Balance from My Center
A hula hoop is a fitting metaphor for what is and what isn’t within my control. My hula hoop is large, sturdy, and does not easily bend. I carry it with me all day, every day. It reminds
“Let It Begin with Me”: A Call to Action
The Al-Anon Declaration Let It Begin with Me When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen always be there, and—Let It Begin with Me. To some, these words may sound like
CAL in Many Languages: The International Translation and Reprint Process
Thinking back to when I first came into the rooms of Al-Anon, I remember being filled with fear and uncertainty. By the end of that first meeting, I had a dozen pamphlets and a copy of How Al‑Anon Works
No Affiliation with Meeting Space Facilities
When starting new Al-Anon and Alateen groups, members may look for publicly accessible, inexpensive meeting spaces to rent. Places of public worship, clubs, hospitals, and schools are common locations. Common spaces for electronic meetings include Zoom, Skype, and WhatsApp.
Drawing on a New Dynamic
Arriving at the Al‑Anon rooms, I felt out of my element hearing a different “language” than the one I had learned. Members spoke of spiritual principles that were guides to live by. Those statements made my skin crawl,
A Second Life
I was introduced to Al‑Anon shortly after my spouse had passed. I was lost at the time, and the group accepted me just as I was. It took time to understand the Al‑Anon principles found in the Steps
My Train
My train headed nowhere at a very early age. Before Al‑Anon, my endless overthinking and self-will would take me to undesirable destinations. In my new Al‑Anon journey, I am learning to release those thoughts and not get on
Awareness, Acceptance, and Action
When I arrived in Al‑Anon, I had a limited ability to identify specific feelings. I recognized anger and maybe sadness but had no clue about fear or shame. I had no idea that shame was affecting my daily
Keeping Self-Support Simple on Social Media
Al-Anon WSO, the World Service Office’s (WSO’s) social media profile, regularly receives comments on our posts from questionable profiles attempting to lure people into sending them friend requests or clicking on suspicious links. Although WSO Staff deletes the
Maintaining Anonymity While Sharing Meeting Information
To help members and newcomers access meetings, Al-Anon groups share information such as links or passwords to join electronic meetings or location details about in-person meetings. While sharing meeting information helps connect people to resources, it’s important to
Investing in Our Alateen Legacy
As someone who is passionate about Alateen service and sponsors an Alateen group, I ask myself how I can get the Alateens involved in this process. It is so easy to think the Alateens have no skin in
Safety in Al-Anon Meetings
It has been an amazing experience for me to see the Al‑Anon fellowship grow and adapt over my years in the program. I am sure that our Cofounders, Lois W. and Anne B., never dreamed that Al‑Anon’s hand