One day at a time with a wider perspective
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 301
One day at a time with a wider perspective
So the "one day at a time" philosophy has been so great for me, not just with drinking, but with dealing with life in general, which in turn helps me not drink.
The issue with this, I've found, is it creates a lack of planning. But if you're always planning you pretty much undermine the "one day at a time" philosophy which is to simplify an issue to give yourself a psychological advantage.
So what I've started to do is at the end of each week write down any issues I'm concerned about, drink stuff, work stuff, anxiety, depression, anything. So it could be "struggling to sleep without booze" or "lack of future career options". Then I sit for an hour (or however long is needed) and write down ways of dealing with these issues, which I can implement the following week.
Because what I've found, is that the issue isn't making a plan or even following the plan, it's constantly second guessing yourself. You may have legitimate concerns about certain things, but this way of dealing with it is undermining everything, as well as being a pretty useless way about thinking about your actions clearly with the stress clouding your judgement.
Obviously it's not a perfect system, you can't always switch your brain off. But I've found thinking this way to drastically cut my "worry time", as well as providing a basis for pretty solid life choices.
Just thought I'd share something I've found very helpful in my recovery.
Tom.
The issue with this, I've found, is it creates a lack of planning. But if you're always planning you pretty much undermine the "one day at a time" philosophy which is to simplify an issue to give yourself a psychological advantage.
So what I've started to do is at the end of each week write down any issues I'm concerned about, drink stuff, work stuff, anxiety, depression, anything. So it could be "struggling to sleep without booze" or "lack of future career options". Then I sit for an hour (or however long is needed) and write down ways of dealing with these issues, which I can implement the following week.
Because what I've found, is that the issue isn't making a plan or even following the plan, it's constantly second guessing yourself. You may have legitimate concerns about certain things, but this way of dealing with it is undermining everything, as well as being a pretty useless way about thinking about your actions clearly with the stress clouding your judgement.
Obviously it's not a perfect system, you can't always switch your brain off. But I've found thinking this way to drastically cut my "worry time", as well as providing a basis for pretty solid life choices.
Just thought I'd share something I've found very helpful in my recovery.
Tom.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,831
Hey thanks Tom, have always been a planner/worrier by nature and as a business owner I can't completely get away from it....but I think I'm getting your broader point and 'plan' to implement some of your suggestion. Thanks
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 109
I have a job that I have come to realize consists of a tremendous amount of planning (teacher). For the past 15 years a big chunk of my work life involved planning and preparing and even executing 'the moment' involved considerable thought on how it will connect with next steps and more planning!! So for me I feel like my mind is conditioned to 'not live in the moment'. These days I'm just realizing the degree to which this has impacted me as I have trouble relaxing and just BE without worrying about the future. It's so important to not do that so much!!
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
