W.A. World Service Organization Newsletter
W.A. E-NewsetterMarch 2016
In This Issue
Send Your Meditations for the Newsletter
W.A. Meditation Book needs member meditations.
2016 W.A. World Conference!
Quick Links

W.A. World Conference

Our W.A. 2016 World Conference in the UK in June is only a few months away! Registration is filling up!

See more info below about the conference and registration.

Meditation & Quote of the Month

Please send your meditations and favorite quotes from our W.A. literature if you would like to share them with other members via newsletter.


Be Well & Be Happy!
Michele S., Outreach Coordinator
Workaholics Anonymous 

2016 World Conference in June in the United Kingdom

We are so thankful to our UK based WA Groups who have offered to host the 2016 World Conference.  The setting is a 13th Century Priory, the home of the Order of Carmelites, where the beauty of its 42 acres has the perfect surroundings for celebrating the theme of "Taking our Steps Together".  The location at The Friars, Aylesford,Kent, United Kingdom is approximately one hour south of London with accessibility by public and hired transportation.  Because of the venue, the committee has expanded the Conference to four days with registration starting Thursday afternoon until our closing on Sunday afternoon, June 9 through June 12. Register now!


We are looking for ways to podcast parts of the Conference to have participation by worldwide groups; and particularly the 2016 General Assembly.  It is an important Conference Assembly in that 2016 is both an election year for the WAWSO Board of Trustees and the Resolution for the approval of the Second Edition of our Book of Recovery will be presented.  Your WSRs will have received a form for you to use for your own self-nomination for Board service, and also a copy of the Second Edition of the Book of Recovery, so that the ballots which will be sent later in the Spring can be completed and mailed if your Group cannot be represented in person at the General Assembly.  

We are hoping that as many Groups around the world as possible can have representation at this Conference, and encourage local Meeting Groups to support the expenses of their own Members through 7th Tradition contributions made within their Groups.  The Program is still being developed and the recording expert is still being sought; but we will have a recording available with submitted pictures and maybe video shots after the Conference.

Information about the Conference is available at our website. Registration is open until April 27th and can be made through the shopping cart or by mail.  Any questions can be sent to [email protected].

March Quote   

"
The slower I go the faster I grow."
Workaholics Anonymous - The Book of Recovery - page 214

FROM W.A. WORLD CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
Hello Friends in Recovery! We Need Your Help!

The conference committee is planning the schedule and is in need of members who would like to be speakers and/or meeting chairpersons. The following is a list of the opportunities available:

MEETING
FORMAT              TOPIC

MEETING       Step 1 - Powerlessness
MEETING       Step 2 & 3 - Higher Power & Surrender
WORKSHOP     Step 4 - Fearless Moral Inventory
MEETING          Step 6 & 7 - Character Defects & Asking for Help
MEETING          Step 8 & 9 - Who We've Hurt & Making Amends
MEETING          Step 10 - Continuing the Inventory Daily
PANEL               Lessons Learnt: Carrying the Message
WORKSHOP     Step 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation 
WORKSHOP     Step 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening 

That is about 10 meetings that will need chair people, speakers, and panelists. 

Would you consider serving by sharing your experience, strength and hope with your fellows?

If you are interested, please send an email note to conference2016@workaholics-anonymous.org. Put CONFERENCE SPEAKER/CHAIR in the subject line.

Thank you for your service!

 
Monthly Meditation
 - Self Acceptance -  
Morrie H.

"We find it hard to love and accept ourselves. Work has become our means of gaining approval, finding our identity and justifying our existence."
Signpost 1, Book of recovery p 7.
When I was a child, I was fearful, shy and rather quirky. I had difficulty fitting in and feeling comfortable.
I would fantasize about having superhuman qualities - great strength and fearlessness - achieving feats that would bring recognition, admiration and gratitude.
As I grew up, I continued to dream of the same - recognition, gratitude and admiration, and so I tried to hide my true self. I thought if I could just appear to be the same as other people, but better, I might be acceptable. So I concealed my fears, my shame, my weaknesses, my differences, my quietness, my quirkiness and my individuality - even from myself, much of the time.
When I share these parts of myself in recovery, I find they can be my greatest strengths, enabling me to find deep self acceptance and giving hope to others and helping them get in touch with the softer, inner parts of themselves, the parts that help us feel love and connection.
We may have fantasised about being loved for something false - an image we believed might be worthy.
We can now allow ourselves to be loved for who we really are, with our beautiful and vulnerable souls recognized and cherished by our fellow human beings.
Higher power, please give me the courage to present to the world my true self, in all its strength and vulnerability.
We are looking for any meditations you may have written for the mediation book to share with the monthly newsletter. If you want to share with the fellowship please submit them to me. :)

W. A. Literature in Spanish!
 
Check out the new Spanish translation for some of our literature!

A very special thank you to our special friends Alfredo & Jorge for their service!

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

 

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:
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
In each e-newsletter I include a monthly inspirational quote and a monthly meditation. If you have any favorite quotes or a meditation you have written and you want to share it with other members, please send it to my email below.
 
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.

Literature
It has been an exciting year for W.A. literature.  Nearly a decade's worth of suggestions by members finally manifested as the 20 Questions and all of our pamphlets were revised and approved by both the Board and the Conference.  Further, the Second Edition of our Book of Recovery was revised and approved by the Board - subject to approval by the Conference next year.  The new books are now available for purchase on the website and Amazon.  A copy of the edited book will soon be sent to WSRs so that groups will have the opportunity to review it and offer comments.  Please take a group conscience as needed to determine whether your meeting will begin to use this pending literature during the interim period.  
 
Substantial effort went into this round of edits, and we hope to continue to make progress on our core literature in future printings - patiently accepting the lingering imperfections and the impossibility of simultaneously entertaining the preferences of each and every member.  In addition to the ongoing process of developing our W.A. Meditation Book and a new pamphlet on the topic of work anorexia/avoidance (which will ideally help members to overcome procrastination, perfectionism, and related fears), the Literature Committee will continue to modify existing material pursuant to feedback received from the fellowship.  Among other things, facelifts have already been proposed for the New Meeting Starter Kit and Book of Discovery.  As always, if you are interested in joining the Literature Committee - or would like to otherwise consult on any ongoing projects - the support is very welcome.  If we were to receive as many offers to help as we receive ideas for improvement, the personal recovery of those of us doing service would surely be enhanced (hint, hint)! 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!

 

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