I was just having a low few days and I noticed something. The thought of drinking was on my mind but I knew it wasnt a good idea. I figured something out and its pretty basic but its something that can lift your mood a lot quicker than just going through your day doing the needed things. What I figured out is creating a plan in order to get yourself feeling better. Ive had all these things on my mind that Ive wanted to do, and have been meaning to get to but Ive been going day to day... When you create a plan of action to reach even a minute small goal you start feeling better, even if you just create the plan and stay sitting at home, sometimes having a plan is something that can get the mind working in such a way that you start immediatley feeling better. Today I decided that there are things I want to do in the next while even though there small which could be stepping stones to a better place ahead...I got my apartment clean and in order, I went and bought some coffee and I just sat thinking in terms of a plan and it got me instantly feeling better,I felt as if theres something to work towards rather than just sitting and kicking around with the daily tasks...This is a headspace that I seemed to have lost as an alcoholic but you can begin thinking this way whenever you want...they say you cant live your life faster than one day at a time, and you cant but sometimes even creating a small simple plan of action for the days ahead is something that can start building into a more positive better feeling headspace...Ive got my house in order, Ive got things on my mind that I want to do, I have certain goals or at least dreams that Id like to reach and I have small stepping blocks to get to them...even if Im going very slowly, Its very simple but its something that can lift your spirit a lot quicker than just sitting and letting the black cloud of alcoholism hang over your head...it seems that whatever kind of mess I got into damaged my brain enough that Ive just been kicking around doing only what needs to be done, BUT!!! as soon as you start creating a plan you can mold your whole headspace into something much better for the future ahead...even if its small, its a good thing
Nice post Closer. To some in AA planning is anathema to the program but this isn't necessarily so. Bill W in the AA service manual refers to the idiotic notion of trusting to providence when in fact God's providence was to give us brains and foresight to enable us to make plans where that is the responsible thing to do. In another post (very poorly written I am afraid), I alluded to some of my early plans in AA. I remember even then folks told me it's fine to make plans, just don't plan the results. My plans for life didn't work out quite how I expected which turned out to be a good thing. I hate to think what my life would be like if I had got my own way back then. But i had another plan, AA's plan for living though the 12 steps, and as I tried to live by these principles, I found myself getting better organised, making an effort to do stuff that needed to be done, and as I got more active I felt better and better just as you describe. And as you say, it's the small steps taken today that lead to dreams coming true in the future. A wise man said a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
I like what you are saying. Making some small plans and more importantly taking some action always makes us feel better about a situation. You have taken action to stop drinking and are learning and contributing here on MIP. One of the best action plans I made in my life was to work on myself and staying sober via the AA program and fellowship. Can't do any better than investing in yourself.
Mike (above) and myself where about the same age as you when we found recovery, best decision I ever made.
Take Care, Rob
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Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
It sounds like you're on to something Closer. Your post reminds me of a time when I felt on top of the world. That was until my drinking got the best of me. The great thing today is that all those lost ambitions were slowly gaining momentum, once again. And the path that led me to rediscover myself came via the rooms. So keep dreaming, my friend, because it can only get better from here.
