Friday Feb 13, 2026
ESSAY February 2026 - My Life Story On the Table - Nathalie V., Belgium
ESSAY Magazine (An International Journal of Sexaholics Anonymous)
The mission of ESSAY is to serve as a source of information, experience, strength and hope to sexaholics, both inside and outside the rooms of Sexaholics Anonymous. Our vision is to provide a high-quality “meeting in print” that gathers together members from around the world. It can serve as a portable “extra meeting” especially for loners and for members who don’t have access to many meetings. In addition, Essay serves as an outreach tool to carry the message to those who have not yet found SA. We strive to include a mix of stories and shares from a wide variety of members, including men and women, prisoners, and international members. In addition, ESSAY provides Fellowship announcements and information on subjects such as new meetings, Fellowship events, and our service structure. We hope that all of the articles we publish will offer useful information and provide experience, strength, and hope to all who suffer from the disease of sexaholism. Fellowship actvities such as international conventions, regional events and local events appear in the Calendar section. Each issue has a theme and various sections to share sexaholic stories and practical tools. In addition to letters and group news, ESSAY offers short, edited articles written by members about recovery and our solution. The Practical Recovery Tools section features members sharing on the topic, “Exactly how I did it.” Submissions may also include meditations, poetry, and humor. ESSAY is guided by the principles of the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts. Each issue contains the following statement:
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Episodes
Episodes
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Enthusiasm for recovery and a newfound willingness to be honest without careful consideration before sharing can lead to an awkward situation.
In early recovery, I was so thrilled about having found a solution for my problem that I wanted to share it with everyone. My wife already knew about my addiction because she caught me many times. I told a friend who is a coach and a psychologist. It was in addition to things we had already spoken about. A couple of weeks later, my wife and I met at her place, and she had a visitor who was also a coach and psychologist.
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Friday Feb 13, 2026
While caution is suggested to the newcomer in the beginning of the White Book, similar caution can be found in abundance on Step Nine throughout our literature.
The caution in the White Book is often directed to new members in our Program. However, several SA-approved readings refer to cautions applicable to the amends process in Step Nine.
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Friday Feb 13, 2026
She remembers a historical event by reflecting on where she has been and where she is today as a result of this Program.
On September 11, 2021, many commercials commemorated a famous attack. One commercial’s words impacted me deeply: “Where were you on 09/11/2001 when the world changed?”
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Friday Feb 13, 2026
He realized that by only praying for God’s will, God revealed his will and answered his past prayers for sobriety.
All my life, I thought prayer meant asking God for something I wanted—peace, healing, sobriety. If I said the right words, in the right way, at the right time, maybe God would say yes. Looking back, I see how my prayers were self-centered—about me trying to manage God.
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Friday Feb 13, 2026
He discovered that continuing to take Steps Six and Seven, he became more willing to have God remove his defects.
My first time working through the 12 Steps of SA, my thinking was all sequential. When I came to Steps Six and Seven, I thought, “I will knock these Steps out with the help of my sponsor and get on with Eight and Nine!” Years later, I’m still working Steps Six and Seven. Hello? In the ensuing years in Program, I’ve gained some wisdom and patience. Imagine trying to solve all my issues in weeks!
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Exercising the principles of the program daily produces a wisdom that knowledge alone can never provide.
Some members and I were discussing recovery, psychology, neurology, and technology. One fellow mentioned that he wished he knew as much as I did. That comment put things into perspective.
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Friday Feb 13, 2026
He learned to recognize true success by not focusing on the work needed to complete everything, but by appreciating the amount of work completed today.
“I’m a success today if I don’t drink today” (AA 415).
Friday Feb 13, 2026
Friday Feb 13, 2026
He realized that as long as he focuses on his program today, and not his program yesterday, Higher Power’s promises are both in the present and in the future.
October 8’s reading from The Real Connection brings to mind a member of my home group who was in a meeting many years ago, listening to another's share about acting-out behaviors. A member leaned over to the person sitting to his left and said, "At least I haven't done that." He immediately heard the one-word admonition: "Yet."