soberandhonest

Good Morning Dave! I don't suppose you're feeling particularly well this morning, but wanted to let you know that nobody on this board is judging you. Damn near all of us have been where you are and we only want to help you. So when you are ready, come on back here without feeling any guilt or shame.

I'm not sure which post you were referring to last night (you might not either, lol), but I wanted to let you know that I read your posts this morning and I'm sending you some good vibes. Recovery from this disease is not easy, but I can tell you that it is incredibly worthwhile. I spent a lot of years trying to convince myself that I was tough enough to "fix" myself, that I didn't need any help from outside sources, that I had accomplished everything in my life by putting my head down and fighting through whatever adversity stood in my way, and that resolve and toughness and grit and hard work were the best traits a man could possess. And these years were even after the many previous years where I convinced myself that I didn't even have a problem, that "Joe Smith" drank more than me so how could I have a problem?, that "work hard, play hard" was a good mantra, and that nobody had a right to question my drinking, dammit, because I showed up for work every day, had a good job, and was functional in every way. It was only after I finally got cut through all of this crap, and became honest with myself, that I was willing to seek help for this problem and address it properly.

Sobriety is amazing. Waking up every single day to a sense of accomplishment, rather than a sense of dread, is a huge improvement. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. Knowing that I am moving forward with my goals without self-sabotaging is another big gain. I could spend pages listing other things that sobriety has improved, but you get the picture. And if we want to view this in terms of toughness, I now have the ability and desire to politely decline a drink, to spend time with my girl even when she is sipping a glass of wine, to wake up at 5 a.m. and get a massive workout in. I'm "tougher" in every imaginable way today than I was two years ago and, perhaps more importantly, I have learned that judging myself based upon this criteria has some pretty significant flaws.

Anyway, good morning to you. Let go of last night as quickly as possible. There is very little value in guilt and shame. I hope that you decide to make today your day 1. We are all here to offer you total, nonjudgmental support!