Table of Contents
In The Moment –
At this point I’m on the trip in the residential part of Back 2 Basics. During my stay I have been to a lot of places I would never had the opportunity to visit in my life. So I am very appreciative of that. When I came to AZ I never had been camping before, and had only done minimal hiking. So as I’m exiting the program at the end of this week I can say this program would not be what it is without these outdoor experiences. I’ve learned a lot from going on these trips. One being how far I can push myself physically and come out on top. Another is that I really enjoy rock climbing. I think that it is vitally important to have activities you enjoy in sobriety. If I had nothing to look forward to doing or that I could push myself to get better at, life would be dull. I’m not saying rock climbing is all that people can enjoy but just finding your niche in life, running, schooling, your job, whatever it may be, I think it’s a necessity to find something to push yourself at. I had someone tell me the reason they enjoy climbing so much is because while you are doing it, you are totally present and in the moment. You are not thinking of anything else. I could not agree more. It’s the next move, and then the next. I have not done any sport climbing yet, but I can imagine the excitement of that will add to your focus of being in the moment. And for me being present is very important in my sobriety. For one, staying present allows me to notice certain thought and patterns. And one thing I really struggle with is acceptance of other people. So if I can be aware of those certain things of others that bother me, and what I say to myself when I get upset, I can start to work on those character defects of mine that get in the way of living a peaceful happy life. Another reason I think staying present is good for me is by not thinking/living in the past or future tripping. Staying stuck in the past is especially unhealthy for me because I think of all the bad in my life. Or things that I never accomplished. And for me, my thoughts directly relate to my mood. When they are bad, I obsess about them and it is very hard for me to get them out of my head. Future tripping is bad for me too. I very often have unrealized views of my life today. I’m not saying that you can’t have goals, but set them and don’t obsess. Staying present for me means listening to others. Feeling the words they are saying and making the very best of the situation you are in right now. So for me climbing really fun and exciting. But it is also good practice for me on being present and living in the moment.