W.A. World Service Organization Newsletter
Living in Balance E-Newsetter December 2009 
In This Issue
Book of Discovery
How Recovery Happens
Quick Links
Greetings!
  
Season Greetings! I hope this finds you getting ready to enjoy the upcoming holidays.
 
Don't forget our "Book of Discovery" workbook available for purchase online. A GREAT way to start 2010 using the workbook to work through the steps and an excellent gift to give to yourself for Christmas!
 
We would love to receive any submissions for this
e-newsletter and for our more extensive, printed newsletter that is mailed quarterly.
 
 
Go forward and live in harmony and balance!
 
Sincerely,
Michele S., Outreach Coordinator
Workaholics Anonymous
Book of Discovery, W.A. WorkbookThe "BOOK OF DISCOVERY"
A guide to the 12 Steps    
 
Give yourself the gift of recovery! The Book of Discovery is available online.
 
What an excellent Christmas present this would be for yourself! This is the 2nd book published by Workaholics Anonymous (W.A.).  The Workaholics Anonymous Book of Discovery: A Guide to 12 Step Writing and Reflection is available for online purchase here.  
 
For those of you who are not aware. W.A. has a sister organization that serves Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Anonyme Arbeitssuchtige (A.A.S)  - you can view their website here:  http://www.arbeitssucht.de.
 
A.A.S. is in the process of translating our basic text the Book of Recovery into German. Many of members that are English speaking are already using both the Book of Recovery and the new Book of Discovery in their recovery programs.
 
This guide provides Step instruction, questions, activities, and stories-all with room to write and reflect as necessary, in a large spiral-bound, three-hole punch volume. The book is designed to lay completely flat so as to be easily used for writing as well as for protective storing in a three-ring notebook of your choice with other loose or extra pages if desired. This workbook can be used alone, with a sponsor or used with a group in a meeting format.

You can also purchase through the mail.  Price: $25. Plus $4.95 shipping and handling anywhere in the US. Send your check to WSO Web Payment Center, PO Box 56416, Portland, OR, 97238.
 WA Home Page Header Graphic
How Recovery Happens
 
On page 16 in the Book of Recovery under the heading "How Recovery Happens", in the third paragraph, its says " We have realized that our work obsession is only the outward manifestation of our inner emotional turmoil and our essential spiritual disconnection.  
This is the same theme that is throughout the Big Book of A.A. - drinking is a symptom of our problem - our problem is our mind.
That tells me my work addiction is NOT my problem - it is the SYMPTOM of my underlying problem - my thinking - my belief system. So my outlook on life, others and about myself need to change before I can become well and live a more balanced, happy and healthy life.
 
I have been working the steps all over again using the Book of Discovery and I HIGHLY recommend this wonderful tool for anyone.  I really have enjoyed it as it has enriched my program dramatically. I recently worked through steps 6 and 7 and wrote on these steps for the first time. The reading asked me to list my main character defects or negative coping skills (that I identified in steps 4 & 5) and describe how each of them served me and then at "it's worst" what would each look like in my life. It was interesting, enlightening and very motivating to be fully willing to let them go. I discovered the sole reason for some of the fear based defects were to get an adrenaline fix.
 
If we need to be rid of the things in ourselves that are  blocking us from a spiritual connection (fears, resentments, guilt, remorse - and ALL the behaviors they cause) than we need to be willing to have God remove all of them. Hence our inner emotional turmoil begins to be healed and our spirtual disconnection becomes lessened and slowly we start to heal and "get connected".

I LOVE how the 12 steps work in my life.... there is NOTHING like it! I am looking forward to spending a wonderful time "living in each moment" with my family and friends over the next two weeks and I wish the same for all of you! Happy Holidays!!!