If I’m running a race to win, and I step off course when I hear a commotion to my left, what are the chances that I’m going to win that race? Exactly. In my eighteen years of being an addict, my main focus was getting myself to a place where I felt better. It was a bit ludicrous, considering that most of the time I drank or used to the point of feeling like shit, but it was my daily goal to get out of my own uncomfortable skin. If I could accomplish this, then I was winning, as pathetically as Charlie Sheen. When winning began feeling like I was failing, I had to make a change. Eventually I had to quit running, because I was no longer ahead.
In a world filled with entertainment and people diagnosed with ADHD, it’s no surprise that recovery becomes low on the totem pole of things to do each day, but we’ve got to remember when we used to place everything on the line in order to remain high. It’s no different in our sobriety. Every day must begin with an intent to remain sober, no matter what comes our way and which direction we are tempted to go. Recovery must be at the forefront of our minds, exactly like when we needed that fix. It’s like being on the opposite side of the pendulum in order to discover balance in our lives.
It may seem tedious and a bit boring to have to focus on recovery each day, but what other choice do we have? If you’re going to win this race, and overcome your addiction, you’ve got to stay on top of your game. Do whatever it takes to remain sober today, and don’t get distracted from this mindset. Allow your recovery to become the foundational pavement in this lifelong race you run. And run it to win!
Lush No Longer 