helpimalive

I based my approach on the SAMHSA guidelines to developing like a "wellness plan," which is linked in the thread at the top of the Newcomers forum. It involves developing plans of things you have to do daily, things to do when you're "triggered" to drink, and things to do when you feel yourself slipping closer to drinking.

Most important has been my list of daily activities, which includes reading and posting on here, exercise, and general upkeep of my life and health. I also spend time each day "anticipating" future stuff that will make me want to drink, and planning ahead of time what I'm going to do about it.

I'm also keeping a running "recovery to do list" which has anything I can think of that might help on it--researching different kinds of recovery, trying out different online meetings, writing up reminders for myself of different thought processes I sometimes need reminding of when I'm tempted to drink for one of my old trigger reasons, making various lists (reasons not to drink, things I'm learning about me in sobriety, et cetera)--so that any time I feel off I can go to my "recovery to do list" an do something on the list, instead of maybe getting to a place where I crave a drink.

It's working well so far, and through a few stressful situations even, but I can really only hope it keeps working like it has been.