Читать книгу Above and Beyond - J.S. Dorian - Страница 58

“Let the soul be joyful in the present, disdaining anxiety for the future, and tempering bitter things with a serene smile.”

HORACE

It takes more than fear of getting sicker to remain committed to a rigorous treatment program. It also takes more than guts and willpower to get us through. However, assuming that recovery is our overriding priority, there are a number of other approaches and actions that can help us achieve our goal of commitment.

First, and foremost, let’s put aside the panic-producing idea that we have to follow the program “for the rest of our lives.” We need only concern ourselves with today, remembering that we can remain committed to almost anything one day at a time.

It helps a lot to establish a daily routine. At the same time, we should allow ourselves a certain amount of flexibility, considering not only the fact that we are human, but also that illness sometimes takes unexpected turns. Another way to ease the pressure of a time-consuming regimen is to combine certain activities: exercise and meditation, for example, or stretching and TV-watching.

If we follow these and other confidence-building approaches, before long we will find that we look forward to our daily routine and to the rewards of certain activities in particular.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

My treatment program isn’t a punishment, but a promise.