Dear Matt,
It’s been a rough week. Putting out fires all day every day. I’ve been sober for nine years now but must admit that I’m feeling tempted to finish the week off with a few chasers. Any suggestions that will help me calm my nerves.
Teah Keyla
Largo, Florida
Dear Teah,
Not so fast. Chasers go down quickly but they also teleport you back to the bad old days in an instant. One of my clients, Frankie May, told me that he’d been sober for 22 years, but in his own words, “If I have one drink I’ll be back in the gutter within 24 hours, picking up exactly where I left off.”
The idea of finishing the week off with a chaser would only reignite a battle with the monster you don’t want to fight again, especially in a back alley. To put it in boxer speak, “Say no to the rematch.”
Go to the beach this evening and walk backwards on the sand. Count your steps as you walk in reverse, rewinding your mind, letting go of the tension from the week that made you feel weak. Go as slowly as you can for 500-2,000 steps, then stand still and breathe deeply until you come to a standstill. Realize you’re now living in an alternate reality, and you’ve altered the lowlight reels from the week.
Now for the finisher: Watch some highlight reels of old sitcoms that make you laugh as you sit-calmly, reminding yourself that your weakness has passed yet another strength test.
Matt Furey
Explore More with the Following:
Zero Resistance Living – the advanced course in Psycho-Cybernetics
Psycho-Cybernetics, Updated and Expanded – the classic
Psycho-Cybernetics 365 – a detailed daily exploration of the Psycho-Cybernetics classic
Theatre of the Mind – highly recommended audiobook
