March, 2021
Volume 1, Issue 11

Quick Tip of theMonthStrength & Hope
A message in support of emotional well-being.

The Principles that Guide me — Colleen C.
Principles are defined as fundamental truths that serve as the foundation
for a system of beliefs. Our EA 12 Principles correspond to each of the 12
Steps, distilling the steps into one-word virtues we aspire to practice.
They are our guides for living a fulfilling life, and they are a “cheat sheet”
for leaving behind our character defects and moving toward recovery.
The challenge for me has been identifying thoughts or feelings that clearly tell me I’m straying from the steps and principles that I firmly believe
are my personal roadmap. Lately I’ve been observing the connection between my thoughts and my physical reactions, and drawing some conclusions about what I’m thinking and feeling when I’m about to violate aprinciple.
For example, am I feeling scattered, full of random thoughts, having difficulty concentrating, easily distracted and the very definition of “monkeymind?” Am I rationalizing my behavior by telling self-stories? Do I feel
my ego battling for control with my rational self? Then most likely I’m
not living the Principles by being honest, spiritual or full of integrity.
Am I getting that anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach, maybe accompanied by vague nausea or intestinal symptoms? Do I look stressed-out?
Am I missing meals or over-eating to cope? Am I spinning out bad-news
outcomes? Then I am likely about to take the easy way out and abandon
courage, or perhaps take an action that is not loving or consistent with mymoral values.
Am I unable to appreciate the good things in life, being too hard on myself, overly concerned with being perfect, or obsessed with helping to thepoint of enabling? Then I may be losing faith, testing my ability to persevere or about to test my willingness to put my Higher Power’s will aheadof my own. I may even be losing faith in my own abilities.
If I’m taking it a little too easy, not prioritizing needs of others, feelingapathetic and unable to rally around a cause or person requiring my support, perhaps I’m losing my sense of justice and my dedication to service.
If this approach to living the principles through the Steps seems as if itwould be helpful to you, try it out. Share your thoughts about the principles with others in EA by email to director@emotionsanonymous.org.
We’ll run your feedback in future newsletters.

Acknowledging how the
program helps you growcan help you stay committed to continuing your efforts. Find one way eachweek to recognize how the
program makes a difference in your life.

Your Trustees
Scott J.— MN
507-276-0323
sdjakel@gmail.com
PresidentJohn W.— MN
612-760-0313
johnwerner52@gmail.com

Vice President
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
Kelsey W.— IL
618-334-6658
knlweez@gmail.com
Behzad Arabpour Dahouei —Iran0098 913 341 4015
Behzad_7761@yahoo.com

Hope, Faith, and Love
March Tools For
RecoveryStep 3
Made a decision to turn ourwill and our lives over to thecare of God as we understood Him.
Promise 3
We comprehend the word
serenity, and we know peaceof mind.
Just for Today 3
I will try to adjust myself towhat is and not force everything to adjust to my own
desires. I will accept myfamily, my friends, my business, my circumstances as
they come.
Slogan 3
One day at a time- Louise H.
My therapist has mentioned to me how important it is to have hope,faith, and love (which Ihave). Sometimes it’s alittle difficult when you
feel so overwhelmed witheverything.
However, I have discovered that no matter how
bad things are or get,somehow things always
have a way of turning out
okay - even if during yoursaddest and hardest time it is good to know and tobelieve that it will all workout. My motto is (and I
strongly believe): Everything happens for a reason.
That’s why it’s important
to know and remember you
are not alone and to always
remember to have hope,faith, and love.

We are so grateful to members
who have included EAI in theirwills/estate plans so that this organization will be here
to help everyone, anywhere, well into the future.
Thank you to:
Elliot K.

Randy P.

Helpful Concept 3

Allen R.

Tom F.

We respect anonymity—noquestions are asked. We aim
for an atmosphere of love
and acceptance. We do notcare who you are or what
you have done. You arewelcome.

Michael K.

Jay and Natalie R.

Tradition 3
The only requirement for EA
membership is a desire to
become well emotionally.

Andy S.

Would you like to let us knowthat you have added EAI to yourwill or estate plan? Are you interested in
more information? Email Elaine at
director@emotionsanonymous.org.

You can find the Trustee Reflections on the website,www.emotionsanonymous.org.
This month we focus on Step 3.
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Contribution Gratitude

The Seeds of Progress— MLEAI could not operate without donations and we deeply appreciate yoursupport! Recent gifts have been received from these groups:

It's easy to crush the seeds of progress with my judgement.
I'm often my own worst critic...and I can be a merciless,ugly critic of others too. My expectations can be ridiculous
and much too high. Other times I have no expectations orboundaries in place to keep myself safe! Then I'm shocked
when I get hurt. I'm only human. This is paradoxical, andonly with program help and HP can I remain, one day at atime, balanced, compassionate and realistic.

Bloomington, MN
Montclair, NJ
Midwest City, OKLombard, IL
Redlands, CATopeka, KS
Sacramento, CA (Parkside)

Could you help out?
We are hoping to make the online
store more robust by adding descriptions to the pamphlets and other materials, so people can get a better idea ofthe content. But we need help! We
just don’t have the staff time to write
the short descriptions—can you help
us? We need 2-3 sentence descriptions
to add to the catalog items. If youc anhelp, please send an email to Elaine at
director@emotionsanonymous.org.
Thank you!

Administrative NewsWe have been very busy in the office,working on new literature #93: Five
Ways to Face your Grief as a Way
Forward and #94: Guilt. We are also
adding reflection questions to existing
pamphlets to make them more meaningful and helpful.
We’ve also been able to find a way tocreate a searchable database of virtual
meetings! On the website you cannow find meetings based on how you
want to access the meeting or the day,time, or language you need! We hope
this makes finding a meeting easierfor everyone.

Giving up Fear—Gail R.
I really have had the fear that God/ Higher Power is goingto make me do something that I don't want to do, be somebody that I'm not, or don't want to be. It really does seemto be about giving up control. "Every time God has beenin control, it has worked out for the best." When I'm really in a place of not seeing that, I forget about it, and I end
up thinking about the past, the future, and feeling sorry formyself. When I return to a place of willingness, I findpeace. I am grateful for this program.

The Only Requirement—Kelsey W.
The beauty found in Tradition 3 is that we must only
make a beginning. There are no conditions placed on us
to be able to attend meetings. Most of us seek out the program through our own effort to find a way out. Some findthe program through someone else’s suggestion. No matter how we arrive, we are allowed to come and go on ourown. This principle helps us see our will aligning with
God’s will for us. When this happens, our spiritual life
expands and we consistently satisfy the only requirement
for membership.
Please write!
We encourage member reflections! Please submit yours tosubmissions@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. CTPhone: 651-647-9712
www.emotionsanonymous.org

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