August, 2020
Volume 1, Issue 4

Strength & Hope
A message in support of emotional well-being.

Trustee reflection—Steve B.
After spending many years attending other self-help programs I finallyfound my way to EA in 2008. To paraphrase John Denver, I came home
to a place I’d never been before. That’s how the EA Fellowship felt to methen and how it still feels to me! As I worked my program and talked withothers in the Fellowship, I came to understand the importance of service
as a recovery tool. I found that when I gave of myself in service to others,I received at least as much as I gave. So, last year, I took on my biggest
service role yet: I joined the EAI Board of Trustees.
My goal in becoming a Trustee was to support EA to become the best it
could be, to try to the best of my limited, flawed, human ability, to givesomething back to the Fellowship that has changed my life. I sought toput into action Bill W.’s sentiment that “service is anything whatever thathelps us to reach a fellow sufferer.”
Reflecting on my first year as a Trustee, I must confess that it’s a bigger
responsibility than I thought it would be. Our Trustees not only serve asstewards for the EA Fellowship, its preservation and growth, but also areresponsible for overseeing the financial, legal, and administrative needsof the nonprofit Emotions Anonymous International (EAI) and its administrative offices in St. Paul, Minnesota. Trustees focus their attention on
specific responsibilities, such as finance or literature; I’m currently serving on our Bylaws Review Committee. Overall, this service is a lot ofwork, but enormously satisfying. And I am grateful for the opportunity to
be a trusted servant for our Fellowship.
My fellow Trustees are amazing people and a pleasure to work with. We
meet by teleconference each month and in person at least once each year
(though not in 2020 due to COVID-19), and also devote time to writing
for EA’s website and newsletters, following up with people interested informing new groups, and many other tasks. This year, I’m looking forward to working with our newest Trustee, Kelsey W. Welcome aboard!

Quick Tip of theMonthSometimes it's possible
to get into the habit oftaking the good things inlife for granted. It's only
when there are problems
or complaints that ourHigher Power — or otherpeople — get involved.
You can decide to offer
one thank-you per day toanyone - a child, a friend,a kind store clerk - every
day, and explain why you
are thanking them. It only
takes a moment and it
helps fight "Take it forGranted" with
"Gratitude!"Your Trustees
Scott J.— MN
507-276-0323
sdjakel@gmail.com
President
John W.— MN
612-760-0313
johnwerner52@gmail.com

Vice President
Colleen C.— MN
651-245-5461
coyne2003@hotmail.com
Secretary
Paul N.— NJ
201-264-1807
paul@nobleequity.com
Treasurer
Derita P.— OH
216-624-3559
deritapippen@gmail.com
Steve B.— CA
909-438-4938
stevebell_28@yahoo.com

August Tools for
RecoveryStep 8Made a list of all persons we
had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Promise 8
Our whole attitude and outlook
upon life changes.
Just for Today 8
I will stop saying, “If I hadtime.” I never will find time foranything. If I want time, I musttake it.
Slogan 8Know Yourself—Be Honest

Spiritual Connectedness throughSelf-Awareness— Gail R.

I know for me, the biggest
problem I have as far as
what can lead to a slip isself-pity. I think stress is apart of it too. HALT ispretty major, I know. Whenthings seem to pile up, andI'm not able to take time tojournal, pray, go to meetings ... it seems like life
just takes over and I findmyself sliding downward
without even realizing
it. Often I don't realize I'm
in slip territory until I've
done or said something,usually at the top of mylungs ... then I can see
what's going on. I know

when my emotions are allover the place that can really set me up for slips But
sometimes when I'm struggling the most, I'm the mostaware of what's going onwith me, which helps me
stay more spiritually connected and more peaceful. I'm grateful to knowthat I'm powerless over myemotions and that my life
can easily become unmanageable, and I'm gratefulfor the connection with ahigher power - the god ofmy understanding (orsometimes, God as I don't
understand him).

Helpful Concept 8
The steps suggest a belief in aPower greater than ourselves.
This can be human love, aforce for good, the group, nature, the universe, God, or any
entity a member chooses as apersonal Higher Power.

Tradition 8
Emotions Anonymous should
remain forever nonprofessional, but our service
centers may employ specialworkers.

Slogan 8: Know Yourself—Be Honest—Luz M. (Spain)

Knowing who I really am and being honest allows meto create and build authentic relationships with myself,with others and with my Higher Power. It allows me tosee and cope with my strengths, weaknesses, shortcomings, and assets. It's an ongoing process of rediscovering myself in a different light each time I look. I see
this as an adventure of self-acceptance and inner reconciliation which makes me feel freer and offers me amore full life.
You can find the Trustee Reflections on the website,www.emotionsanonymous.org.
This month we focus on Promise 8.
Page 2

Contribution Gratitude

Changing my Outlook — Dolores G.

EAI could not operate without donations and we deeply appreciate yoursupport! Recent gifts have been received from these groups:

I am reminded of two very wise things that were told tome that help me very much.:

New Douglas, ILBrevard, NC
Mesquite, TX
Midwest City, OK
Burlington, IACoon Rapids, MN
Wellesley, MA
Lyndhurst, OH

Rialto, CABoulder, COMesa, CAAustin, TX
Arvada, COBend, OR
Buxton, VIC
Australia

In Memory of:
Italian Covid-19 Victims,
Anonymous

The first one is that I am not in charge of what hasn’t
happened yet. I’m learning to live my life in real time
and to feel my feelings in real time. When I find myself
obsessing, I pull back and focus on my recovery. I say a
prayer of surrender and ask myself what it is I need totake care of my needs at that moment.
The second one: if it’s not in my hula-hoop, I let it go. I
got a good chuckle out of the visual when I first heardit, but it really works. What others think of me is noneof my business. I have enough to do to mind my own
life. Others are free to live theirs.

Edward & Sally Newton, Eileen S.
Maricruz B., Austin, TX group

Administrative News
Each Fall, the Board of Trustees
meets for a two day workshop and anAnnual Membership Business Meeting. At the July Board meeting it was
decided to forego a face-to-face Trustee workshop this year, due to COVID-19 and cost. Instead, the Trustees willhold the workshop virtually. The Annual Membership Business Meetinghas been held both in-person and byconference call for the past severalyears. This year it will be held virtually on Saturday, Sept. 26. More information will be provided in thecoming weeks on how to attend.

Budget Update
Unfortunately, EAI again ended theyear with a deficit. We can notcontinue to provide the same level ofservices to the membership without
increased contributions. Pleaseconsider the value EA brings to yourlife and be generous with yoursupport.

On Making Amends — Derita P.
It is essential for me to make amends, no matter what
my ego tells me. Because a lot of times my ego will
use one or more of a thousand justifications for not
making a due amends. But my heart always comes tothe truth and the simple truth is if I have harmed someone I owe an amends. That's quite simple, huh? This
whole program is simple but as humans we can sometimes complicate it. The bottom line is, if I want to feelbetter about myself and the world I am living in, I must
be willing to make amends for the harms I am responsible for.
Please write!
We encourage member reflections! Please submit yours
to submissions@emotionsanonymous.org. Reflections
should be no more than 200 words. Please note which
step/promise/tradition etc. you are referencing.
Office Information
EAI P.O. Box 4245 St. Paul MN 55104-0245
Office Hours: M-TH 10a.m. — 3 p.m. CT
Phone: 651-647-9712
www.emotionsanonymous.org
Page 3