Twelfth Step Within: Fun and Fellowship
Purpose
Use this resource to celebrate and enrich recovery, increase member retention, and encourage fun and fellowship. We can maintain recovery, prevent relapse, and live happy, joyous, and free lives!
We are not saying fun and fellowship equals recovery. Many recovered OA members become and remain abstinent through working the Steps from Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition (the Big Book). Working the Steps gives us a spiritual experience, which allows us to live happy, joyous, and free lives. The Fellowship keeps us in the meeting rooms and connects us with each other as we allow the Steps to transform us. Yet, many of us have lost the ability to have fun while in our disease.
The Twelfth Step Within Fun and Fellowship Subcommittee surveyed OA members from all over the world to discover the barriers to fun and fellowship and the solutions to overcome them.
Survey Results
1. What are your barrier to fun and fellowship in recovery?
| Time | 53% |
| Feeling shy | 33% |
| Isolation | 32% |
| Body Image | 19% |
| Finances | 18% |
| Weight | 16% |
| People Pleasing | 10% |
| Other | 29% |
Other responses included
- Caretaker of family member
- Other OA members busy
- Lack of participation or interest from other OA members
- Poor health
- Fear of people
- Living in remote area
2. What has been helpful in overcoming these barriers
| Working the Steps | 63% |
| Outside professional help | 19% |
| Using the Tools | 49% |
| Higher Power/Spiritual Experience | 65% |
| Other | 25% |
Other responses included
- Group meetings
- Others offering an invitation
- Service work
- Going out to meals as a group after meetings
- Sponsor
- Fellowship
- Positive sharing
- Upbeat workshops
- Working the Steps as written in the Big Book
- Unconditional acceptance
What the Big Book Says about fun and fellowship
To read what the Big Book says about fun and fellowship, see Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition, pages 132–133, starting with “But we aren’t a glum lot.”
Suggestions for including fun and fellowship in your OA journey
Alone
- Mindful walking or hiking in nature
- Attending dancing, writing, or art classes
- Learning a craft, such as crocheting, knitting, or painting
- Playing with a pet
- Coloring
- Enjoying a bubble bath
- Biking, swimming, or trying yoga or gym classes
- Volunteering
Fellowship ideas
- OA workshops
- Inviting others for a game night
- Movie with OA members
- Bowling
- Abstinent picnic
- Roller skating
- Karaoke
- Comedy club outing
- Clothing or jewelry exchange
Member retention
- Outreach calls
- Visiting members in hospitals/bringing a meeting to someone
- Including and mentoring new OA members in service
Are you willing to commit to doing something fun with another fellow OA member this month?
OA Board-approved. © 2018 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved. Rev 3/2024.