U24LIFE

Wishing to get quite a few, diverse, responses here!

For me, it is being able to look myself in mirror each day, unafraid to look back at the person I had always hoped to have become. What a joy! You all help, as does my pastor, and family with friends. I feel fresh, awake, and ready to confront whatever may come my way. Anxiety is out the window (for now), and I am much more prepared to face the day.

Secondly, and probably more important, is knowing that my son will not have the misfortune of seeing me impaired.

Prayers to all and I hope you will share your main motivation!!

Happy Halloween!

Sorry to thank my own post. My error...... hahaha

CarolD

It's great to see your happiness
Congratulations!..

For me...God and AA and CarolD
make an unbeatable triangle for sobriety.

Blessings..

atticus

Knowing that if I don't pick up a drink...

I won't pass out...
The bed won't spin...
I won't be hungover...
I won't embarass myself...
I won't vomit...
I won't be anxious...
I won't wake to inexplicable bruises on my body...
I'll have money in my wallet...
I won't have to lie...
I won't have to sneak...
I won't have to worry about not having booze...

and the list goes on and on and on....

jimhere

God

miss communicat

my higher power, who I feel working through AA and SR as well as other people, and the growing joy in my life. I never wish to lose that again.

ayla zaire

god, my children...my wonderful husband...my family and friends...the memory of my mother...and my friends here at SR....

slacker

The knowledge that I really feel better when I am not drinking.

Had a little relapse a while ago and drank two belgian ales with some old friends. That mild buzz that I used to like, I just didn't like it at all. I felt less than 100% the next day too.

I can argue with myself about what I should do, but knowing it won't even be fun makes it (sobriety) easier to do.

Greeneyes2008

When I am sober. My job and the fact that i do not want to wake up feeling like crap and when I drink I am always so tired the next day. I just wish that I could stay sober on the weekends now. i have not drank throughout the week for almost 26 months now (unless I am on vacation or something like that during the week and I do not have to work the next day). I just have a horrible time on the weekends. You would think if i could quit through the week I could through the weekends too.

Music

Living and giving....Caring and sharing....and an Attitude of Gratitude!!

Baritone

I'd have to say it varies. My higher power was a biggie but mostly in the early days of my sobriety. Other than that, it's been a combination of not wanting to mess up a special relationship with another person i've found in sobriety, not wanting to cause emotional hurt to another person, and a lot of just plain stubbornness and pride that's keeping me sober today. Maybe not the ideal recipe, but that's my honest answer.

- Jim

Taiman

Many things including my self will 14 years plus..

zoomer

I can think of a lot of things that keep me sober,but mostly my kids and being the mommy that I want to be or try to be.

Slowbriety

God.

Sugah

I didn't have a variety of choices to get sober. I tried them all. The grace of my HP, the program and the fellowship of AA got and keeps me sober. Anything else I do is a supplement, not the source of my sobriety.

I had to run out of choices in order to regain the ability to choose. Once that happened, I made the decision not to be choiceless again. So long as I don't forget the above three things, I won't have to worry about it.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

j'ade d'arcy

Some days it's a grateful feeling to not be killing myself slowly with booze. Others, it's white knuckle. I need to be extra grateful when I'm holding on for my life to not drink. My cravings have certainly receded in the sense that I'm not experiencing constant physical need for it anymore, but some days the emotional need for it is strong. For me, I don't know if that type of craving will ever completely disappear. I accept that and white knuckle it and wait for it to pass because it's worth it to not give into it.

I don't want to be what I was when I was using. I so despise the way that I behaved for such a big portion of my life and I know that if I pick up I will be back there instantly.

I honestly can not drink or I will die. I like being alive now, even if I have to deal with cravings. Picking up would just put me back on that desperation march that I used to call living, even though it was just slow suicide. It's not worth it. I guess I'm trying to say that I stay sober because I can now say (and most days believe it), that I am actually worth it.

barb dwyer

what jimhere said

odatrose

They say this is a family thing,passed down in gene's. I've heard ppl try to debate that. All I can say is my experience is that it is. My Dad who is AA aswell came from a long history of alki's. Im mixed native american that may have something to do with it(little livers=really drunk). Well I have been a member of AA since I was 16 and fresh out of Alateen when I was gifted with the GRACE, keeping it has been work. I have been putting alot on God lately and I feel like a emotional wreck most of the time when I think of my little girl. She recently ran away to go stay with family on her reservation and I beleive she's gone buck wild. I see so much of me in her and that's scary. I am powerless over this situation no matter how I look at it. Some would say there is solution, I think they forgot about the power of self will. I know today that God watched over me and I pray for the same for my child. So when I speak of God Grace I live it day to day. I don't hear ppl talking about the bad stuff to much in meetings I think ppl would like the newcomer to beleive it's all rose's on this side. I feel that talking about this daily reprive does more service to someone new because this says I can do life with AA and stay sober achieved thru God's Grace. Pray for those still suffering, please pray for my little girl. It's what keeps me sober.