THE EA CONNECTION: OCTOBER 2019
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EA TOOLS FOR RECOVERY
Step 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Tradition 10: Emotions Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence, the EA name ought neverbe drawn into public controversy.
Slogan 10: I need people
Promise 10: We intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
Just for Today 10: I shall be unafraid. Particularly, I shall be unafraid to be happy, to enjoy what isgood, what is beautiful, and what is lovely in life.
Helpful Concept 10: We have not found it helpful to place labels on any degree of illness or health.
We may have different symptoms, but the underlying emotions are the same or similar. We discover weare not unique in our difficulties and illnesses.

FROM YOUR EA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Every fall your Board of Trustees gathers for a workshop, board meeting, and the Annual Membership Meeting.
These meetings used to be held wherever the Annual International Conference was taking place. Three years agothe membership told us that attending a conference was expensive and, as fewer and fewer people had been
attending them, it didn’t seem wise to continue to try to do one major conference for so few members. We
switched the emphasis to encouraging groups to hold more local activities outside of weekly meetings and, increating the new website, provided opportunities for groups to list events for all to see. This has led to far moregatherings that work much better for members at a local level.
The Trustees take time from their lives to come to the main EAI office in St. Paul, MN from around the country
and we spend two days working together on organizational issues – the strategic plan, the budget, and key initiatives for the coming year. This has proven to be a very successful way to move the organization forward since I
came on board in 2015. We end the workdays with the Annual Membership Meeting where we are able to shareideas with those in attendance (we started providing telephone conferencing three years ago – prior Membership
Meetings were limited to those who could travel to wherever the Annual Conference was being held) and listen
to member ideas and concerns.
Minutes of both the Board meeting and the Annual Membership Meeting will be available on the website once
they are approved by the Trustees at the October Board meeting. We started posting meeting minutes on thewebsite this year so interested members could see what their Board was doing. To my knowledge, prior to this amember had to request meeting minutes from the office – making it much more difficult to get information. This
Board – and I – remain committed to making sure members are well informed and involved in the effort to widen
the EA community.
Elaine Weber Nelson, Executive Director, Emotions Anonymous International

www.EmotionsAnonymous.org
Box 4245 St Paul, MN 55104
Phone 651-647-9712
Hours Mon—Thurs: 10 to 3:00 CST

director@emotionsanonymous.org
connection@emotionsanonymous.org
groupdata@emotionsanonymous.org
orders@emotionsanonymous.org
shipping@emotionsanonymous.org

Special Gifts and Memorials
Our thanks to the many folks who have designated a memorial or acknowledgement forthe support and love they have received from another.

RECOVERY USING THE TOOLS OF EAStep 10: Continued to takepersonal inventory andwhen we were wrong
promptly admitted it.
Step 10 is one of my favorites. Ialways say it keeps me on thestraight and narrow. I’ve been inrecovery a long time and this stephas become ingrained. If I don’t
make amends when I’ve messed
up, it haunts me! I don’t seem tohave a choice but to do what theStep asks, which is to promptly
admit that I was wrong in thought,
behavior or deed. Because of thisStep, I can go to bed with a clear
conscious and feel good about
me ...Karie
This darn 10th step is hard! Backin the summer I got angry with acar door as it would not stay open
long enough for me to get out. Inmy anger, I took both my feet andshoved it open. I sprung it! There
was a thump when you opened
and closed the door. Later in theday, my wife went to use the car
and said to me, 'there is something
wrong with the door.' I told thetruth. It was hard to do but I toldthe truth. My amends was to giveup my weekly coffee money for as
many weeks as necessary to payfor the repair.

My youngest takes this car toschool and we had to bring it
home for a week while my wife's
car was getting new brakes. The
thump in the door reminds me ofwhat my anger can do…Jim

Today Book, September 24:…...Steps Four and Ten are most useful when I feel separate from God
and do not realize why. Working Step
Four releases me from all pastwrongdoings, and Step Ten keeps
present wrongdoings from piling up.

I'm thankful for the idea of taking
inventories in these 2 steps. WhenI do my inventory on a daily basisor (in terms of step 4) over a longer period of time, I make sure toinventory both my helpful and unhelpful aspects of my life (thelatter being my character defects). By doing an inventory
check of the former things, thecharacter assets, I'm able to celebrate the goodness in myself andmy life. I can give thanks for thework of a Higher Power in my life
to remind me that I'm perfect in
my imperfections and that I havemuch to be grateful for in terms ofmy life. I grew up seeing mostly
the negative when I looked in themirror feeling like I never measured up or I was never goodenough. Now I rejoice that sometimes I'm able to take an accurate
inventory of my life and see goodness in myself. The bonus aspectof looking for the character defects
as well as looking for the good isthat I can "stay in my lane" in only
taking inventory of my character
defects (avoiding taking inventoryof others in this fashion) and then I
can include others when lookingfor the good in my life and intheirs. I can even ask, "can I share
3 positive things I've observed inyour life in terms of how you'reworking the program and in termsof who you are to me?" or "Areyou open to some affirmation thatI have to offer about your character?"...ScottI continue doing a Step 10 at theend of each day. It's become asmuch of a habit as flossing myteeth. It keeps me from blaming

myself if I've stepped on one's toesor made a mistake. I make amends
quickly. I've developed a wee
sense of humor about making mistakes. It makes things so mucheasier for everyone I deal with ona daily basis…CarolSlogan 10: I need people
I need people so that I do not isolate. One thing I did recently tohelp prevent isolation is started up
telephone meetings. I also makeoutreach calls and requested others to call me. I cannot recover inisolation. Thanks for listening…LaQuinta

Promise 10: We intuitively
know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
I was at a conference on teaching
this weekend. This is a special kindof conference where teachers exchange ideas on how to facilitate
emotional work in students.
Two years ago, I was barely able toacknowledge that I was doing suchwork with my students. It felt preposterous, like a sick man leading
the healthy. (How skewed my perception was!) Now I not only
acknowledge it, but I shared what I
do with other teachers, and they
loved it. I got lots of positive feedback and I was able to see howmuch I've grown. As it says in thepromises, I am intuitively able tohandle situations that used tobaffle me. I am very happy andgrateful...Tobias
The Promises
I like the 12 promises because they
offer realistic expectations. They
don't promise wealth or popularity,
but do promise things I can expect if
I do what I am supposed to do…
ValerieDISCOVERING THE TOOLS OF EA
Celebrating Recovery
I am coming up on one year involved with EA. Next month will be 1 year. A year ago, October, I hit a low that wasexcruciating. I was so obsessed with a thought/person and a situation that had fallen apart; I simply couldn't stopcrying. I actually one night said "God - I DEMAND that you help me. I absolutely DEMAND it! The next day I found2 things, an article on subliminal messages and EA. The article gave me some immediate relief but EA has given
me life-long tools and a life-style to help keep me ok, stable and, sane.
What has EA taught me? That I'm powerless over my Emotions. It seems accepting that calms me. That I'm powerless over other people! This has been life changing. Of course, I love people. Of course, I hurt when they hurt. Isuffer when I know someone I love suffers. But it's combined with a conviction that they are them, and I am me.
They are in God's hands; He loves them infinitely. It is not up to me to change their lives, choices, feelings. I canhelp, I can love, I can worry because I'm human but I can also Let Go and Let God. This has freed me so very
much! I have learned that EA fits nicely with my faith. My faith is important to me. I am often amazed at how theteaching coincides with EA teaching.
I have EA, my faith, and the poetry I read which has been part of my healing. I have thebeautiful EA member who offered to sponsor me, and is always there, even when I disappear. Am I perfect? goodness no. Do I always make good choices? Nope! But I am
better able to cope. I have the tools to fall back and I always know This too shall pass. A
statement in one of the EA books says something about "finding something beautiful inevery day," for year 2 of EA, which I will be starting, I am making that a path to follow.
Thank you all so much for being our there and helping me heal…Mara

Growth and Gratitude
There was a time that I was heavily medicated and in mental wards. One time I tried to defy a staff worker at amental ward and they shot me up with tranquilizers. I was put in a room in a straight- jacket and strapped to a
bed and locked in there. That is how bad off I was with my mental health. I was actually so mad that I had to put
my arms kind of around myself in that straight jacket as I hated myself and everything about me!
It took working the steps with a sponsor to help me learn to like and love myself and learn to like and love others.
The 12 steps were how I healed. I still went to therapy through the years and still do, but I am no longer heavily
medicated and can live in my own skin okay. I do not hate myself any longer. I do not hate people any longer. Iknow I have defects, but I have lots of assets, too. I have learned to like and love lots of things in life. I havelearned to let go of resentments and if they creep back up on me, I am willing to turn them back over to the Higher Power.
I am grateful I have learned so much by being in EA and my other 12 step groups I qualify for. Having a loving
Higher Power in my life, I am able to move through things easier than in the past. I turn to my Higher Power tohelp me daily. And I am grateful the Higher Power works through people as I have learned so much from othersin
these 12 step rooms and I know I have more to learn, so I will keep coming back.
Today's gratitude: Waking up in bed with my cute cat purring by me, friends in these 12 step rooms, my two kids,my Higher Power, my siblings, my rental home, 12 step meetings and being able to like and love others, including
myself, too. Take care all. Sincerely, Connie with a daily desire to be well emotionally and I can be with the HigherPowers help and the help of EA…Connie

A Powerful Antidote
In my experience practicing gratitude is a powerful antidote to depression and anxiety. During my time of prayer and meditation, I was moved to write out my own history of all
the ways and times that my Higher Power has set me free in some way or has worked things
out for my good. I spent about 40 minutes writing. I have a lot to be grateful for, including
the invitation and opportunity to do so…Joe2019 - 2020 EA Board of Trustees
Please feel free to contact members of the Board with questions or concerns
Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting can be viewed here.

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
Derita P, OH 216-624-3559 deritapippen@gmail.com Treasurer
Paul N, NJ 201-264-1807 paul@nobleequity.com Trustee
Steve B, CA 909-438-4938 stevebell_28@yahoo.com Trustee

THE TWELVE TRADITIONS
The 12 Traditions are the guidelines by which our group and our fellowship function.
They have proven over the years to be an effective way of holding the fellowship and individual groups together.
Tradition 10: Emotions Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence,the EA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
The issues that EA does focus on are mental health and the well-being of our emotional life and our relationships. It’s
so wise that we have this EA tradition that keeps us from having (and sharing!!) opinions on things like medication,therapy, divorce, the environment, etc... We are able to “stay in our lane” by coming together to only share our experience, strength, and hope and to do our best to try to work our program and not discuss controversial matters. Tradition 10 is a real gift to us and I’m grateful for its guidance...Scott J
Outside issues or endorsements, such as religions, politics, racial conflicts, other 12 Step fellowships, and non-EAapproved literature, have no place inside meeting rooms. We stay out of public controversy. These discussions hamper
our ability to carry the message of recovery which would discount or disregard our 5 th Tradition which states, “Eachgroup has but one primary purpose - to carry its message to the person who still suffers from emotional problems.”
These conversations cause dissension in the fellowship. The Traditions protect us from our own worst enemy; ourselves. One of the founders of AA, where the Traditions came from, said we can only be destroyed from the inside. No
one can hurt us, if we stick closely to the Traditions...Derita P
I have always seen Emotions Anonymous as a collective of people looking to improve their emotional health throughworking the steps, traditions, and other material written in EA. The best way to ensure that the integrity of EA is maintained is to not be a participant in controversy because controversy has a way of tearing people apart. One of the healing powers of EA is the ability to come together and share with other people. I look forward to EA continuing to be aplace for healing and growth, independent of outside issues...Paul N

EA’s 12 by 12: Tradition 10….. By following this tradition, Emotions Anonymous stays focused on its one purpose. Members know they can attend
meetings to share ideas on the EA principles and not have to worry that program discussion will be distracted by talk of
local issues or news of the day. If we are spending meeting time discussing current issues, then we are not spending
our time talking about and achieving recovery. Controversy has no part in our organization at any level; it can only tear
us apart. This tradition gives us an opportunity to practice the spiritual principle of “Live and let live.” Through it weretain the unity needed to maintain EA.
We are free to believe in and work for any cause we choose outside of EA. EA has only one purpose, and any other issue, no matter how worthwhile, only distracts from it. Members can have opinions, but we do not express them as EA
members publicly, nor do we express them as representatives of the EA organization.
We stay out of public controversy because EA opposes no one. By following this guideline we can freely cooperate withanyone, we can be of service to anyone, and we can continue to maintain our primary purpose.
EA’s 12 by 12 is available on our website