COMMITMENT

[Rockin Big Daddy]

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COMMITMENT
"One small step for a man ~
One giant leap for mankind."
Neil Armstrong




When I came into program, I was very overwhelmed by the idea of commitment. The thought of committing to a food plan or exercise regime was more than I could comprehend; in fact, I would feel panic rising in me at the thought of it. I would have dreams of being a mouse caught in a corner with nowhere to run. I would throw in the proverbial monkey wrench after a short time, and soon be on my own turf ... the desperation and depression which were my "old friends" would reappear, and I would be back into my "safe" and always-waiting disease.

This recovery program taught me "one day at a time;" it taught me to put one foot in front of the other; that for one day I could do what I couldn't do, or even fathom doing, for a lifetime. This is how I found abstinence. Breaking up my days, weeks, months and years into 24-hour periods allows me to live in the now, and not feel swallowed up in thinking that I have to do this for the rest of my life.

One Day at a Time . . .
The steps may seem small, it may even look as though I'm not moving at all, but with God's help I make giant leaps toward wellness and peace of mind. :idea:

[floridadetox]

You're quite right! Commitment can seem like a big leap, but is well worth it in the end. The best plan of action is to take things one step at a time, just like your program taught. After all, when you look back, making a commitment to get what you want isn't so hard. Many do it to nurse their various addictions. So if one can be that dedicated to an addiction, why not refocus that dedication?

Perhaps it's also helpful to set a few healthy goals to work toward. Maybe you want to make a big purchase for yourself (like a new car), make it to a certain weight or master a new skill. Take that energy and focus that was once used on your cravings and refocus it toward that new goal. When you put something you really want on the other end of that commitment, it becomes more worth while and easier to stick to.

When it comes to recovery, there's no point in dwelling on the past or trying to predict the future. We can only focus on what's right here, right now. And don't forget to celebrate every success, whether it seems big or small. That's what taking it one step at a time is all about. The more steps you take, and the more you celebrate yourself and those steps, the easier the commitment becomes until it takes virtually no though process at all. The getting there may taken longer than we'd like, but slow and steady always wins the race.

-DH