I did an online meeting on this site tonight. I did one here last week too. It's a topic meeting and they don't encourage cross talk. Not what I am used to, but something new is always that way. lol. I am sure I would get used to it if I kept going to them. That's just kind of the way things are it seems. It's not comfortable trying new things. Most differences are pretty minor though. I can see the point of no cross talk for this place though. Lots of different philosophies and some people get rubbed the wrong way. I don't claim to be immune, but try not to let another persons opinions or beliefs bother me. When the get stated in very dogmatic mannerisms, it does put me on the defensive though. I will try to work on that, but it's still there for now.
One thing I think now I was looking for is a place to think somethings out. With as many people here, I figured maybe would get some decent feed back too. The talking it out in your own mind is important though (and that is what half of this posting is anyway, I think anyway).
Since I tend to figure things out in my own mind as I go along, some of what I post isn't always going to agree with what I may have posted earlier or on another thread/topic all the time. Oh well on that though, just part of the process.
I'm moderating an online meeting too. I still have lots to learn on my own sobriety, let alone on being a good moderator on top of that. Considering that though, I think the meetings are going pretty well. I even had a bit of an issue to deal with last week, that I think I handled professionally. There was a member who had a fairly serious complaint about a different moderator at his f2f meeting. He let me divert his issue until after the meeting. I really just listened him out and passed the complaint along.
We are not always people at our best, in recovery. There will be a few unkind words said and hurt feelings occasionally. I think overall the encouragement and support that can be offered in meetings, here in forums, etc. out weigh the occasional flair up. Things can go bad in a hurry though, sometimes. It's definitely a bit of a balancing act.
Anyway I am also thinking of taking SMART facilitator training. I like a lot of their tools, but never really used them. So I guess it would be more accurate to say I like the idea of them. I also read everything they have, but was in my first couple months sober. I think there is a tendency to latch on to anything and everything for dear life at that point. I am sure a lot of what SMART has could stand up to critical analysis in my own minds though. That isn't really why I would pick SMART if I do decide to do a f2f meeting though. I live in an area that already has f2f SMART meetings. That just makes it easy to do, if I do it as a SMART meeting. I like LifeRing a little better for myself though. It's a little less structured and that fine for me. I know a lot of people would prefer something with structure. I'm OK without it.
I'm not sure I will actually start up a f2f meeting or not yet. I do think it's pretty likely I will take the facilitator training though. I figure at minimum it will help for the online meeting I am already doing, even though it's not a SMART meeting. The thing I want to guard against is over doing it. I decided to do hosting an online meeting, because it really isn't that much effort in all honesty. But it's helping out still and I'm OK to help out some. I was pretty much fading away from meetings myself. When you need them and they are helpful they are great. When you start getting in a better place, well for me anyway it's OK to move on. Hosting the meeting gives me a reason to stay involved. I don't see doing that forever, but for now it's important. I figure I can give it a couple of years anyway, so I didn't mind taking it on. Also if I am out of town, I can still do an online meeting. Even if I can't, there is plenty of back-up, to cover it.
Face to face is a different issue though. It is more work. There are other meeting in my area, so I might get some backup facilitators if I am out of town. That's a lot more burden for someone else to cover an actual in person meeting though. There are only three people in reasonably distance actually. I would really prefer to find someone to co-host my meeting. It doesn't have to necessarily be from the beginning, but definitely would want that. Also want someone to take over as an exit strategy. For my online meeting that isn't really a concern. I took over another persons time slot. When I am ready to leave down the road, I would imagine there will be others ready to take over. Online has just a different dynamic. There was a meeting in my area that they just stopped having six months back or so. It was pretty well attended meeting too, from the times I went, which was only twice. Still I was surprised a bit no one took it over. It was at a very nice facility, associated with some hospital chain.
So, that's a bit of typing on this train of thought for tonight. To recap. I'm in the contemplative stage on this doing a f2f then. Even if I do it won't be for a couple months at least. I do plan to take the SMART facilitator train, but that will take a little bit of time. I also don't want to over do it, so want to have at least a few more months in with my online meeting, to make sure I am more comfortable with it.
OK done for now. lol.