March, 2022
Volume 2, Issue 11

50 Tips for 50 Years:
Celebrating 50
Years of EAI*

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

Replace negative thoughts
and actions with positiveones.
*Item #102

Board Service Opportunity — Colleen C.
Spring is coming to the northern hemisphere soon, a time of rebirthand new beginnings. This is the perfect opportunity for all of us totake a look at how we can deepen our experience in the EA program and perhaps give back to it.
Service is at the heart of the all Twelve-Step work. Without member volunteers, meetings wouldn’t be held, literature wouldn’t bewritten, sponsors couldn’t be found. Without member support, theEAI organization couldn’t communicate our message of hope orprovide services from our St. Paul, MN world service office.

Your Trustees
Paul N.— TX
929-399-6515
aibtikarfoundation@gmail.com
President
Steve B.— CA
909-438-4938
stevebell_28@yahoo.com
Vice President

Today I’d like to highlight a special opportunity for those who havebeen in the program for more than two years to apply to serve on
the EAI Board of Trustees.

Colleen C.— MN
651-245-5461
coyne2003@hotmail.com
Secretary

Board members meet remotely every month or two and participate
in an annual workshop each Fall. They also host our EAI annual
membership meeting. Members’ three-year terms offer a fun andinteresting way to get involved in the practicalities of keeping a dynamic program running smoothly and identifying ways to grow theprogram.

Derita P.— OH
216-624-3559
deritapippen@gmail.com
Treasurer

If you have a little business or communications experience in yourbackground and some time, please consider joining us. Complete
an application here: https://emotionsanonymous.org/about-eai/eaiboard-of-trustees-information and send it back by June 1.
Thank you to everyone who has already shared time and talentswith EAI. The Jan. 21 Today book entry says it best: “…when you
share something spiritual, it’s value is simply multiplied by the
number of persons with whom you share.”John W.— MN
612-760-0313
johnwerner52@gmail.com
Kelsey W.— IL
618-334-6658
knlweez@gmail.com
Behzad Arabpour Dahouei —Iran0098 913 341 4015
Behzad_7761@yahoo.comMarch Tools forRecovery
Step 3
Made a decision to turn our will
and our lives over to the care of
God as we understood Him.
Promise 3
We comprehend the word
serenity, and we know peace ofmind.
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 my family,
my friends, my business, mycircumstances as they come.
Slogan 3
One day at a time
Helpful Concept 3
We respect anonymity—noquestions are asked. We aim
for an atmosphere of love andacceptance. We do not care
who you are or what you havedone. You are welcome.
Tradition 3
The only requirement for EA
membership is a desire to become well emotionally.

Accessing Strength and Hope
—Maureen H.
When I first encountered thesteps in a Twelve Step recovery program, I felt confused and overwhelmed. As
I listened to others when
they shared, I slowly started
to hear and to learn about thesteps. The literature explained the steps. I was fortunate to be taken under thewing of a sponsor who had
been around EA for quite awhile and she guided me tolearn about the steps and to
do the steps. Another member had offered my sponsor
this same guidance when she
was new in the program andin this way, the Steps are
passed down from members
to newer members.
Our literature explains themany tools we have to learn
about healing and learning tolive life differently and all
the tools help. I wanted toreact to people, places andthings with less outrage
based on fear and with more
forethought with the help of
my Higher Power.
Step One counseled me toadmit and accept that I was
powerless over my emotions. Step Two suggested
that I start to believe in apower greater than myself. It
was obvious to me that I waspowerless over my emotions. It was more difficult
and took longer for me tobelieve in a power of goodthat would help me
find strength and hope whenI felt fear and anger.
Finally I realized I had thebeginnings of that faith andthat was such a life alteringchange for me. I tested andretested my Higher power
until I finally realized that I
could access strength andhope when I felt weak andhopeless within myself.
I need courage for small andlarge things from time totime. Sometimes I needcourage to say something
assertively instead of aggressively. I need courage because the fear of being who I
am was a part of me for solong and it still tries to rise
up. That's a small thing inthat it only requires me tosay one sentence. However,
my life is made up of many,
many small things during aday. Sometimes I need courage for a really bigthing. The fear feels thesame and the tools of EA all
help me in the face of fear. I
feel fear much less oftenwith time in the program
thank goodness.
Often a saying encapsulates
an idea for me. A long timeago, I heard a member saythat courage is fear that has
said its prayers. That's
what's true for me.

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

What I Do Know— Joe

EAI could not operate without donations
and we deeply appreciate your support!
Recent gifts have been received fromthese groups:

I know less and less about what is "God’s will" but I doknow that acceptance of things as they are brings me togreater serenity and peace of mind.

“Dayton Ave Chapter”
Fri St. Paul, MN
Bloomington, MN
Burlington, IA
Wellesley, MA
Doylestown, PA
New Douglas, IL"Una luz Que Brilla"
5 Rialto, CA Groups
Midwest City, OK
Colorado Springs, CO
Bend, OR (3 Zoom Groups)
Ukiah, CA (2 Zoom Groups)

GRATITUDE GIFT
“The Program and the People areworth it!” — Liz G.

Administrative News
Each spring we open applications for theBoard of Trustees. This year we thankJohn W. for his two terms (6 years!) ofservice to EAI. There are also
opportunities to join committees(Communications, Literature) that serve
equally important roles in furthering theEA message. Please consider how you
might get involved!
Thank you to all members who havechosen to make ongoing contributions. In
light of fewer in-person meetings, it canbe more difficult to remember to support
the organization as a whole. Monthly
automatic contributions are an easy way
to maintain your support.
On more personal notes, the staff here at
EAI have experienced some difficult
times recently with the death of onefamily member and a terminal diagnosisof another. We continue to do our best
during these difficult days.

Actions Speak Louder than Emotions —Colleen C.
When I am in a fearful, anxious, overwhelmed or confusedstate – something that has been happening a lot lately – allI hear is static. It is hard for me to hear my rational self
speaking over the white noise. It’s like my emotions are
screaming through a megaphone and my “wise mind” decision-making self is whispering.
This can lead me to make poorly thought-out decisions orto take impulsive actions like overeating, spending too
much time or money online, or tv-bingeing my life away.
I have to remember that I have the power to quiet thosescreaming emotions by turning them over to my Higher
Power. I can also interrupt the cycle with deep breathing
or a walk outdoors, or I can give myself a time limit tofeel what I’m feeling and then move on. One thing thatworks well for me is doing for others, even in small ways.
A simple phone call or text can mean a lot in times like
this, and can pull me back to earth when I’m too much in
my own head.
Thanks to EA, today I know my actions can speak louder
than my emotions.

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: TU-TH 12p.m. (noon) — 5 p.m. CT
Phone: 651-647-9712
www.emotionsanonymous.org
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