🍴Food for Thought: The Next Simple Thing

There is an old recovery phrase many of us have heard:

Keep it simple.

Some people know the longer version as KISS: “Keep it simple, stupid.”

I never loved that last word. Recovery is hard enough without talking to ourselves like that, so when I say it to myself, I usually change it to:

Keep it simple, Sal. 😊

For me, that doesn’t mean we should avoid deeper questions. Knowing why is important.

Why did this become the place I went to escape? Why did I keep going back even after it hurt me? Why did gambling feel like relief, action, comfort, identity, or possibility?

These are legit questions, and their answers can be very helpful.

But sometimes we can get so caught up in the why that we lose sight of the next simple thing to do.

If you had a terrible toothache and went to the dentist, you probably wouldn’t want a 90-minute lecture on how the problem developed before anything was done to relieve the pain. Eventually, though, it may help to understand what caused it and how to prevent it from happening again.

But first things first, right? Recovery can be like that too.

Sometimes we overcomplicate the next step, when it can be as simple as:

Tell the truth.
Don’t gamble today.
Call someone.
Go to a meeting.
Eat something.
Get some sleep.
Take a walk.
Ask for help.
Pause before reacting.
Do one honest thing instead of making things worse.

Simple doesn’t always mean easy, but it often gives us a place to begin.

So, here’s today’s simple question:

What is the next simple thing you can do for your recovery today?

Ready for a 30-minute no-pressure call to gain clarity & discuss what kind of support might be most helpful for you? We’re here for you.