Twelve Stepping a Problem

Last revised:

This writing exercise is an approach using the Twelve Steps of OA to deal with life’s challenges without turning to food. Enhance your recovery by using this document individually or as the focus of a workshop.

  1. I admit I am powerless over ________________________________________. How does this make my life unmanageable?
  1. Do I believe that a power greater than myself can restore me to sanity? YES or NO If no, explain why not. What would recovery like in relation to this problem?
  1. Have I made a decision to turn ________________________________________ over to the care of God/Higher Power? YES or NO If no, explain why not?
  1. Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of myself. List any fears, resentments, harms. What is my part in this?
  1. Am I willing to admit to God/Higher Power, myself, and another person the exact nature of the wrongs that contributed to the situation? If YES, then continue to number 6. If NO, return to number 1.
  1. Am I entirely ready to have God/Higher Power remove these defects of character? YES or NO If no, explain why not?
  1. Have I humbly asked God/Higher Power to remove my shortcomings? YES or NO (Refer to fears, resentments, harms, in number 4 above.)
  1. Make a list of all persons I have harmed because of this. (Include yourself.) How have they been harmed? Am I willing to make amends to them all?
  1. How and when will I make amends?
  1. Continue to take personal inventory. What specific actions can I take today?
  1. What specific actions can I take today to establish, re-establish, improve conscious contact with God/Higher Power?
  1. What spiritual awakening/new insight have I had as a result of working these Spets on this specific problem?

© 2015 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Board approved

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664

Literature Titles
Automatically translated literature titles appearing on this page are for reference only and may not exactly match the official titles approved by OA, Inc. and A.A. World Services, Inc.

Translation Permission
All registered OA groups and service bodies have permission to translate and reprint any OA document or text currently on the OA website. Permission includes the right to distribute automatically translated material and the right to correct errors in automatic translations. Translation corrections should be as close as possible to the meaning of the original English text, with nothing added or omitted. Translated materials must include this statement in the language of the translation: This is a translation of OA-approved literature. © Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.

To translate OA documents with significant graphic design, see Free Licensed Images, Translation, and Graphic Design Platform for Intergroups and Service Boards Registered as Nonprofits/Charities.

To obtain OA-approved literature in your language, contact your service body or see the Digital Files in Translation list and Guidelines for Translation of OA literature.

Volunteer to improve translations on staging-frontendrebuild.oa.org. Apply here!