Do not look at the hurdle, look straight ahead!
Sober since October
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: In the world in my eyes...Somewhere I've never been before...
Posts: 7,355
Do not look at the hurdle, look straight ahead!
Hi, SR mates)
It's Friday. In recovery, especially in early recovery, weekends can be "dangerous land" for us. Just wanted to share a thought with you.
Sobriety journey is quite challenging. When we decide to quit drinking for good it is scary, it comes with a lot of questions, worries, emotions, agitation, lifestyle changes to be made. It comes with a lot of "why" and "how". In some way, we have to rebuild our life. And it can be damn hard to make the first step and stick to the goal. And we have to clear the first fence.
I am a big fan of horseback riding. When I started to practice jumping it was a little bit... thrilling. I remember pretty well the first fence I had to make, and a very stubborn horse that was having fun giving me hard times.
One of the first things my trainer told me about jumping was to look straight ahead, not at the hurdle itself. There are some reasons for it, and besides, I remember when I kept my eyes on the hurdle, a thought flashed in my head: "Wow, it's high (even though it wasn’t really high yet). How I'm gonna do it. Will I fall?".
It's somewhat like "concentrate on the solution, not on the problem", but for some reason it appeals to me more.
Sobriety is also a route with fences. Do not keep your eyes on the hurdles, look ahead. When I am staring at and hypnotizing the hurdle, my fear grows bigger and it shuts down my vision. When I am thinking: "How I'm gonna do at the party next Friday, what I'm going to tell people. What if I never be able relax without booze? What if I can't deal with all that painful thoughts that rush from the past?", I see only the fence between me and better changes in my life.
Instead, be prepared to overcome the hurdles, stick on the horse, keep the reigns of your sobriety tight, take your eyes off the hurdle, and look straight ahead. - Jump! - Fence is cleared. Yes, there will be next one. Do the same, and eventually you'll make it through the whole route.
One day at a time, one hurdle at a time.
The sobriety road can keep more fences every day, sometimes they get higher and more challenging, but we are getting stronger on the way too.
Take care and have a good sober weekend!
It's Friday. In recovery, especially in early recovery, weekends can be "dangerous land" for us. Just wanted to share a thought with you.
Sobriety journey is quite challenging. When we decide to quit drinking for good it is scary, it comes with a lot of questions, worries, emotions, agitation, lifestyle changes to be made. It comes with a lot of "why" and "how". In some way, we have to rebuild our life. And it can be damn hard to make the first step and stick to the goal. And we have to clear the first fence.
I am a big fan of horseback riding. When I started to practice jumping it was a little bit... thrilling. I remember pretty well the first fence I had to make, and a very stubborn horse that was having fun giving me hard times.
One of the first things my trainer told me about jumping was to look straight ahead, not at the hurdle itself. There are some reasons for it, and besides, I remember when I kept my eyes on the hurdle, a thought flashed in my head: "Wow, it's high (even though it wasn’t really high yet). How I'm gonna do it. Will I fall?".
It's somewhat like "concentrate on the solution, not on the problem", but for some reason it appeals to me more.
Sobriety is also a route with fences. Do not keep your eyes on the hurdles, look ahead. When I am staring at and hypnotizing the hurdle, my fear grows bigger and it shuts down my vision. When I am thinking: "How I'm gonna do at the party next Friday, what I'm going to tell people. What if I never be able relax without booze? What if I can't deal with all that painful thoughts that rush from the past?", I see only the fence between me and better changes in my life.
Instead, be prepared to overcome the hurdles, stick on the horse, keep the reigns of your sobriety tight, take your eyes off the hurdle, and look straight ahead. - Jump! - Fence is cleared. Yes, there will be next one. Do the same, and eventually you'll make it through the whole route.
One day at a time, one hurdle at a time.
The sobriety road can keep more fences every day, sometimes they get higher and more challenging, but we are getting stronger on the way too.
Take care and have a good sober weekend!
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,097
Great post MB 
It reminds me of when I was learning to drive. My instructor said neverto look at the middle of the road as you will always go towards where you look. If you look at the hurdles you'll hit them,if you look straight ahead that's where you'll go
It reminds me of when I was learning to drive. My instructor said neverto look at the middle of the road as you will always go towards where you look. If you look at the hurdles you'll hit them,if you look straight ahead that's where you'll go
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