Serenity Through the Holidays
“It’s that time of year again,” says Edward, “when the national focus is placed on . . . food!” Learn how Edward uses his recovery to change the focus of any holiday from food to living in recovery.
Working the Program
My Junk Food Habit Was Like a Part-Time Job; Now I’m an Investor in Recovery
Every night, Meg went out shopping for snacks. She’d come home, stuff herself, and then suffer from bad sleep caused by her compulsive eating. “I’d feel my ongoing failure as a human being,” she recalls. But after finding abstinence in OA, she now says “I feel light-hearted and excited about life. I’m blessed with so much more.”
My Sponsors’ Suggestions Have Led Me to Recovery
“Without a sponsor,” says one OA member, “I would be unable to continue to recover.” But this OA member’s journey has meant working with many sponsors, and she has learned something from each one along the way.
Sharing My Solution: The Golden Gift of a Daily Routine
“In our area, we are struggling to attract and retain new members,” says Heather from New Zealand. “I have been mentored over the years . . . to share the solution. This writing is the service I can do today.” Read how Heather works her program daily.
Willing to Dig Deeper
“I’m excited to say that I’m the winner now for sure because I can choose how to respond to my disease, and I do that willingly now. I choose what I will eat, when, where, why, and how, and I make those decisions with a clear mind, not one that’s in a perpetual sugar fog,” says Jean from Ontario. Sounds so amazing! How did she do it?
It Was the Insanity of My Life that Got Me Back to OA
“Gone are the binges followed by total despair for days,” writes Julian, who left OA after he felt he wasn’t making progress only to later realized just how much he needed our program.
Progress not Perfection: Lesson from a Turtle
How does the turtle make progress?
My Sponsor Said, “Send it to Lifeline”
Ana reflects on Lifeline’s role in her recovery and in those of her sponsees. Listen to this short recording and become inspired to send in your story!
My Steps to Sanity with Food
Taking an anniversary cruise while carrying 300 pounds (136 kg) of body weight left Elizabeth feeling despondent and suicidal. When she joined OA, her weight loss journey began. But her greatest progress so far has been working the Steps to covering and recover from the dysfunctions that have been driving her compulsive overeating.
Totally Committed
Mary Ann weighed 236 pounds (107 kg) and was facing a fatal liver condition. That was her wake up call. She came to OA, threw herself into the program, lost 106 pounds (48 kg), and has found spiritual, physical, and emotional recovery.