Originally Posted by mle-sober

Can you put a sign on the door that asks people to be careful not to let your dogs out?

Can you find a nearby place that will come and get them and keep them for you?

Do you realize that you are avoiding recovery by making it all about pets and your comfort level? Do you recognize that no matter what you do, no matter how many other issues you let distract you - your alcoholism will still demand attention? Do you know how likely it is that you are upset right now and seriously uncomfortable precisely because you are having to live without alcohol? Those other issues are merely allowing you to distract, detract, and rationalize. Distracting, Detracting and Rationalizing are your biggest tools, Katie. They are what you turn to again and again when you are cornered. Well, here you are.

Be bigger, braver, stronger. Reach deeper. Be bold. Let go of all the noise in your head. All the excuses. All the reasons why you shouldn't have to do it, don't want to do it, feel excused from doing it. Reach past that and dive into recovery. Instead of looking for what doesn't work for you, look for what you can learn. What's in front of you waiting to be learned right this minute?

It is so painful to read your posts, Katie. Probably because I see myself in you. Probably because I was in so much denial for so many years. I felt so righteous. Like others were out to do me wrong and take advantage of me. Like things were against me. But the truth was, I was the biggest problem in my own life. Not all the other things I was blaming. Me. I was the problem.

Sobriety and recovery helped me see and understand and change that. I really hope you stay in rehab. And I really hope you learn to let go of all that noise in your head so that you can make room from the truth that comes with recovery. It's a miraculous thing when it happens. It's very powerful. Everything in your life shifts. Everything looks completely different.

But I think you have to be desperate. I think you have to be ready. You have to let go of all the me-me-me stuff. You have to be humble. You have to stop trying to control stuff. You have to trust. Go ahead. Give it a try. It's scary but you can do it. Put down all your junk and pick up recovery.