06 – Simple But Not Easy

A friend in the program shared a non-OA article about “Choosing Your Hard” with me.  It said stuff like – being overweight is hard, losing weight is hard – choose your hard.  There was a whole list of “choose your hard” options, outlining that life is not going to be easy no matter what.  Here is my OA 12 Steps Version: 

 Step 1 – Abstaining from my trigger foods and behaviors is hard – living with the results of my compulsion is hard. 

 Step 2 – Believing there is a higher power who can help me with my compulsion is hard – continuing to live with the insanity of my compulsive eating is hard 

 Step 3 – Making a decision to do things that will change my life is hard – making no decision and staying stuck is hard 

 Step 4 – Taking time to look at how I have been treated and how I have treated others is hard – stuffing my feelings is hard 

 Step 5 – Accepting my imperfections is hard – trying to maintain illusions is hard 

 Step 6 and 7 – Changing is hard – doing the same thing and continuing to be hurt is hard. 

 Step 8 and 9 – Facing up to something I am ashamed of is hard – keeping secrets is hard 

 Step 10 – Accepting that everyone (including me) has more work to do is hard – having unrealistic expectations of myself and others is hard. 

 Step 11 – Believing that there is a power that cares whether or not I abuse myself or food today is hard – being ashamed is hard. 

 Step 12 – Helping others is hard – not being part of a community is hard

We did not choose to have a problem with food, but the problem is there anyways.  You are no longer alone to fight this battle.