Monday, August 27, 2007

Make New Mistakes.

One of the speakers at yesterday's meeting, while talking about that particular habit of addicts of doing the same damn dumbass thing again and again and again, a habit my husband can demonstrate for anyone who has never seen an addict in action, as he does it on a dailyfuckingbasis, said:

Make New Mistakes.

He said when he first started coming to meetings, someone told him to make new mistakes, talk to people who seem strange and different, and explore everything that you don't know. If you're used to slick-talking, greasy motherfuckers, go sit next to the people who seem different, square, boring. Find everything new and different...because even if they fuck you up or fuck you over, at least it will be new. You'll be breaking that maddening cycle.

I thought it was very wise. I'm putting it in my list of wonderful things I've learned. I can't expect perfection, and I am going to make bad choices and fuck up, probably a lot. But at least I can have a new adventure with every fuckup!

8 comments:

awannabe said...

There's a lot of steam rolling off this post. You sound pissed :-)

I thought the object of the game of recovery was to get better, not to find new mistakes to make.

joy said...

Mad, eh? I didn't think I was mad, or at least not any madder than usual.

I think that making new mistakes, for both G and me, will be getting better....better than doing the same stupid shit again and again and again and again and again and again...

The Discovering Alcoholic said...

I tell people new to sobriety to conquer mediocrity before they set their sites on the moon. Just being normal without any drama queen theatrics should be one of their first goals.

New mistakes is a good one too.

Anonymous said...

I think this was meant for us addicts, you know the old Einstein quote about the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results. You my friend, I don’t think need to take this so literally, and go out and start making bad choices because it’s the opposite of what you have been doing.

You’re good choices, you’re good habits, and everything you have been doing is working great for you. Even if you can see it right now, just go back about a month and reread your own posts. I know all to well that progress gets really hard to see once in a while.

Crazy codependent.

joy said...

Oh, I'm still struggling with doing the same dumbass thing again and again, too. Every time he asks for money for something, I still have to go through a huge inner turmoil to eek out my NO. So I'm looking for new ways to fuck up, too...

Recovery Discovery (R) said...

I love the idea of "make new mistakes" as a way of saying "take risks." Sounds freeing to me.

Mary P Jones (MPJ) said...

Man, I am in a bad mental place. All new mistakes sounds like is scary to me today, which says something. At least I'm used to the same old shit.

Anonymous said...

RD hit it right on the head -- that is what make new mistakes means in NA lingo.
Peace,
Scout