Originally Posted by freshstart57

An AVRT 'Big Plan' has been called 'The Final Decision' which I think is a more descriptive way to phrase it. It describes a personal, solemn and fully considered vow to never use alcohol again. It is a covenant between you and your future. My signature file has a version.

At first, for my Big Plan, I said 'I will never now drink', as I was working on mindfulness and being present in this moment. Now, I say 'I will never drink again, and I will never change my mind'. So Big Plans can change in the words you choose to describe them, but the meaning is the same.

To make mine, I first got rid of any idea that having a drink would ever be the right thing for me to do. I did a cost benefit analysis by making lists of reasons to drink, reasons not to do it, reasons to be sober, and reasons to ever drink again. I listed things I could only ever do or be if I never drank again. I tried to imagine every emotion or feeling I might have and chose to be sober in advance of these. Then I looked forward with acceptance and understanding of my present reality, and realized that I could drink or have a life worth living, but I could not have both. Finally, I wrapped all of this in a moral framework by considering how wrong I could see drinking again to be. I mixed taking another drink with betrayal, fraud, theft, and even murder - all of these things would or could come to pass as a direct result of me taking a drink.

As you can see, it is a simple declaration, but it needs plenty of thought and acceptance.

So, Leviathan, are you ready to make your plan about using alcohol, your Big Plan?