April 17

”Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

There are things that happen in my day or week that I don’t enjoy or look forward to. Bad news, a last minute change, or other unexpected event can shake up my routine, at home and at work. This is a part of life, one of the limitless things I can’t control, and this is simply reality. My choice in how to act in these situations is usually the extent of what I am able to control. The best defense I have to working through times like this is consistency. It’s my perseverance in making my program a priority that will help me to cope better. It has felt frustrating at times to feel as though I am trying so hard in recovery, to have hard times continue to fall on me, and wonder why I keep trying. I need to accept that the world isn’t going to pause until I am strong enough to face everything and fully recovered. Life is a struggle. Some days are pretty easy. Many aren’t. Expecting that the path of recovery will be paved in rose petals isn’t necessarily a realistic view. Or maybe it is, if I add all the thorns that are lining the edges of the road that can tangle me up. As long as I continue to work my steps, I know I can make it through anything that comes my way, without adding even more problems into the mix. I will make it to the gate of success.

Affirmation

The slogan “Keep on keeping on” is one for me to recall today when life seems to be working against me. I will keep focused on doing the best things for me and my recovery.