My daughter recently had all four of her wisdom teeth removed which caused her quite a bit of pain. Although she did well with the procedure, her worry was she would obtain a dry socket if she made one tiny mistake. She was meticulous in her drinking and oral care to prevent any type of complications, yet she still worried. The second day after her surgery, she started worrying about the timeline in which she could begin to show signs of issues should she even have any. I told her to just focus on today and not tomorrow or the next week or in fact what may never happen. That was easy for me to tell her, but much harder to practice when it comes to my own life.
Climbing the Mountain of Recovery
When you take the first step into recovery, it may feel overwhelming. You may start to question your ability to remain sober or free from whatever your addiction may be. Recovery may seem like a mountain you must climb, and it is, but do you know how you climb a mountain? One step at a time.
Trying to plan what your life looks like whether you are suffering from addiction or not, is impossible. We do not control everything that happens to us; thus, we cannot predict our future. If we could, I am sure we would make wiser choices, prioritize differently, and maybe even enjoy the present more.
We sing a song at church called “Just for Today.” The message behind this song is to take your daily walk with God one day at a time. “Father God, Just for Today, Help Me Walk Your Narrow Way.” Sometimes we try to put too much pressure on ourselves. When we begin recovery, we are often full of hope and then when we have a difficult day, we tend to give up. Recovery, like life, is a day-by-day event. One step at a time.
Finding Strength in Each New Day
When I was battling anorexia and bulimia, I did not simply start eating normally all of a sudden. I still struggle with eating; I just take it one day at a time. I used to try to plan out my calorie intake days ahead. Now, I take it one meal at a time. And if I mess up, I start again the next day. If you are a recovering alcoholic, do not try to focus on how you are not going to drink on a cruise this summer, focus on how you are not going to drink today. Consider using the line from the song I mentioned and pray that prayer, every day. “Father God, Just for Today, help me walk the narrow way.”
Failure comes from expecting too much too fast. You did not become an addict overnight; you will not recover in one day either. One day at a time, one step at a time.