Every morning my alarm goes off at 5:30 am. I get up, put on clothes over my pajamas and go outside for a 30-min walk. This is where my morning ritual begins, supporting the SA program with another method. This method is about mindset (attention, dedication, focus and meditation), about breathing and cold therapy.

Outside I feel my body waking up. I become aware of the “here and now” with my senses: the freshness of the morning, the breeze, the scents in the park, my feet on the ground. I slow my pace and seek my Higher Power. I thank him for whatever comes to my mind. I acknowledge my powerlessness over lust and so many other things, and do my Third Step prayer. I pray for my sponsees, my family, and the people I expect to meet today.

At home I grab a mat, lie on the floor and do exercises with power breathing for another 30 min. This exercise has all kinds of positive effects on the health of my body, and increases resistance. It would go too far to describe all the effects here.

After the power breathing I step into the shower, enjoy the warm water for a while and then turn the tap to cold. I hold that for two minutes. I keep my breathing low, and try to relax my body. Here too, this has positive effects on my body. For example, it is very good for blood circulation, and gives an energy boost. In addition, this exercise has a stress-reducing effect, because it teaches my body to relax during (cold) stress. It helps me to feel more comfortable during the day, even in tense situations. And the more I feel at ease during the day, the less reason there is to seek a fix in lust.
I am grateful to my Higher Power for all the help supporting my SA program.