August, 2022
Volume 3, Issue 4

50 Tips for 50 Years:
Celebrating 50 Yearsof EAI*

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

There is no “one way” or“perfect way” to work theprogram. The goal is progress.

* Item #102

Trustee reflection—
Let me introduce myself, my name is Kathleen E., and I am one of three
new Board of Trustee Members in 2022. I was invited to share a shorthistory of my experience with Emotions Anonymous over the past
eight years. I have been a 12 Stepper for over 30 years and added Emotions Anonymous as a fellowship eight years ago. It was my Neuropsych
MD who suggested I reach out and see if there was a 12 Step Programthat addresses the need to put more intentional energy into regulating
emotional impulses. The suggestion came out of data gathered during
post-concussion intake where I shared how I apply my 12 Step SpiritualDiscipline to my life. I live with permanent frontal lobe damage from a
car accident which in turn triggered a rare progressive disease to be expressed that I was genetically predisposed.
Concept 2. We are experts only on our own stories, how we try to live theprogram, how the program works for us, and what EA has done for us.
No one speaks for Emotions Anonymous as a whole. Along with Tradition 3. The only requirement for EA membership is a desire to become
well emotionally; I take this Concept quite literally.
I am a church historian and systematic theologian by training. What does
all this really mean? It means I know how to adapt to what is in front ofme in a practical way without losing sight of where I come from. It meansthat navigating a medical system with a progressive rare disease with noknown cure, gives me multiple opportunities a day to lean into the Emotions Anonymous spiritual discipline that comes with a program and afellowship. And according to my medical team, that is what makes Emotions Anonymous different in my care plan.
The EA program encourages members to share theirthoughts and reflections. Without member engagement we
can not share ideas on working the program. Please submit
yours to submissions@emotionsanonymous.org.
The EAI Annual Business Meeting is scheduled for October 22, 2022.
Watch for more information via email.

Your Trustees
Paul N. — TX, USA
929-399-6515
Aibtikarfoundation@gmail.com
President
Steve B. — CA, USA
909-438-4938
Stevebell_28@yahoo.com
Vice President
Colleen C. — MN, USA
651-245-5461
Coyne2003@hotmail.com
Secretary
Kelsey W. — IL, USA
618-334-6658
Knlweez@gmail.com
Behzad A. D. — Kerman, Iran
0098 913 341 4015
Behzad_7761@yahoo.com
Fred F. — CA, USA
909-384-2935
Oldpilot62@gmail.com
Carolina W. —NY, USA
646-525-0095
Sanctuarynyc2021@gmail.com
Kathleen E. — MN, USA
320-267-2040
Kathleene.engel@gmail.com

“Chipping Away” Works— Kelly M
August Tools forRecovery
Step 8Made a list of all persons wehad 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 8
Know Yourself– Be honest
Helpful Concept 8
The steps suggest a belief in a
Power 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.

Before EA, I was a HUGE
procrastinator. It was a vicious cycle. I would put off
lots of things...and then literally do nothing...just kind oflay around and not "let" myself enjoy ANYTHING...Iwould not let myself go out
to parties, not do nice things
for myself, nothing...I would
punish myself for not doing
what I was "supposed to."Now, thanks to EA, I kind ofwork based on the "chippingaway at" mentality....I dosome things I like...then I dosome I don't feel like doingor that are on my "list"...thenI do some things I want todo...and during hours or days
I don't feel like doing much,I remind myself that I mustbe "tired", that I am not
LAZY, and that it is normal

to be tired and that I should
rest my mind and body andthat this feeling will pass but while I am resting, Ishould enjoy resting!! I
should rest outside, I should
watch nice TV, I should do anice face mask, etc...as resting should be delightful.
This is a whole new mindset
than when I came into EA. Iused to be so angry at myselfthat I needed downtime andthen when I "finally" didwhat I needed to do, I had somuch to do that I just exhausted myself again. Slowand steady with nice breaks
through the day for ME is amuch better way to live - andI know I am not doing this /falling back on "old ways"
when I start feeling angry/
resentful and overwhelmed.

Mapping the Land– Susan P.

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

When people reach a new land they usually explore it, mapping its features, resources, hazards, etc, so others following
them can travel more safely. Old maps maybe said something
like “ beware, here be dragons”, or “avoid – quicksand”, or“good water found”. I see EA as mapping the territory ofemotions, telling me which are the safe routes to follow, e.g.
JFT – I will try to live this one day only, or the Slogan – Firstthings first. Also what to avoid: HALT – never let myself get
too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, and QTIP – quit taking it
personally. I am very grateful to EA for mapping this land,
and giving me strategies to use in navigating the terrain in thebest way.

Principle 8

You can find the Trustee Reflections on the website,www.emotionsanonymous.org.

Tradition 8

LoveThis month we focus on JFT 8.
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Sustaining Donor Contribution
Gratitude
All contributions help—and regularmonthly giving helps even more! Thankyou to all our sustaining donors:
Ian G.
Mathew M.
Alexandra S.
Deanna B.
Lori S.
Amber E.

Shawna F.
Kathleen M.
Louis V.
Bob W.
Kelley S.

Robin C.
Holly V.A.
Colleen C.
Carmelita B.
Ron L.

4 Anonymous Donors
Austin, TX
Bend, OR
Midwest City, OK“Apple Valley EA” (Burnsville, MN)“The Next Frontier” (Daily Phone Group)
2:30 PM, ET Sun (Virtual Zoom Group)

Promise 8 Applied to Life— Claire P.
I think dandelions are pretty—they are yellow and look likea flower to me. But they are deemed to be weeds. Why?
What is a weed? It seems to me that weeds are what we decide are weeds. They could just as easily be called flowers.
I suppose weeds grow faster, are unruly and are in places
where we don’t want them to be. Or perhaps they turn into
something that we don’t consider pleasant—like the dandelion.
I raised a special needs child. One religious ed teacher gave
a talk about how our kids are like weeds. They are sort of“too much” and in the wrong place—according to society.
But they are really beautiful flowers.
So this is on my mind this morning. Maybe I sometimes
look like a week. But to my friends, family and my HP, I amalways a flower. I do have to work on how I think of myself.
Too often I consider myself a weed. I AM A FLOWER.

In Memory of:
MaryEllen, from "The Next Frontier"
EA Daily Phone Group

From the Executive Director
We began another fiscal year on July 1.
Unfortunately, EAI ended last year with afinancial deficit. Very disheartening, as
we have continued to seek better yet lesscostly ways to accomplish theorganization’s goals of providing
resources to members. We were only able
to end the previous year in the ‘financial
black’ because of the PPP funding madeavailable during the pandemic.
We need member support—not just thepurchase of materials, but contributions aswell. It has been a very positive sign tosee so many people sign up to makeregular, monthly contributions and we are
grateful to each of those donors.
As groups begin to meet in person, wecan hope that ‘passing the basket’encourages additional gifts. If you areable to make a gift yourself—online or
through the mail—please know it will be
put to good use to continue to provide
resources to members and share theprogram more widely.

Self-Care—Chris D.
My 19 year-old daughter is starting her first "real" job next
week and she asked me if she should have her earnings direct deposited into her checking or savings account. I answered: "Deposit your earnings into your savings account. Savings is where you pay yourself. Checking iswhere you pay others. First pay yourself, then decide whom
to pay next. Paying yourself first is the golden rule of finances."
As I was reflecting on that spontaneous advice, I thought
about how that can be applied to life in general: if you don'tpay yourself first, you can't pay others. If you don't care foryourself first, you can't care for others. If you don't heal
yourself first, you can't heal others.
It's as if we learn to love and care for others by loving andcaring for ourselves first. We are the "practice" palette towhich we apply all life skills first. When we have masteredloving ourselves, we can truly love another. When we havelearned to care for ourselves, we can care for another.
To do unto others, it often seems like we should do unto ourselves first.
Office Information
EAI P.O. Box 4245 St. Paul MN 55104-0245 USA
Office Hours: TU-TH 12 p.m. (noon) — 5 p.m. CT
Phone: 651-647-9712
www.emotionsanonymous.org
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