Building Blogs and Structural Integrity

In addition to the weight lifted by unloading secrets into cyberspace, the other important thing this blogging project has to offer is structure. Simple, basic, daily structure is pivotal to replacing drugs with healthier people, places and things. .

Indeed one of the most valuable takeaways I brought out of my rehab program almost a year ago was this simple lesson, and three weeks of practice having a basic structure on which to build my day: three good meals, sleeping at the same time, taking the right meds and getting out of the house at least once a day. Hardly rocket science, but it’s harder than one might think to start practicing, and easier than you could imagine to let it slide.

When even a simple structure starts to disappear from our lives, it can be a slippery slope to more couch time, more feeling sorry for ourselves, and more of the vicious cycle of self-anger...confidence breakdown... productivity paralysis...and then back to self-anger. Also my favourite, self-coined phrase, The Four Horsemen of the Relapse Apocalypse (hungry, angry, lonely, tired, I believe taken from AA but I’m not sure what they call it).

So where does blogging fit in? It’s one, simple, quick and easy thing I can commit to doing each day, if for no other reason than to plant a seed of schedule or structure to my day. Even 3-4 minutes of writing – what I’ve done so far in the day, what I thought about Obama’s State of the Union – is something I absolutely have the time and resources to do.

Maybe there’s a way to set up a twitter account and tweet to my blog when I have a really quick thought to post? Something to look into.

So that’s what I’m going to do – make blogging one of the first chores of the day. Once my wife and kids are out of the house and once I’ve had a couple cups of coffee, so no earlier than 9:00 a.m. But definitely before 10:30 because that’s when my morning’s methadone effects are already starting to fade if I’m not busy (gotta strike while the iron is hot!).

Who knows where things could go from here. Three square meals can’t be far behind, and from there it must only be a quick jump to karate lessons and the full time hunt for a new career. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. For now the goal is simple; if only 3-4 lines, if only my observation on CNN or MSNBC that morning, I’m getting a blog out the door before 10:30 a.m. each day.