one day I came home from work unexpectedly. wife asked, why are you home? I cannot tell a lie. I didn't blow triple zero on a random alcohol screening. That was my last day of work. I vowed to stop drinking that day. That what all it took. regardless of my histroy of drinking and the nonsense I did, that was my wake up call. That was all it took.
As far as vigilance, reading posts here everyday reminds me - drills it into my brain - that I can never drink again. When I am feeling melancholy wondering how can I do this (insert task) without having a beer, I come on here and either post or read something. It snaps me right back to attention.