Suggestions Please
 

Hi everyone,
I just read BigSis's thread about chairing a meeting, and it started me thinking.

I will be chairing my first ever meeting on July 12, and I have already started asking for suggestions as to my topic.
I was leading towards detachment, but, unsure, what meeting did you attend, that you think really made an impact on your life?
I am leaning towards perhaps a humorous type of meeting? What do you all think?



As you can see, I'm somewhat nervous...

Do I actually start out with a brief history of what lead me to Alanon?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated...

When I chair a mtg. I tell abt. my past and then try to spend more time in the solution.
But early in my leading mtgs. the opposite was prob. true.

I always enjoy humor, and you can prob. pull it off. Unfortunately, I am not a humorous speaker myself. I also like a gratitude mtg. once in awhile.

Our meeting format is perhaps a little different than some. On the nonstep nights, the leader has a topic and we read from Courage to Change or now the new Naranon daily reader. Generally the leader does a brief intro on why he or she picked the topic, then reads the first reading, comments on it then opens the floor to sharing. After that others volunteer to read and the sharing continues. So the leader's role is primarily to get things started then to "manage" the sharing.
I often select based on where I feel the group is at the moment. There are certain topics that work really well for newcomers and we tend to go in cycles of lots of newcomers and then not so many and more experience. Sometimes my choice is based on an area I am struggling with...Since our group is primarily parents, it is safe to say my struggles may often be others struggles too.

I think the 3 favorite topics for me have been the victim role, gratitude and slogans. With slogans, we have a little bag full of them and we pull from there and share about our thoughts on the slogan...Matching it up with readings is good too. Gratitude...well, I know I never would have moved from being part of the problem to acceptance if I didn't find gratitude.

I love humor in meetings...One of the things I like most about my group is how much laughter we share. It is impossible to me to feel down when surrounded by love and laughter.

It sounds as if you are going to be one of the most prepared leaders going! Please let us know what you decide and then about how the meeting went. I wish I could be there! Hugs

You can never get in wrong
 

Just wanted to say regardless of what you choose as the topic it will be the 'right one.' And even if you do stuff different to how you've seen others do it etc...You'll be great - it always works out that way.

And I've always thought Step One (regardless of the fellowship) is great topic. We're all powerless over something.

Our group chairperson for the meeting always gives a welcome to the newcomer and that's when they share how they felt before coming to Naranon/Alanon and how the program has helped them.

Then the topic format is varied each week:
1st week--Step (The step we discuss is in order with the months.)
2nd week--Tradition
3rd week--Literature/Slogan
4th/5th if needed--Literature/Celebrating recovery birthday stories

It's great to hear of how different the meetings are organized, but the message is the same!

You might pray about it, Moosie...and then listen closely the next morning to see what pops into your mind. Then another quick prayer before the meeting... and you will find the exact right words.


((hugs))

PS - my favorite topic is Higher Power... and I usually tell about how my belief has evolved with my time in Alanon. ((hugs))

No suggestion really, but I will second the motion that little background on how you got there and LOTS background on how it has worked for you - whatever the topic may be, and humorous sounds great!

Good luck! I'm sure you'll do great, let us know what and how it all goes!

(((hugs)))

Sharing from the heart always tells a good story and one that the newcomer will see.

Sometimes sharing how recovery is living in the "solution" rather than lingering in the problem helps me find a better place to stand.

I know you Moose, and anything you share from your heart will be heard by willing hearts.

Moose,
I know alot of times when we have a topic meeting the person leading the group that night goes for something that happened in their life that week. Like if they are having a problem with patience, or something good happened they might use that as a topic.
Turn it over to your HP and he will lead you in the right direction. Leave your mind open and see what happens. Sometimes the person will come in and say I was going to pick this topic but something told me to do this one instead.
You will know what to do when the time comes.
Good luck and hugs to you

Moosie,
You'll be great no matter what. At our meetings, the chair person is the one who reads the opening, starts the reading of the steps etc. Then she says the meeting is on Step whatever ( it's a step meeting) and starts to talk about it. When I went to topic meetings, the chair would usually say what was going on in her world right then and something she might be struggling with... as she talked it out, the topic sort of crystalized. I remember more than once a chair saying , "so I guess our topic is honesty because that's what I am struggling with" and off we'd go.

Set up some extra chairs for all of us. We'll be there in spirit!

Hugs
Cats

It has always helped me when someone told their story about how they got to Alanon. Humor in a meeting helps me to lighten up and share. I can always tell who has been at this the longest,.....they always keep the meeting flowing with the right words.

No suggestions Moose. I don't really know much about it. Just a good luck, I know you will be good at it.

Hugs.............Lo

Synchronized Swimming pictures could be a good lead in.....

"Letting go" has always been a huge topic...one that everyone struggles with all of the time not just with the addict but everything in life. But go with your gut and what your heart tells you. You exude recovery from your pores. Anything you say is worth hearing.

I agree.
Humor is something you are good at too, you make me laugh all the time!

you could take a tip off David Letterman and do a top ten of the crazy things I did before coming to Al-Anon

or

I heard at a convention a few yrs ago a speaker did a spoof of "You might be a Redneck" with You might qualify for Al-Anon . . . some of the ones I remember .

if the 911 operator recognizes your voice - you might qualify for Al-Anon
if the police dept considers your house a routine stop because of YOU, you might qualify for Al-Anon
if you have ever drawn a line on a bottle of booze in your house, you might qualify for Al-Anon
if you have ever sat outside an AA meeting to make sure your alcoholic attended the full hour of the meeting, you might qualify for Al-Anon

this may break this ice - get everyone laughing & relaxed a little & then you can either "share your story" if that's the type of meeting it is - or if it's a topic meeting you can choose a Chapter out of How Al-Anon works for Families & Friends of Alcoholics or any of the other great Conference approved literature.

I'll be praying for ya & I'm sure you & your HP will be ok - even better than OK.

HUGS,
Rita

Japic05,
Ohhh...that sounds good regarding the Redneck analogy, I am loving it.....and believe me I could make a huge list!

Then, I'll discuss a fast 30 second synopsis of me and my recovery, and why I need Alanon, then the SLIDE show of me and "Catspj's" doing our synchronized swimming routine, then I'll throw out a topic....


I'm still thinking....but, I really want humor to be a part of this chairing.
Humor makes us all forget, even for a little while, but it sure makes us feel good.

And thank you all for having such confidence in my doing a good job....

And next year I'll be moving on to "Last Comic Standing" :lmao


Hugs,

Hey Moose

took me a while to look back and find this - but I thought you were chairing about this time - so how was the meeting? great I'm sure!!

I'll look forward to that "swimming" act on "America's Got Talent" :bounce

HUGS,
Rita

Of course I started the meeting with my synchronized swimming.....

(hard to do that swimming without a few swimmers, AND water...chuckle chuckle)

Seriously, I wasn't nervous at all, and I think it went very well...

I did do the Alanon analogy, and ended it with : You may qualify for Alanon if: You wake up in the morning and say "Good morning, How am I?"

My topic was acceptance and we had FOUR new members so overall, it was a very good meeting, everyone participated, and I learned alot, as I usually do everytime I attend!

Thank you for asking!