I want to call out some fake news.
Where do I start?
I start in my own backyard.
My head is full of nonsense.
What, why, and how?
In a bid to be helpful to my on-going survival, my mind has stored away many ‘lessons’ that it has collected over time and which it thinks are valid, reliable and useful.
My subconscious draws on these lessons from which to judge scenarios in the future and make decisions. It then automates a response designed to help, but equally, if the base information is incorrect, this can end up derailing my efforts to thrive.
Here is an example:
When I was two years old, my Dad tried to teach me to do up my pyjama buttons, but my hand/eye coordination hadn’t developed sufficiently, and I couldn’t do it.
My Dad beat me.
I tried and tried.
He hit me and hit me.
It was traumatic.
At two years old, I began to store away lessons.
Lesson 1: If I fail at anything, no matter how hard I try, I will die.
Result: I over manage and try to control many aspects of life, and if I feel I can’t, I suffer panic attacks.
Not all incorrect lessons are as dramatic, but that doesn’t necessarily stop them from being less impactful.
During the last 99 days, I have been uncovering many other ‘fake news’ lessons which need re-writing in my subconscious database.
- I need alcohol.
- I can’t stop drinking.
- Sobriety is boring.
- Life is better, intoxicated.
- Alcohol tastes lovely.
- Alcohol is a de-stressor.
- A pint of beer is a reward.
- A meal is more satisfying, accompanied by alcohol.
- Etc.
Many more examples extend well out of the range of alcohol and into all other aspects of my life.
If I want to improve my chances of living the best life possible, I need to root out these unfortunate lessons and upload software updates.
My new life of sobriety offers me the opportunity to address this task.
I have extra time available, I have a clear head, and I am motivated toward change.
I have made a very successful start at reviewing and editing my previously held truths surrounding my use of alcohol.
A natural follow-on to this will be to widen the net and look at my other belief systems.
Alcohol-Free living continues to be one of my life’s most exciting, fun, and rewarding adventures.
TOP TIP
Roll up my sleeves and jump in