Learn more about the victory decalogue.
Being a spiritual warrior is a full-time job. And can be exhausting. Primarily because the inner demons always look for revenge.
One spiritual warrior texted me yesterday and told me something like the following,
“AG, I have problems; my marriage and family are hanging on by a thread. I’m relapsing into old addictions and want to stop before it’s too late. I have a lot of stress because I have problems and bills and don’t know what to do.”
I replied with a couple of tips to quit smoking again. Still, I want to give more value to this person and any reader tempted to relapse into their old bad habits.
To do this, I want to share a decalogue of affirmations I use every time I am tempted to relapse.
I wrote this decalogue inspired by the Decalogue of Serenity of Pope John XXIII and titled the Decalogue of Victory.
I have shared this Decalogue with family and friends in the form of little cards and small calendars. So that they can carry it laminated with them and recite it whenever they are tempted to fall back into old patterns.
It works
I recommend you print it out, laminate it, and carry it.
Let’s get started.
The Decalogue of Victory
- Just for today, I will live here and now without torturing myself for yesterday’s sins or worrying about tomorrow’s problems.
- Just for today, I will be impeccable in my thoughts, words, and interactions with others, avoiding arguments, negative thoughts, and situations that disturb my peace.
- Just for today, I will not lie, and if I need help, I will seek comfort from a good friend to talk to.
- Just for today, I will accept my fragility, dedicating my energy to the problems I can solve and delegating what I see that is not in my power to change.
- Just for today, I will forget about myself for an hour and dedicate it to altruistically improving someone else’s life. Feeling useful is the emotion that fills the emptiness that I mistakenly want to fill with my vices.
- Just for today, I will leave things better than they are by tidying up my work area and cleaning my home to purify my mind and purge all the chaos and uncertainty that generate my discomfort.
- Just for today, I will repress my self-destructive impulses by distracting my attention by reading this Decalogue and meditating on it whenever my demons want to tempt me.
- Just for today, I will avoid doubting. Doubt corrupts the will; today, I will keep my word not to betray myself or others.
- Just for today, I will be proud of myself and believe that my life can change thanks to my effort and doing the right thing.
- Just for today, I will be a master of myself and not allow anyone or anything to take away my final victory by saying NO to everything that can harm me.
Takeaway
Many of us get anxious thinking about the future; we believe we cannot go for years without falling back into our old bad habits and addictions. But we can all try to face them for 24 hours and emerge victorious.
Live one day at a time. And if you relapse. The next day, try again not to relapse, and the next and the next and the next as well.
That’s how I’ve stayed sober for the last decade. Living one day at a time.
Don’t try to be perfect all the time, just for today 🙂
A virtual hug
AG