What next?

“What next?” is where good intentions come to die. 

“What next?” is where most of us who struggle with addiction get stuck. Addiction robs us of the power to do “Next.” We make grand decisions in our heads to finally make a change.

We only take action when our mind and body gives us a green light. I kept waiting to get a green light to signal it was time to take action. My addiction - whose voice sounds exactly like mine - would make a bold statement (“I won’t drink today”) and then curl up on the couch, waiting for the green light. Before too long, I was pouring a glass of red wine, telling myself tomorrow would be the day I changed things, “for real.” 

The green light never came because - hello - my brain and body would not ever “feel ready” to get my ass to a meeting, call a mentor/sponsor, or throw the bottles of wine to the trash and get started with the work. 

Saying “I will quit drinking” is easy. Doing the things that support that decision are hard as f*ck. 

Know this, my darling. If you are stuck in a cycle of addiction (or whatever you choose to name the thing that has you in a headlock) - you won’t ever “feel ready” to start the journey. You may have little windows of time where you ache for healing. You may have little moments of desperation where your bravery kicks in. If you - like me - are waiting for someone to flip the light to green, and for your feelings to move you forward, you will continue stuck in the cycle. You have to break the cycle by putting your old ways on a shelf, and going against the grain of your mind. Use your windows of time to take action steps that move the needle forward. 

Take a deep breath and ask yourself: What can I do right now to break my pattern? 

• This may mean throwing out all the booze in the house. 
• This may mean deleting some numbers off your phone. 
• This may mean looking up an online meeting for a program of recovery (there are many!). 
• This may mean getting that online course or hiring that recovery coach you’ve been thinking of. 
• This may mean sharing with your best friend or spouse that you have a problem.

I'm with you. You can do this. I know you can,

Pamela

If your next step means enrolling in a course to give you the knowledge, skills, and accountability you'll need to create a game plan, then my course is right for you.