I love the movie Creed. I don’t just love it because of the story or the acting. To tell the truth, outside of the Rocky films, I’m not even a boxing fan. I resonate with the underdog stories, but every movie also has an underlying theme to it.
In Creed, Rocky says something to Adonis Creed as he sits swollen and bleeding in his corner –
One step at a time, one punch at a time, one round at a time.
This summed up Adonis’ life in the film, and it sums up our lives too. In recovery, the phrase is “One day at a time.” It’s an important principle, especially starting recovery out. It’s an important principle for starting anything new.
What’s more, I find when I just focus on the next step, things seem a little more managable. When Adonis focused on the steps and the punches, he didn’t focus on how much more experienced his opponent was. When we focus on next steps instead of the monster, then things seem less scary.
As we take the steps, shame loses its power. The truth is that shame is a lie that keeps us paralyzed. It’s a lie that can hold tremendous power in our lives. It can leave us swollen and bloody in the corner of the ring.
However, with each step taken and punch thrown, shame loses its grip. I think of the amount of debt I accrued over college. As I struggled to pay my bills at times and had to go to my parents for help, I felt shame.
However, when I began to realize that paying off debt is a process with small steps, shame began to shrink. I wasn’t going to get out of debt overnight, but I was able to take the next step. Each credit card bill and loan paid off became a victory.
So, be encouraged. Take the next step. Don’t let shame keep you down for the count.
musingsonlife 