midgetcop

Been sober almost 3 months....that's the longest I've been sober in 10 years. I can't remember feeling better physically, I'm in the greatest shape of my life. Emotionally, spiritually, I'm doing SO much better. The lack of guilt and shame is the biggest difference for me now....although I sometimes catch myself being too harsh on myself for stupid things, but that's when I try to snap out of it and remember how well I'm doing.

leviathon

I am happy for the most part... I still have good days and bad days depending on what is happening in life, but nothing I would want to sink into oblivion in a bottle over.

I generally find life sober is a happy, wonderful place to live.

Peace, levi

nolonger

Am 57 days sober today. Happy? Hmm. Happier? Yes, no question. And I never want to go back to what I left behind back there.

I didn't have much of a pink cloud, partly because I quit before, went back to the bottle before. So I'm less euphoric and more aware of the long tough road ahead, but at the same time more determined to do it only a day at a time. I quit smoking at more or less the same time as I did drinking, and *did* get a huge, but separate pink cloud off that, oddly enough.

peace, NL

gr8ful_ed

I'm happy. The biggest surprise over these last many 24s is not wanting a drink. Feeling revulsion at the thought of it. That's sanity, considering what I've been through, and it's also a complete surprise. Never during any previous dry time did I not want a drink. And it happened as soon as I asked God for it.

Astro

Ya know, my second year sober has proven to be a real bitch. For the first time in my life I'm having to deal with emotions and feelings rather than medicating them into submission.

I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm happier than I've ever been in my life, and to have the clarity to recognize my feelings is a true blessing. My children and I have a beautiful life together, and the friends we've made in sobriety are always there to help. Life in sobriety rocks!

CarolD

gr8ful_ed Welcome to our Alcoholism Forum!

Thanks for sharing

TheStylist

I only have 15 days so far but I am so much happier.

I sleep through the night and wake up well rested.

I don't wake up hungover anymore worrying about whether I brushed my teeth enough to get the smell of the night before off my breath.

I don't feel the obsession during the day with getting more wine for the night.

I don't have that horrible feeling of worrying about what I said or did the next day after drinking with my friends.

I'm making new friends in AA.

It is all good!!

degadar

I can't put it into words tryingtolive. Happy doesn't even get close. I know a few people who stopped drinking for a while, didn't feel happy, and started again. But they were never sober!

All the best to you

Deg.

gr8ful_ed

My old sponsor would have said, "they don't know what their problem is." He used to say that to me at first. "You don't know what your problem is." How right he was. Today, thank God, I know what my problem was! And still is, sometimes.

tryingtolive

Quote of the year, for everyone to remember!

wandergrrl777

I have 201 days sober..crazy! (love that calculator!) Anyway, I am happy. Life isn't all 'peachy', but I'm okay with that now. Still dealing with some kharma, I think lol. It seems to get better and better. I can't wait to see what the future holds for me.

A big lesson for me was finding out life wouldn't be perfect just because I quit drinking. I had to want to be sober eventhough life would still be tough. That took some doing...and some failing. But, it's okay now. That seemed to be a big turning point for me.

I'm just so much happier over the little things now days..you know? Like wanting to get out of bed, or looking forward to tomorrow. It's all worth it. Even the hard times...as long as I'm sober, it's all worth it. Everything is okay, and that's good enough for me!! I'm just so stable now and so full of relief. The happiness is just a bonus! lol
-Moni

michski

Cathy mentioning how she counts her blessings every night before she goes to sleep is definitely a sure way to have a happier next day. Nothing beats "an attitude of gratitude" This is a habit that has stuck with me. Reviewing my day each night and thinking about where I had been selfish, inconsiderate or dishonest helped make me a happy camper. I have learned how to be a happy person because I sure didn't learn it as a kid. There are many many nights now that I go to sleep with the knowledge and comfort that I was for that 24 hours the woman I want to be. Go for it, it works!

Salsa

I love being sober and couldn't be happier!!! I'm about to hit a year!!! Wowza! It's so nice to always have a clear head and not wake up feeling hungover, depressed and unsure about what I did the night before. Those were all horrible feelings!!!! For those with sober minutes/hours/days under your belt keep on trekkin'....it's awesome!!!

barb dwyer

I am.
Cautious ... but happy. So much better off. And , have connection with HP back for the first time in almost ... six? Seven? Years. A good connection. A real one.

I don't know about the peace with self yet, but ... small potatos comparatively.

I hope the same for you!

findingout

Me too. I've also noticed that I never wake up in the morning and think
"God, I wish I had gotten drunk last night."

Come to think of it, so far I've never woken up in jail and thought "God, if only I hadn't been so sober last night."

Tazman53

WOW This is a great topic.

Looking back on where I was and what I was doing on a daily basis and comparing it to what I do now is like night and day. 95 days ago I was sitting in my garage by myself drinking!Wow what a life?

Today I have the love and respect of my family again, I respect and love myself. My family is far happier now having thier father return from the land of the living dead, thier father is happier being part of the family again.

I feel better physically, look healthier (my hair is still gray though! LOL), mentally I still on a daily basis feel improvement.

I am amazed at how many beautiful things there are in this world that when I was drinking I never even noticed, I see the positive in life now where it used to be all I saw were the negatives!

Am I happier? Yes, the happiest I have been in over 20 years!

Is my life perfect now? Heck no, but the problems now I can deal with being sober, I don't ignore them.

U24LIFE

This kind of topic, is why many folks I know, turn to this site as a place of hope. Bump big time.

tryingtolive

bump....more people reply

Its good for us newcomers to hear that things get better. Im on day three and it isn't that tough....yet. After a couple weeks is when it starts to get hard for me.

LosingmyMisery

4 years into sobriety and I'm thrilled with my sober life. It isn't perfect by no means, but I"m managing, coping and feeling life sober and loving it. I can not fathom how I even lived the way I did. Good riddance to that. The thought horrifies me today.

Surlyredhead

Happy, Healthy and glad to be alive!!!!