Really good thread - thanks!!I can related to the things y'all said and you've given me ideas/reminders of tools to use here at 20+ mo. Mine have definitely evolved over my sober time.
Sparklekitty- (first I am glad to see your post- I feel like I haven't read anything from you in a long time!) I can VERY much relate to FOO and holiday (specifically, Thanksgiving right now) struggles. A tool I just used - my fiance and I decided together after a LOT of program application, discussion and prayer- tears too- was to opt out of attending my family beach time (my parents live at the beach and we were going to take my step daughter and spend it with them). That has not gone over well and I shouldn't be surprised that I am getting some passive aggressive and avoiding the elephant by ignoring the issues behavior from my parents.
Right now, I have been using my classic "send myself to timeout" with naps and extra sleep. It is a little excessive but i have learned that when I feel a really strong need to sleep, I am processing something.
I am also exercising a LOT. I started hot yoga thanks to a Groupon and friend's glowing reviews of how she shifted to it, from just running, back in Sept and have kept it up. I go 6x a week for n hour to 90 min; we also do a 5K every month and I sometimes run in between.
Also, one thing I rely on is my morning routine of recovery work - 6 things: ask myself HALT (usually commentary on the day before and how I slept); reading pp 84-88 and 417-418 of the Big Book; devotional from a book; day's reading from Friar Richard Rohr of the CAC; a Bible app; coming on SR.
Thanks again for the shares all!