bostonluv

Anyone else like me a get all nervous and have to debate every night if they are going to a meeting? I'm sifting through the schedules and chewing my nails, debating as to if I'm going. Last night's meeting went so well, I thought it would take the boogie man out of them for me. I'll be happy when I can walk into them without feeling so self conscience. I'm naturally shy anyway, so a room full of people has never been my idea of a comfortable situation. Just wondering if other shy folks have felt like me about AA meetings.

GlassPrisoner

What, an alcoholic that's afraid of new situations ? And crowds of strangers ? Pfffhhht. Go on.....

Look up shy in the dictionary, there's a picture of me.

Just keep going. Shake hands, get there early stay after. Eventually you'll know peoples names, and vice versa. tak a commitment if one comes up (greeter ir coffee for example)

laurenlanai25

yes! any new situation is always challenging, but the only way to get comfortable is by going!!

mike_mass

I didn't talk for the first 6 months in AA. A healthy meeting will lovingly accept you and let you open up at your own pace.

bostonluv

Thank you! Think I'll pass tonight and go to a speaker meeting tomorrow night instead and then back to the group I was last night on Sunday. It's a little too draining to keep attending different places each time. They are all very different. I appreciate your words of encouragement...

ruch

I went to my first two meetings ever, both today. And i felt nervous on the verge of being sick right before walking in. But once you get in, you realize, that the core group that keep these meetings going and are the "regulars" to these meetings, they are the nicest most welcoming people you'll ever meet in your life.

bye_bye_vodka

I'm shy too. I actually spoke more in the beginning than I do now. I feed off everyone. My home group is pretty big, so if everyone spoke it would be around 3 hrs. Nothing wrong with just listening.

CarolD

I consider meetings as classrooms for living sober
the more you attend the quicker you learn.

baggervance

I was nervous at first but the more you go the easier it is we are all there for the same thing.We have small groups here so you know most people very well.Never been to a group that didnt love new people.Get to know someone have them ride with you or you with them.I missed home group meeting last night felt guilty but mt youngest wanted help with her golf game and I stayed and helped trying to find a balance between familt and my program.In the past she would not have asked she knew not to so taking advantage of some of the benefits of being sober.

unholy_mess

Ohh yes, I am SO nervous about going EVERY time. I'm from a reallllly small town and there aren't actually meetings here so I have to go one town over...and apparently so does everyone else here. It's awkward, for sure. But I bite the bullet because I suppose it'd be worse if I got drunk and did something stupid in a public place (ha...ok, well, so that's happened...and it was worse!)
I'm definitely a back-row listening type.

BP44

One of the things that has been helpful and rewarding this time around has been to get involved. When I stumbled back into the doors I made a concious decision to jump in with both feet. Coming early and staying late. Meeting as many people as possible. Make coffee before and clean up after the meeting. Go out with people after the meeting. This is the best way to avoid the isolation that I have a tendency towards. We need people in our lives, and what's happened is that I have people in my life today. People that I call every day and people that call me. In other words, I have friends. Real friends. Not the fairweather friends that were gone when the money or the booze ran out. This is a gift that I could not get by coming late and leaving as soon as the meeting was over. And the other benefit is that I have become accountable. Accountable to the group and accountable to each member.

parentrecovers

i am not shy. but i still get tongue tied many times when speaking at alanon meetings. it's not easy putting myself out there...

k

barb dwyer

We've saying t our place -
'the meeting you don't want to go to is the very one you NEED to go to'...

also -

'when you want to go to a meeting; go -
when you DON"T want to go to a meeting- go-
and don't drink in between.'

Cathy31

I still get a bit nervous going to meetings that I don't know where I don't know anyone...but it's ALWAYS the same - loving, welcoming and I ALWAYS get something from it, and each meeting is a building block in my recovery. It's awesome, I look forward to meetings, and seek them out wherever I am in the world - it's a real privilege to be part of this fellowship - awesome!

Cathy31
x

bostonluv

I went again tonight after debating for an hour. I'm so glad I went. It was so much easier this time. I felt comfortable right away. Still not saying much but that'll come I hope. I really like being outside by the campfire also. It reminds me of summer camp.

Cathy31

Every time I go to a meeting, this is how I feel. It is NEVER time wasted!

Well done!
Cathy31
x

earthmama

I used to be terrified of meetings, and every once in a while I still feel a little nervous, 2 years later. One thing that helped me a lot was finding a couple of meetings that I like and committing to go to those same meetings every single week. Now the people in those meetings feel like family, and I can't WAIT to go and see them each week. Quite a change from how I felt at the beginning!

Hang in there, you'll find your comfort zone.