Day 31, July 30, Salida, Rest Day.
We got to Salida (hometown) yesterday after the final big hurdle, the Rockies Continental Divide at Monarch. That means about 1400 miles traveled and 80,000’ climbed on the Elliptigo. The whole month prior to the start I totally detrained. Unintended, but necessary for other priorities. So I got to the start at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge not only injured, but feeling weak, scared, and unconfident. It allowed me to consider how someone fighting SUD enters their battle. They often will feel scared, unconfident, and weak. One of my “mottos” for the project start was, “Get strong as you go along”. In other words, take the hard first step, then keep moving each day, day by day, and you will get stronger as you go. It gets easier as you move forward partly because you get stronger, and because the first step is the hardest due to inertia (fear, uncertainty), and subsequent ones are aided by your momentum. Remembering that will happen can work backwards to make the first step easier too!
Yesterday I got to stand at the Divide, a space where before and after meet. The work before acknowledged and appreciated, the work ahead respected, but with fear diminished. Get strong as you go along: true traveling cross-country, in recovery, in life.
Addiction is a treatable brain disease that disables decision-making. In joelsteps.com