I also had every reason to drink. I took the kids out, I was happy, I was sad, the day was over...everything I did deserved a drink.
I was a reward drinker. Once I quit I was like "what now?"..."wait a minute! but I took 3 kids to the mall! for 6 hours! I deserve a drink!".
It took me awhile to realize that drinking is NO gift I am giving myself. It doesn't make me look better, it doesn't make me a nicer person.
When I go out now, like yesterday, I am a little floored at how nice I am and it isn't hard! When I would drink, being nice was hard. I was sarcastic, I was snide.
Not only do I pay more good and attentive attention to my kids but I pay more attention to just complete strangers and treat them with respect.
I am also not always in a hurry, a hurry to get back to my drinking that someone or something interrupted.
I also have all this extra time to deal with life. The time I spent obsessing on alcohol.
I like keeping my promises to my kids. I love that paying attention to them doesn't feel like a chore.
I also quit FB the day I went sober (July 12th). My real friends can email me. FB takes time away from the important people in my life. It's great, my life feels more private. Why should everyone know what I am doing all the time? and for the most part, no one cares as FB always felt like a brag-fest.
I had urges to drink the first week, that changed to times I didn't know what to do with myself, then there were the times I was around people drinking, I assumed I would cave but didn't.
I've finally accepted that drinking alcohol doesn't add anything to my life.
Now I am in the "picking up the pieces" stage. Organizing where there was disarray. Attending to kids. I have drawers of paper and clutter and things I just didn't want to deal with.
Welcome!