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1. Stress free environment

2. Sufficient Sleep

3. Fasting

4. Exercise 

Thank you God for the guidance on the importance of the above in my life.

This was an area where my past doctor, counsellor, mentor and sponsor did not address and evaluate for me, nobody thought it was a top priority or something I need. Everyone was trying to address my gambling or alcohol problem.

Every advise given was good but something was missing that is holding me back from living a fuller life.

As I aged, recovery become more challenging and important because I was developing more and more ailments. 

My mental health did not improve recently until I discover a stress free enviroment and fasting..

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1. I grew stronger little by little everyday from the daily practice of denying my desires choosing instead to stay abstinent from sugar, and carbohydrate.

2. I have also increase the level of difficulty by doing fasting at the same time and had to deal with the urge and craving regularly.

There was so much information on Ketogenic diet and Intermitten fasting online, and it kept me very well informed. After doing it a few times, I was very confident that they work. Since December until now, I have shed 12 kg.

But I have to regularly check myself to remain patient and not be too obsess with them due to my addictive personality; the disease of wanting more.

Dieting forces me to practice seeking progress and not perfection just like in life and recovery. What happen if I have a cheat day? Just like in life and recovery, I dont give up completely, I will continue to do my best tomorrow. We may have lost a battle somewhere along the way but we have not lost the war.

This journey is for life, and we can only do this much; take one baby step at a time, one day at a time.

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Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

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Recently, I met a new unpopular person at the recovery drop-in center, he was telling everyone that he was different and his problem was more serious than everybody. It was not his fault, it is very difficult for him to stay abstinent because everyone around him was drinking, drugging and gambling. This person simply does not want to be responsible for all the bad choices he made and blaming everyone, every place, and everything except himself. He did not want to be made accountable for his action.

I can still remember that some point in my recovery, I was also behaving like that and justifying my overeating, drinking, drugging and gambling. But today I understand that I have a choice. I can choose to “WALK AWAY”. I cannot blame people, places and things because it was my decision.

I am falling in love with these words ” carefully and slowly ” now.  My favorite in early recovery used to be ” one baby step at a time.”

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For many years, I thought they were telling me to relax because I was too serious. Well, I was wrong again, they actually mean “CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY”

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Learning to live life on life’s term is always the toughest part of our journey in recovery.

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Hey sis, welcome back!
We will always be work in progress.

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When you find yourself in a hole, first thing first – stop digging!

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I was not mindful of this problem until recently, I found out that I could never stay contented with comfort for too long, I was always trying to seek changes and do a little more each time. It was just a habitual thing.

The same habit that has made me a better saleperson when I was young has become the main cause of my self-destruction later in life.

The current new stress-free job was helping me stay abstinent with ease in recovery, yet I wanted to do more and so I went on a diet at the same time.

I thought it was harmless, but it was not. I didn’t know that I was adding stress to my life until it became a burden and great discomfort. The stree free life was gone in 5 days after I went on a strict no carbohydrates and no sugar diet. I feel that I have change from a positive and happy person to become negative and depress.

I realize something was very wrong and made some adjustment; I didn’t change the stress-free work but I change my diet to an easier one. I tried intermittent fasting, I take only one meal a day and things is looking bright again.

I am still very much work in progress…

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Dear all,

I am truly enjoying the benefit of a stress-free environment for my recovery. Before I change my job, I was constantly living under stress and doing my recovery at the same time.

It has open up my eyes to help me understand how a stressful environment is not healthy and offer many challenges to my recovery.

I did not do anything miraculous, I simply remove the unwanted stress in my life and those usual trigger just disappear. 

I finally understand that the many difficult walk I had on this journey was totally unnecessary.

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Stressful event can jeopardize recovery.

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I never thought I would be writing this one day.

I have always complaint about how poorly I adapt to changes happening in my life. After changing my job to one that is less stressful this time, I suddenly found my life becoming more stable, predictable and certain. There is more manageability and control over how I react and respond to daily matters that I never had before.

Longer working hour and a smaller pay is really a very small price that I would gladly pay for a non self-destructive and satisfying recovery (not perfect but grateful and contented).

The current job is basically stress free, the stress only happen when I did not get enough sleep in the day  and had to stay awake on the job at night.

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Hi Laura,

Thank you for helping me to see that my previous job was “killing” me. That job was always about good can be better, and I was never good enough not matter how well I do. It stresses me out.

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I have never had such an easy time in recovery with this barrier.

My new job is not stressful but the working hour is very long. After work, I am too exhausted, it drained out any excess energy I have left and made me perfect to go to sleep. I have NO TIME to go gambling and NO ENERGY to think about gambling.

12 hours working, 2 hour travelling time, 7 hours sleeping time left me only 2 hours before and after work to wash up, eat and free time every day.

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In a faraway place, villagers capture monkeys using a banana and coconut trap. A small hole is made in a coconut, just big enough to fit a monkey hand, and a banana is placed within.
A monkey then comes along, puts his hand inside the coconut, and grab the banana. The monkey tried to pull out his hand but it is far too big to fit through the hole, it is now trapped inside the hole but the monkey still refuses to surrender his banana.
His captor then approaches and capture the monkey.
Why didn’t the monkey just let go of the banana?
The monkey is a victim of habit. By refusing to change and sticking to an act that has served him well in the past (eating a banana), he allows himself to get captured.
The monkey was trapped by his refusal to admit that something that has previously been good for him has now become dangerous.
Don’t get trapped by unhelpful thoughts or actions. Just let go of the banana!
Gambling is the banana!
Don’t be the monkey!

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