W.A. World Service Organization Newsletter
Living in Balance E-NewsetterDecember 2014
In This Issue
W.A. Meditation Book needs member meditations.
Where should our 2015 conference be?
W.A.Seeks Professional Representative
Quick Links
 
Happy Holidays! We hope this finds you in a good place and you are able to enjoy the holidays with balance and gratitude. 
 
Interested in the amazing benefits of mediation? See what Goldie Hawn has to say about how it can help you.

See more below about one man's opinion on the differences between High Performers vs. Workaholics. 
 
Be Well & Be Happy!

Michele S., Outreach Coordinator
Workaholics Anonymous

December Quote 
 
"That's why it's essential to take time to breathe or spend a few minutes
in nature away from phones and computers. You start to live for now, rather than for what's next or, worse, waiting for the end to come. Slow down.
Enjoy this ride. It's all we've got."
Goldie Hawn 
Goldie Hawn's Prescription for Inner Peace 
 By Goldie Hawn

"It's a complicated world out there. People everywhere are figuring out how to stay balanced. I'm generally known as a happy person, but years ago I suffered from panic and anxiety. I've learned to manage the fear and pain. It's not easy, but with a few life tools, you can control the monkey mind. I'd say it's my life's mission."

 

"In 2003, I established the Hawn Foundation to help children create greater brain health through mindfulness practices. Working with neuroscientists, we've shown that mediation offers a way to change brain chemistry. Through our MindUP program in schools, we've demonstrated that if students take two minutes for a brain break three times a day, optimism in the classroom goes up almost 80 percent. On the playground, aggression goes down about 30 percent." Read more.

 

NOTE: External websites and articles referenced at those websites are not WA Conference approved. External websites and articles referenced at those websites are not WA Conference approved. Their contents, authors, publishers and distributors are not endorsed by WA, and are presented solely to those who may be interested in reading them. As we often say, "Please take what you like, and leave the rest."

New Check In Phone Meeting!
 Every Wednesday 
 
7:00-7:30 am PST
8:00-8:30 am MST 
9:00-9:30 am CST 
10:00-10:30 am EST
 
Call: 712-432-0363 Access code 118778#
 
The call is brief for check-ins and fellowship.
 
Contact email:
High Performers vs. Workaholics:
7 Subtle Differences
 By Jullien Gordon

1. Doing Business vs. Being Busy

A high performer's #1 goal is to do business. The only thing that matters to them are results. If they can't see a way to create value in the moment, they facilitate or strategize instead. They know that like the economy, business comes in waves, therefore, they get ready during the dips so they can capitalize during the upswings.

A workaholics' #1 goal is to be busy. Workaholics fill any space in time with busy work because they feel insecure doing nothing. The insecurity comes from not knowing their value. They believe that the busier they are, the more important they must be. As a result, they find a way to be busy even when it's not busy season instead of periodically hibernating throughout the days, weeks, months, quarters, and year for when the highs come. 
Read more.

 

NOTE: External websites and articles referenced at those websites are not WA Conference approved. External websites and articles referenced at those websites are not WA Conference approved. Their contents, authors, publishers and distributors are not endorsed by WA, and are presented solely to those who may be interested in reading them. As we often say, "Please take what you like, and leave the rest."

The W. A. Meditation Committee is writing a 
W.A. Meditation Book.

 

We welcome all members to write and submit meditations for this publication. Consider having a writing play day for your meeting group. Not only would this activity provide opportunities for reflection and meditation, but it would also allow group members to make contributions to a book that will serve the needs of the whole fellowship.

 

A suggested meeting format for writing meditations is available at the WA website. For more details about submitting meditations, please visit the W.A. website.  


On this web page you will see a link for submittal form. You'll need to fill this form out, whether in a group meeting or individually, to write your meditations. There is also an AWR (Assignment, Warranty & Release) included in this PDF. This will be needed for each meditation submission.

 

 We look forward to receiving your meditations!! 

Have fun with us!!

  

Your trusted servants,

W.A.W.S.O. Literature Committee

 

Still Need A Location for the
W.A. World Conference 2015

 

Would your group like to host the conference? We would love to hear from you!

 

Our W. A. Past Conference Locations:

 

2004 - San Francisco, CA 
2005 - Portland, OR 
2006 - St. Petersberg Beach, FL 
2007 - Portland. OR
2008 - Ocean Grove, NJ 
2009 - Raleigh-Durham, NC
2010 - Menlo Park, CA 
2011 - Austin, TX 
2012 - Portland, OR 
2013 - Chicago, IL
2014 - Malibu, CA 
Please contribute what you can for your meetings. :)

W.A operates on contributions from it's members and literature sales. Please don't forget to go online and make a contribution to W.A. if you only go to phone meetings. You can click here donate.
 Your W.A. World Service Board Engaged 
 

Outreach

A special thank you to Angela W. who is helping me track down websites that talk about work addiction, workaholism, etc..., but don't mention us as a resource. Once I receive the list, I then email them and tell them about W.A.  

 

In each e-newsletter I include a monthly inspirational quote, as well as a helpful article relating to work addiction / workaholism. If you have any favorite quotes or you see something online that you think our members would benefit from, please send the URL to my email and I'll take a look to see if we can add it to our e-newsletter.

 
Interested in being a part of W.A. Outreach? I would love to grow our W.A. Outreach Committee. One of the things I would like to get help with is contacting websites that are online that are discussing workaholism in hopes in helping others and let them know about W.A.. Please contact [email protected] if you want to come on board!
Michele S.
 
Technical Committee
We are moving along in our progress on  the new W.A. website. The new website design will have an improved design, improved features and new shopping cart.  

Literature
In addition to the ongoing process of developing our W.A. Meditation Book (see below for details), We have a couple of exciting projects planned for the near future - including some edits to our existing literature, a formatting facelift for our brochures and mailings, and even a new pamphlet on the topic of work anorexia/avoidance (which will ideally help members to overcome procrastination, perfectionism, and related fears).  

 

Please help with the revision process (easy service opportunity!) by contacting literature@workaholics-anonymous.org with any recommended changes that you or your group stumble upon as you read through the books and pamphlets, perhaps notating them as you read and including them all in a single email when you finish.  Do not be shy about voicing your ideas - from sweeping substantive concerns to tiny grammatical errors - as this is your literature.

 

If you are interested in joining the Literature Committee - or would like to otherwise consult on any of these ongoing projects - I would love the support. Again, please email literature@workaholics-anonymous.org for details.

 

Love and service,

Amber, W.A.W.S.O. Literature Chair

 

Communications 

The W.A. Communications Department is adding to our sponsors list for new members. We are particularly getting a lot of requests from women. Want to sponsor? Please contact [email protected]


We are currently seeking a professional representative to speak on behalf of the fellowship and respond to public press releases that may misconstrue the reality of being a workaholic. See more information below.
 
 
TO CONTACT THOSE IN WAWSO SERVICE BY EMAIL:

For general information: [email protected]

Bob for meeting and WSR assistance: [email protected] 

Amber for WA Literature volunteers or corrections:
[email protected]

Michele for eNewsletter and media: [email protected]

Sandi for literature ordering and questions:
[email protected]

Mike for Meeting and Member registration:
[email protected]

Ken for technology questions:
[email protected]

Shelley for STORYLINE: [email protected]

For Meditation Book: [email protected]

General mailbox: [email protected]

For any Program issue, concern, initiative, suggestion, etc...
Bruce A. at [email protected]
Lia F. at [email protected]
Drew D. at [email protected]  
 
Conference Call Line for ALL Phone Meetings
 
(712) 432-0363 

Group Support Section on Website  

 

There are helpful tools and materials available here that you can download for your group; meeting formats, types of meetings, tips on outreach, W.A. Public Awareness Guidelines, archives to news letters and much more!

 

Request For Sponsors

W.A. receives requests regularly for sponsorship from people seeking recovery from workaholism. We do receive more requests for female sponsors. We need to add to this list so we can help the new members in our fellowship. We keep a confidential list of volunteers who are willing to take this on.  If you are willing, please send us an email with your contact information (or any other information you feel a sponsee should know) to: [email protected]
 
Your information is kept confidential to protect your anonymity. We will contact you with a person's contact information when someone requests, offering you the opportunity to respond.  Your offering of this service will be of great value to your recovery, as well as to the person you would be sponsoring.
 
Interested in Becoming a Meeting Group Mentor?

Among the many support opportunities offered by WA, perhaps the richest are those created through relationships with fellow members. Across the globe people are forming meeting groups and sharing the message of recovery. We are excited by the growth of the fellowship, particularly in the number of people expressing interest in organizing meeting groups.

Because starting a meeting group can be an intimidating process, we would
like for beginners to receive a mentor during their initial stages of meeting development. Mentors offer service through answering questions and providing suggestions as needed for members beginning their meeting groups. Currently, we are in need of more mentors and would like to extend this service opportunity to members of the fellowship.


If you are interested in serving as a mentor for those starting meeting groups, please contact me at [email protected] More information will be provided upon receiving your expressed interested.

With gratitude,
Bruce A.
 W.A. Seeks Professional Representative for Our Fellowship

As workaholism has become a widespread concept in public media, the ways it is communicated about can often create more misconceptions than understandings. In this regard, members of Workaholics Anonymous are currently seeking a professional representative to speak on behalf of the fellowship and respond to public press releases that may misconstrue the reality of being a workaholic. If you know of someone or have suggestions for who might serve as a reputable spokesperson for WA (who is not affiliated with the fellowship), please send your recommendations to Bruce A. at
[email protected].
Supporting W.A. Seventh Tradition Contributions

Our Seventh Tradition provides that W.A. is fully self-supporting; declining outside contributions. WAWSO welcomes contributions from W.A. groups and members. One hundred percent of all contributions directly support recovery from workaholism. Carrying the message of recovery to workaholics who still suffer includes email and phone services, a quarterly newsletter, media and community outreach, literature development and distribution, this website, an annual conference, meeting information and support, and other outreach services. Please print out and send this Seventh Tradition form 
to support W.A.'s Outreach.

NOTE:
by Credit card or Paypal. Thank you for your generous support. 

Purchase Our Books Online!

 

The Book Of Discovery

Book of Discovery, W.A. WorkbookA guide to the 12 Steps  


The Workaholics Anonymous Book of Discovery is a
guide that 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. 

Click here for online purchase    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.

 

 
 
The Book of Recovery

W.A.'s first publication, The Book of Recovery is our main text. It has valuable information for all recovering workaholics; history, stories, guidance in working the steps and tools to help you with your recovery program! Click here for online purchase