Sometimes, this phrase is good. It’s a reminder that I’m in the driver’s seat. It’s what I’ve told myself about getting off cigarettes. It’s what I’ve told myself about losing weight. It’s what I’ve told myself about the x365 series. It’s the phrase that reminds me that the only person making choices to do (or not do) things is me. I’m responsible.
Sometimes, this phrase is not so good. When I do fail (or even have a slip), it’s a reminder that I’m weak and pathetic and lame. It says, “Well, you might as well go on and do whatever you want since you’ve already failed.” It is an excuse to not even bother to try since I know, at some point, I will very likely fail make a mistake.
Maybe the problem here isn’t that particular phrase so much as it’s my view of what it means to fail. Is having Sonic for dinner one night really failure? Is not using my elliptical one day really failure? Is a decision to change my quit date a failure? My answer to this is, “Yes. These are failures.” I use that answer to give up completely rather than face failing again.
I’ve come to a realization, though. One lapse, one slip, one mistake is not a failure. It’s simply one lapse or one slip or one mistake. The point is not to be perfect every single moment of every single day. The point is to be perfectly trying every single moment, every single day.
Those AA folks are pretty wise folks – one day at a time, my friends.
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