August252015

"alcohol kills people" - yep, and it wasn't going to kill me either.

Have you made the firm decision to quit? That's the key for me- I made that decision 430 days ago and it was permanent.

I kept a very tight circle at the beginning- like, my parents and maybe one friend. I didn't take a bag into the grocery store and (since I didn't drive) my parents could have looked in my grocery bags when they picked me up, to make sure there was no wine. Plenty more examples. Fast forward to Christmas with my family (10 mo sober) and I opted out of the gathering at the beach house entirely. I simply do not go places that I feel uncomfortable for any reason, and I leave if something starts bothering me- now, it is emotionally since physically, sobriety follows in that way.

I'm not missing out on anything by not drinking, and in fact have a better, more fun life now than ever before.

I hope you come to know those kind of feelings too.

Last comment- I am ruthless about where I go and what I do, with whom. There is not a single event - no wedding, no party, nothing, that I will ever "have" to attend if my sobriety is in any way jeopardized. If my family or friends don't respect that, it is their problem.