Anna B.

This speaker was recorded at an Addictive Eaters Anonymous event held in Dublin, Ireland in January 2023. For more information, visit www.aeainfo.org
My name is Anna I‘m addictive eater. It's just a real privilege to be here today. I'm so happy to be here. And when I was, yeah, just booking arrangements and, and sorting things out to get here... as I'm saying this, I'm reminding myself that there is members that have come from California, you know. Something's a bit tight okay (little cough), okay right?... And then
there's, there's nothing without, without this, you know, this is the most important thing in my life. And, and, to, to, to go to any lengths to, to be here today. And yeah, have have that willingness today to be sober. And so yeah, I'm absolutely delighted to be here. And I felt coming here... it was quite extreme. And the, the actions I was asked to take I was to go to meetings every day. I was to ring people every day. I was to change how I was eating. It felt it felt extreme. I remember being told to, there was a Monday morning 7am AA meeting in the center of Glasgow and, and it was suggested that I go to that meeting. And um... something in me just just knew that this was this was this was it. This was for me, and that I didn't have to search anymore. There was a solution here and I was going to be okay. There was a huge relief. And I remember being sat on a Monday morning at that meeting, and just there was I don't have to fight anymore. I don't have to search anymore. I'm going to be okay. And yeah, I felt challenged initially to see if I was if I was willing to go to any lengths. And if I‘d really given up my doing things my way. And it was just through trusting that these people clearly had something that I didn't. And in order to get that I was just going to do what they say.
Regardless of what my my head thinks, or thought. And um... and all... the problem centers in my mind, and today and through through this way of life, I'm just getting a chance to change and
do things that I never thought I could do. I loved when members talk about seeing things through and and being being committed to things and not not quitting. And then I was just going from one thing to the next. I remember being in Dublin when I was 19 or 20 and I was I was doing an exam here. In the morning, my mom came with me. And I had this plan you know I was going to do this exam and do this degree and you know, then I would then I would be sorted and fixed and everybody would think it would be okay you know and I would look the part and I remember doing that exam and then going for lunch and trying to order something at lunch and just that anxiety and what to have and ‘Will I? Won't I?‘ you know and food was just yeah, that that restless, irritable and discontentment during that time, I was just I was white knuckling it and that feeling that I was going to... my wheels were going to come off anytime soon. I didn't know quite when but I was going to have one and I would be off. So today I'm in Dublin and I'm not white knuckling it at all. I'm not going to order lunch, obsessed with what I'm going to eat today and I'm just I'm so grateful for the opportunity to to to change and to have have a solution that helps me to be responsible and reliable and be the best I can be with what I'm doing and
yeah
I'm not a betting woman but I could bet you a fiver that I was gonna get a little choked up sharing here today and yeah just I‘ll finish.... the other day I was I was working and it was getting to the end of the day and I said to a colleague, and I said to a colleague, ‘Ugh! I‘m just a little bit tired and it‘s just getting a bit heavy going‘‘ and he said ‘‘Can
you give it all your all just for now?‘‘ And I thought, excuse me (clears her throat)... the ‘Just For Today‘ card that I take with me and
‘Can I can I give it my all just for today?‘‘ And and yeah, I'm given the chance today to to give my all with with everything that I'm doing. Yeah, I've definitely lost a fiver today!! (laugher) from ah, getting choked up. Thank you for asking me to share.