over food - that our lives had become unmanageable.
Some of us resisted Step One because it seemed like negative thinking. If we tell ourselves we're powerless over food, we reasoned, then we program ourselves to go right on eating compulsively. Later we discovered that far from being a a negative factor, the admission of our powerlessness over food has opened the door to an amazing newfound power. For the first time in our lives, we recognized, acknowledged and accepted the truth about ourselves. We are compulsive overeaters.
Step 2
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Once we identified this Power for ourselves, we found we felt at ease with it. Then we began to act as if such a Power existed, and we found good things happening to us as a result. Little by little, as we experienced changes for the better in our lives, we came to believe in a Power greater than ourselves that could restore us to sanity.
"The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, 2nd edition, copyright Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.”
|
|
Steps 1 & 2 Traditions
Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon OA unity.
How do we practice the First Tradition?
- Do we focus on our differences or on what we have in common?
- Are we kind, even to those whose personalities we dislike? Or do we talk about the love of the OA group while acting hostile to some?
- Do we belittle other OA members or groups whose approaches to working the program are different from ours?
- Do we discuss what our meetings can do to better embrace diversity and unity?
Tradition Two: For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
How do we practice the Second Tradition?
- Does our group encourage everyone to take an active part in meetings and group conscience discussions?
- Do we ever put pressure on the group to accept the ideas of certain individuals simply because they have been in OA a long time?
- Do our group's members volunteer or willingly accept group offices (e.g. secretary, treasurer), or does our group have trouble finding members willing to do service?
- Do we all offer to help set up, clean up or do other tasks, whether we are relatively new in OA or have been around a long time?
Excerpts from "The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, 2nd edition, copyright Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.”
|
|
Living the Step Principles
Step 1. Honesty
...we are encouraged to take a good look at our compulsive eating, obesity, obsession with food, and body image and the self-destructive things we have done to avoid obesity - the dieting, starving, over-exercising, or purging. Once we honestly examine our histories, we can deny it no longer: Our eating and our attitudes toward food are not normal; we have this disease.
Step 2. Hope
Compulsive overeaters recovering in OA have reason to believe in the power of hope. It is the saving grace of our illness, a life-sustaining force that motivates us to keep going. Hope brought me to Overeaters Anonymous. I needed to believe that I had within me the power to change, to grow.
Excerpts from For Today and The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, 2nd edition, copyright Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.”
|
|
Stories of Service
We want to share an excellent booklet from Region 7 of Overeaters Anonymous about members sharing their thoughts on what they gain from doing service.. We hope you enjoy reading this powerful booklet. Click on the cover to view online or download a copy once the online viewer is open.
|
|
"I wanted to share a little bit about my 11 step review that I do each night. I’ve been blessed to be part of a group that includes incredible women from across USA, Canada & Europe. For two weeks at a time I’m randomly paired up with another abstinent woman in recovery that I can share my daily and nightly journey with. Here’s pieces of my Action Plan tool I’ve incorporated into my shares:
I am grateful for:
- Spiritual Lifeline-God/Goddess/Higher Power
- Another growth opportunity
- Nature
- God’s promises of the step work
- The warmth and thoughtfulness of my loving family and closest friends
- My sanctuary of home and community
- Being a proud member living in the solution of the 12-step programs
- My recovery soul family
- My health and wellness, my wits about me and passion to use them all
- Adventure and the sense of loving security/resting place.
Who did I help today?
- 3+ fellows
- Program service position
- Take 10th step(s)
- Take 11th step(s)
- Sponsee(s)
- Responded back to emails/texts from clients & coworkers
- Provide my clients with information that would benefit their growth
- Family and/or friends
What did I accomplish today?
- Checked in with a family member or a non-program friend?
- Spent time with OA literature
- Journal/two-way prayer
- Went to a meeting and/or shared at a meeting
- Prayed on my knees
- Accepted people, places, things & situations exactly as they are not as I would have them be.
- Send my plan of eating to my sponsor & food accountability buddy
- Was I resentful? Am I holding a grudge?
- Acted passive or overtly aggressive?
- Used sick-man or freedom prayer from bondage prayer for grace
- Was I selfish or self-seeking?
- Was I self-reliant?
- Was I dishonest? Did I omit something?
- Did I leave out information to people please?
- Am I feeling anxious, worried or fearful? Panic stricken w/ Dread?
- Do I feel uncomfortable in my body? Terrified that I’m gaining weight (ie. fat/
- bloated/heavy/chunky?)
- Do I owe an amend or an apology?
- Do I owe someone a service? A response to a commitment I made or request?
- Was I kind & loving toward all?
- Did I respect other’s sovereignty?
- Was I respectful & attentive?
- Was I financially responsible?
- Texted expenses to 11th step partner
- Took the easy way out through half measures
What Character Defects roared today?
- Pride/Inflated Ego
- Self righteous indignation
- Judgmentalism/criticism of others
- Gluttony/materialism
- Fear/doubt/lack of faith
-Jacki A.
|
|
Disclaimer: personal stories and quotes throughout this newsletter express the experience, strength, and hope of the individual member and not of OA as a whole.
|
|
HOW TO REACH US
We would LOVE to hear from YOU!
If you have a brief story to tell,
SUBMIT to:
secretaryctig@gmail.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
