February, 2021
Volume 1, Issue 10Strength & Hope
A message in support of emotional well-being.

Welcome everyone, to 2021! — Kelsey W.
The past year and start of the new year has pushed us to make many adjustments, sacrifices and additions to our way of life. This year is a milestone in the history of EAI; it is our 50th anniversary year! As the year
continues, watch for new initiatives and efforts - such as the 50th Anniversary page in the Strength & Hope newsletter last month.
I have met people with 50 years or more in recovery. This is quite thefeat! Can you imagine being part of EAI when it was established in 1971,
continuing to participate throughout these past 50 years, and see all thepositive things that are happening today? Wow! 2021 is also a big year
for me and my family; this year my mom will turn 50 (like EAI) and I
will turn 30 and celebrate 4 years in recovery.

Quick Tip of theMonth
Doing something for others—even when we don’t
feel like doing it—canmake us feel better in theend. Choose one way to
be of service this month—
do something that helps
someone else.
Your Trustees
Scott J.— MN
507-276-0323
sdjakel@gmail.com
President
John W.— MN
612-760-0313
johnwerner52@gmail.com

I consider myself a newcomer to the program. As such, I try to direct myenergy to do what is suggested by those who have more experience in theprogram than I do. Although this can be difficult, I have found when I
look for the similarities and identify how I relate to what I hear, I find it
easier to be open-minded about what is coming my way. The simple,unique ‘Tools for Recovery’ found in the back of the EA Big Book and in
the Yellow Pamphlet are simple, useful ways to direct my thoughts. Thetools suggested to work this program are illustrated for us in Helpful Concept 1, “We come to EA to learn how to live a new way of life throughthe twelve-step program of Emotions Anonymous which consists ofTwelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, concepts, the Serenity Prayer, slogans,
Just for Todays, EA literature, weekly meetings, telephone and personal
contacts, and living the program one day at a time. We do not come foranother person — we come to help ourselves and to share our experiences, strength, and hope with others.” Coming to EA to help ourselves allows us the freedom to begin to help others. I have found that by sacrificing my old way of life to learn to live this new way is the greatest addition I have added to my life so far!

Vice President

EAI is celebrating 50 years in 2021 because people have seen the value of
this program for emotional health. Without members engaging with theprogram - by starting new groups, offering reflections for publication, orcontributing financially - we would not be here today. I encourage you tosay ‘yes’ to the invitations to get more deeply involved in EAI this year
so that we are able to celebrate another 50 years in the future.

Kelsey W.— IL
618-334-6658
knlweez@gmail.com

Colleen C.— MN
651-245-5461
coyne2003@hotmail.com
Secretary
Paul N.— NJ
929-399-6515
aibtikarfoundation@gmail.com
Treasurer
Derita P.— OH
216-624-3559
deritapippen@gmail.com
Steve B.— CA
909-438-4938
stevebell_28@yahoo.com

Behzad Arabpour Dahouei —Iran0098 913 341 4015
Behzad_7761@yahoo.com

FEBRUARY’S TOOLSFOR RECOVERY
Step 2
Came to believe that a Power
greater than ourselves could
restore us to sanity.
Promise 2
We do not regret the past or
wish to shut the door on it.
Just for Today 2
I will try to be happy, realizing my happiness does notdepend on what others do or
say or what happens aroundme. Happiness is a result of
being at peace with myself.
Slogan 2
You are not alone.
Helpful Concept 2
We are experts only on ourown stories, how we try tolive the program, how theprogram works for us, andwhat EA has done for us. No
one speaks for Emotions
Anonymous as a whole.
Tradition 2
For our group purpose there isbut one ultimate authority—aloving God as He may express
Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but
trusted servants; they do notgovern.

Perception is Reality - Kelly M.
I remember when I firststarted in EA, I felt an immense sense of lonelinessand emptiness. It was a feeling which I could barely relieve, even temporarily.
When I started doing thesteps, I knew EA was forme, as everything I wasreading seemed to be written
just for me. I felt comfort inknowing the way I felt wasshared by so many others.
This made me feel less alone
than I had ever felt before. I
no longer felt crazy or different.

this slowly by making choices about how I spend mytime and my life. My old life
was spent being codependent - doing things forother people in the hope thatthey might throw me somescraps. My new EA life isspent spending a lot of thetime I would have spent onothers on me instead - andon my plants, animals, andin volunteer service to others. The things I now do forfamily and friends, I do because I want to, not becauseof guilt or shame.

I also learned that my perception is my reality. So
what I was perceiving all thetime was how I felt and processed things. EA helped me
to change my reality. I did

My program has changed
my reality and by doing so, I
rarely feel alone and I cannot
remember the last time I feltthat horrid emptiness. I am
so very grateful to EA.

Can you help?
We have designated funds for scholarships to help defray thecosts of starting a new group, to send materials to prisoners,
and to fulfill requests by individuals in need of but unable toafford to purchase literature themselves. All three of thesefunds were empty at the end of 2020. Several generous individuals made contributions totaling $352 in January and weare very grateful to each of them! We have already been able
to send a book out to someone who couldn’t buy it herself.
Could you make a contribution to any of these funds so wemay continue to provide for those who are in need? You canmake your gift online at www.emotionsanonymous.org/donate today. Thank you.
You can find the Trustee Reflections on the website,www.emotionsanonymous.org.
This month we focus on Step 2.
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Contribution Gratitude

The More I Work the Program — Marilee B.

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

My serenity comes from knowing it is okay if it is not my will.
- June 8 Today Meditation

Burlington, IAMidwest City, OK
Hackensack, NJ Tues
8 PM, ET Zoom
Germany Intergroup (EA-Selbshilfe)
Oshawa, ON Canada Groups
Lisbon, Portugal(Caminhar em Esperança)

I am so grateful for this simple truth. I am absolutely powerless overmy emotions. They come and go as they please. My job is to recognize what I'm feeling, name them, and then decide how to respond.
My most frequent old willful way was to stuff bad feelings. I canstill do that but I have an ever expanding toolkit to use, and an everexpanding Higher Power to turn to.
I am also a caretaker. I can overstep boundaries to care for others(which often is a way to control situations too). As a kid I had achild's nurse kit I used to drag around. My mom had to keep itstocked with fresh bandaids otherwise I would flip out. I'm still fairly good in minor emergencies!
I'm can be willful— I still don't immediately hand over everything Icould. HP has to sit back and watch while I struggle with a problem
thinking that I can do this on my own. But the greatest gift of program is that at any moment I can stop being stubborn and/or willful.

Administrative News
New materials for a new year! In January we were able to introduce two
new pamphlets—Comfort Zone (#91)
and Pushing Away our Feelings (#92).
We also revised Love (#53) to include
reflection questions, which all pamphlets will eventually include. In February we will have additional new andrevised pamphlets to share! We set a
goal of adding new pamphlets every
month in 2021. We welcome ideas
from members for topics as well as
writings!
The EAI free publications are now
available for e-readers! Just go tohttps://payhip.com/
EmotionsAnonymousISC to accessthem.
Each year the staff gathers to celebrate
the holidays by having lunch together—this year we decided to hold thestaff lunch after the new year to try toavoid the ‘after holiday’ blues. It was
fun to take time out to appreciate eachother and the work everyone does onbehalf of the membership.

The more I work the program, the more tools I have and the more I
choose to use them. Then stubborn, willful events happen less frequently and aren't as lengthy. Many things help: Practicing all thesteps, meetings, meditation, journaling, affirmations, many things
that the EA book "It Works If you Work It" talks about. It all helps.
Some emotions that used to trigger my stubborn willfulness are easy
to respond to now. Some triggers have completely vanished—all
due to the grace of God. I am more resourceful and responsible because of EA. I'm willing to Let Go and Let God most of the time.
Now as Step 2 suggests, it is the personal God of my understandingthat allows this. The greatest gift I have is a trust in a Power greaterthan myself. A sense of a safety and order in the Universe, or in thespark that illuminates us all. My ever-expanding God is what I canhand things over to.
People, places and things do not have to perform my way for me tofeel secure or safe. During the last few months some outside events
have tested my faith and resourcefulness and disturbed my serenity
and sanity. I've also had days of deep gratitude and peace. I've haddays where my faith in humankind crumbles. But I have no control
over any of that. So what better time to utilize program and absolutely surrender? To read my literature, examine my step work,deepen my practice. To open myself to the amazing healing my program offers me.
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

2021: Celebrating EAI’s 50th year
Trustee Shares: What EA Means to Me (in 50 words or less)
The program challenges me every week togrow and be more aware of what I do and say.
It provides the tools to help me manage myemotions instead of my emotions unknowingly
managing me. Working the literature and attending meetingsgives me confidence
that I can takeon challenges whichused to stifle
me. — Paul N.

EA has meant a better quality of life, asense of self-worth and serenity that I
didn’t have before. Through the understanding, acceptance, and support of thefellowship I’ve learned that I am notalone. I’ve learned to change what I
could and to accept what I could not –I’m still working on the wisdom to know
the difference. EA works; I don’t know ofI would never havebeen able to reach my goals
in life without EA. The tools
and fellowship of the program have allowed me towork with my Higher Powerto maintain a level of emotional sobriety so I can be mybest self. EA means everything to me. — Colleen C.

a better alternative. — Steve B.
Since joining EA, the most impactfulthing
is that I never have to be alone again aslong as I
live, unless I choose to be. I have this whole fellowshipof people with whom I can share my real thoughts andfeelings. I never had that before, except for maybe a few
people throughout my life, but noone understood me
as well as another member ofEA. — Derita P.

To me, EA means hope. There is hope inknowing that each week, or every day now

EA is a spiritual community of support,
recovery, and healing. I find that theprogram material and the interactions inmeetings and in sponsoring/partnership
relationships provide the help I need tobe my best self. I’ve been a part of EA
for over a dozen years. I feel like I’mjust beginning! — Scott J.

that meetings are more accessible, I havea place to go to hear a message of experience, strength and hope. EA is a safe
place for me to express myself without
judgement. — Kelsey W.

For me, EA is a safe home, where I meet people who are closer
family and friends. I was born again and chose a new path forprogram. I realized the physical, psychological, social, and spiritulife. As I work this program, I am thankful for the moment that God
for me and people like me. — Behzad A.D.

to me than mymy life with the EA
al dimensions of mydesigned this program