Originally Posted by
Sohard 
. And I lie there thinking of how I centered my life 100% around alcohol. And how hard it'll be not to have that at Christmas parties, vacations, etc. I KNOW I can't drink, bc I definitely did not limit it to those special occasions. I'm still frustrated, though, I can't be a nonalcoholic who can enjoy a nice holiday buzz or something. I guess I should feel lucky, though, I'm in the place I am now instead of in the place I was 6 days ago (and I do), it's just hard. I'm off to my sister's tonight where everyone will be drinking wine. I won't drink, but it will feel so strange and so hard.
i can relate to that. i found the problem wasnt that i couldnt enjoy events without alcohol. the problem was that i didnt know how to. i had to learn how. the first year of recovery was full of firsts- first 4th of july sober, first birthday sober, first thanksgiving, christams,new years...... i felt a little different for all them firsts.
what i had to do was change how i viewed them- insted of what i could get out of those occasions, i had to see what i could add to them to make them more enjoyable.
then there were concerts and sporting events. my very first concert sober was something else. crosby,still, and nash( yeah, old people music! LOL). which i was 2 or so years sober at the time.
i went with a group of people in recovery. until that time i thought everyone at concerts was either drinking, smokin dope, or both. it was quite eye opening to see that wasnt the case.
ive been to sprting events and concerts since- last concert metallica back in july. not everyone there was smokin dope and drinking, but there was definatly a lot of it happening around me.
and i had an excellent time.
when i go to any event whether it be a party,wedding,concert, sporting event,etc i have 3 very important criteria in place:
1- the right motive.i have to have a legitimate reason for being there. if im just lookin to steal a little pleasure from the atmosphere, not a good idea to go.
2- be in fit spiritual condition.
3- an escape route. i may have a moment of non clarity and need to get out ASAP. my sobriety is the most valuable posession i have and must protect it at any cost.
i didnt do any of those events for quite some time. i think that concert was the first major even i went to where there was alcohol. i had to work on my thinking- work on my alcoholic mind and get that straightened out beforehand.
that took T.I.M.E.