Originally Posted by
amp123 
Toots said recently that occasionally she is faced with the "poor you, what a shame you can't drink" attitude. Her response was to say that she can drink any time she wants but chooses not to. It's all about each person making the right decision for themselves. It was when I got past the first months in sobriety that instead of just batting back the urges I got to make a choice. That choice isn't always an easy one to make though these days it normally is. I know what I want which occasionally means not doing something I feel like doing. If you keep winning these little battles, you never know, you may just win the war!!!
Well said, Amp! For the first three months or so, it was a matter of battling back urges when they threatened to sweep me over. I was at war with booze. After that period, it definitely became a conscious decision on my part not to drink. As you said, the choice wasn't always easy at the time, but each little battle I won helped me continue on the path that I am still blazing through these uncharted lands. At almost nine months sober, the choices almost are automatic-don't drink! It is much, much easier at this point than at the beginning. I experienced a mental transformation like you described that started in the three to six month period, and that has only grown stronger since.
For those with ninety days or less sober, stay the course. In all honesty, it will get easier to do the right thing and lead a better life.