"Autonomy does not mean that an ACA group is isolated and beyond the scope of the fellowship at large. We do not use autonomy to justify changing ACA or its message to fit our own personal desires." BRB p. 608

The focus of ACA is working the Steps and following the Traditions. If they are never, or rarely, mentioned, the impact is that those who attend the meeting are deprived of the essential tools to help them recover.

Likewise, if the meeting requires a specific spiritual or religious belief, the basic freedom to choose is removed, and the meeting should not be called ACA. We are a spiritual program where each person is free to choose a Higher Power or not. There are no mandates.

Meetings are more likely to stay on track when each person has the ability to ask for a group conscience, which provides attendees with a feeling of safety. There is no replay of our childhoods where "because I said so" rules were laid down. No one individual or small clique of people should make group decisions. Business meetings are meant to be open to all meeting attendees. This is the type of healthy guiding principle we didn't have growing up, but we have it in ACA.

On this day I will give myself permission to respectfully question how my meeting is run when something seems uncomfortable, including where the money goes, and if we seem to veer from the Steps and Traditions. In ACA, each of us is as important as the person next to us.