This is how we should all live or at least try to live.
Yes our being is regulated by obligations. Work to go to which implies, a job to finish, a due date, an ultimatum, meetings and so on. Kids to look after meaning, plan the next trip to Legoland ( We haven’t done this yet ), book a jab with the nurse ( I am always asked if I am ok afterwards by the nurse ), organise a birthday party ( I hate these!). A partner to look after or care for etc… The list is endless.
Taking into account all above and much more, commitments we have wether they are necessary or not, urgent or not, primordial or not, it is vital to learn to deal with them bit by bit in other words a day at a time. Don’t leave to tomorrow what you can do now can work of course but just thinking this way will add pressure to me and I know to many people too.
We cannot just leave stuff for the next day because we have to live a day at a time, this is not real. Knowing that we do not know what tomorrow will be why stressing?
I know I will have to have the same routine every morning which is, shower first thing, getting kids ready for school and nursery and work. Then in the afternoon eldest daughter’s activities if any, after that go back home organise diner ( diner would have been on my mind for hours already ). Reach home, get changed into comfy clothes, run around the kitchen like a headless chicken and eventually feed everyone. Let the kids play after their diner bath them and put them to bed (same thing the next day unless I jump on a plane). This is my daily routine. However it can be changed by anything. Robin asking me to drive him somewhere, the school ringing me in the middle of the day, unplanned food shopping… just anything. I am rational person ( well I like to think ), whatever will play havoc with my day won’t make me go off rail, if I can say so unless it is something extremely dreadful.

Unlike me Robin does cope well under pressure. He actually works extremely well when stressed. How he does it will always surprise me. I guess his years in recovery and as a therapist have helped. I am sure people of his kind in order to run businesses need to be able to work whenever.

Addicts don’t like things to be changed, turned upside down. Whatever they know and are used to should be the same as much as possible and this is why taking live a day at a time is constantly reminded to them.
Funny I was dealing with one of my patients one day and I said just like that, “Well with me, it’s a night at a time” with a a big grin on my face. I was thinking about the famous quote at all. He sat there playing with his chin going “Hmmm Hmmm a night at a time, never thought of that. Quite interesting”. I thought I had said something really stupid or something forbidden 🙁 and he laughed. I was imaging Robin telling me off.

I know this sounds cliché but if we could only live just like this, a day at time, life would definitely be TOP! Books related to the quote are written and sold all around the world but how many of us can afford this luxury..? As the saying goes: Tomorrow is a mystery, yesterday is history and today is a gift!