Originally Posted by
elihoping 
Hi lefthook, how life has improved:
- I don't wake up anymore trying to remember what I did last night - how many drinks, how many cigarettes, how I made a fool of myself. Well I do wake up wondering but then I remember I don't drink anymore and it's the most wonderful feeling of relief.
- I have some money in my pocket. I never really thought I was spending that much because I buy cheap booze and I haven't done drugs since last year but I must have still been spending enough because I definitely notice a change in my finances.
- For years, I've beaten myself up for all my problems - low self esteem, procrastination, lack of confidence, disorganisation, unreliability etc etc etc. To know that a lot of that is tied into my alcoholism and that if I stay sober, it'll improve, fills with me such hope and excitement for the future.
- I actually feel very excited for a sober future. With any social event, I've always dreaded it. I wanted to drink but I also knew I couldn't handle alcohol so every single social event was a potential disaster for me. Knowing that I can't drink, not even a single drop, takes a lot of pressure off me.
Look, I'm not going to lie and say my life is perfect now I'm three weeks into sobriety. It's not. I'm still exhausted. My house is a shambles, I'm still eating crap and not exercising. I've been numb up until about 3 days ago and now the main feeling is one of depression but here's the thing - while it sucks a fair bit now, I know, know, know that if I stick with it, my life will become wonderful - full of ups and downs that aren't created by chemical highs and lows. We've all just got to stick with it for a better life. x
I'm at exactly 3 weeks today, as well. Day 21!
I definitely agree with the "not waking up trying to remember what I did last night" thing. This is huge for me. I saw someone (in a different thread, I think) post that he was always running to the computer the next morning with a sense of dread to check what he wrote on Facebook. I don't do that anymore. Love being able to actually remember the night before clearly, not all fuzzy around the edges.
I sleep SO well... I know a lot of people here have had sleep issues, but for me my sleep has improved so much I can't even tell you. I actually sleep through the night now. I used to wake up a million times, and it was so hard to get back to sleep. (Not to mention waking up to go to the bathroom, still tasting alcohol in my mouth, and being so thirsty, having to chug tons of water before I could get back to sleep... I don't miss that AT ALL.)
My marriage has improved. Obviously I'm not saying it's suddenly perfect now, but we don't argue nearly as much. I started a lot of fights that made no sense when I was drunk.
I don't embarrass myself in front of my friends... this didn't happen that often when I drank, but it happened enough.
I feel generally clearer, more productive, and more content. I'm still irritable sometimes, like when I first quit, but it's slowly becoming less often.
I've stopped blaming everyone and everything for my problems... my life is actually pretty good, I just wasn't appreciating it for what it was because I was drunk all the time.