Autopilot vs. living
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: TX
Posts: 542
Autopilot vs. living
Lately I've felt like I'm stuck on autopilot. I'm going through life without fully living life. I have not been taking the time to smell the roses so to speak. I've got into a pattern of going through the motions of life. I'm faily happy with my sobriety, but I'm not growing as I feel I should. I'm pretty sure it is a spiritual issue. This may not make much sense but it is what I'm going through at this time. I needed to get it out and share.
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
Dan the feeling is normal, things start getting better and we want more, part of the disease I think. Talk to your sponsor and start taking some actions to enjoy life a bit more.
Sit down with the wife and kids and together decide on something to do as a family, we are not a glum lot, why sober up if we are not going to enjoy our sobriety?
The world is your oyster now Dan, you can do what you wish, alcohol is no longer a deciding factor in any decision or activity.
You know sometimes just a nice long walk to no where with the wife and kids or alone with no other purpose other then to see what you see, hear what you hear, and smell what you smell is a good deal.
Do something as a family, not expecting anything but what happens as a reward.
To simply get sober and end the journey there is a dissappointment, one thing to avoid is expecting it all at one time, that is not going to happen any more then another drink will make our problems dissappear.
Just relax and pick and choose what you wish to do, the world is yours, just do not expect it all in one day.
Sit down with the wife and kids and together decide on something to do as a family, we are not a glum lot, why sober up if we are not going to enjoy our sobriety?
The world is your oyster now Dan, you can do what you wish, alcohol is no longer a deciding factor in any decision or activity.
You know sometimes just a nice long walk to no where with the wife and kids or alone with no other purpose other then to see what you see, hear what you hear, and smell what you smell is a good deal.
Do something as a family, not expecting anything but what happens as a reward.
To simply get sober and end the journey there is a dissappointment, one thing to avoid is expecting it all at one time, that is not going to happen any more then another drink will make our problems dissappear.
Just relax and pick and choose what you wish to do, the world is yours, just do not expect it all in one day.
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
When I feel a slow down in my recovery
I atend a Newcomer Meeting
and find some woman who needs my ES&H
...For a recharge spiritually...I up my prayer timeI also throw on some CD's and sing along with
Elvis..."Amazing Grace...double CD
Andy Griffith..."Precious Memories"...33 old hymns
Keeps me in the joy!
where the light is
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,763
Hi Dan,
I think we may be going through something similar (we have about the same amount of sober time).
I am very happy with my life, very busy. I have worked through the steps (still have amends to make) and I certainly do not want to drink. Yet, sometimes I feel like there is something missing.
I am wondering if it is, in part, because prior to my sobriety date, my obsession was to be a successful drinker and this filled up so much of my time and thoughts. And in the first several months of my sobriety, I worked very hard on my recovery and with a sense of urgency. So this instead filled up my time and thoughts. Today, however, I no longer think about recovery as much as I used to possibly because I accept my alcoholism and the tools I use to stay sober are becoming imbedded into my thinking and way of living. In a way, my mind is at peace.
I have been blessed with so much and I certainly don’t take my sobriety or AA for granted but I do get that occasional “Is this all there is?” thought. But you know, even if the answer to that question is “yes”, I’m more than okay with it especially when I look back at where I was just 7 months ago. I am also giving some thoughts to volunteering (an acquaintance works with kids with FAS) and educational advancement but I don’t think that this is the right time to make any major decisions.
I believe that this is a period of adjustment and will work itself out in time. For me, the most important thing is that I know in my heart that drinking will not fill the slight void I feel in my life. I did talk to my sponsor about this and he told me that as long as I keep doing what I am doing, my HP will provide the right answer.
I think we may be going through something similar (we have about the same amount of sober time).
I am very happy with my life, very busy. I have worked through the steps (still have amends to make) and I certainly do not want to drink. Yet, sometimes I feel like there is something missing.
I am wondering if it is, in part, because prior to my sobriety date, my obsession was to be a successful drinker and this filled up so much of my time and thoughts. And in the first several months of my sobriety, I worked very hard on my recovery and with a sense of urgency. So this instead filled up my time and thoughts. Today, however, I no longer think about recovery as much as I used to possibly because I accept my alcoholism and the tools I use to stay sober are becoming imbedded into my thinking and way of living. In a way, my mind is at peace.
I have been blessed with so much and I certainly don’t take my sobriety or AA for granted but I do get that occasional “Is this all there is?” thought. But you know, even if the answer to that question is “yes”, I’m more than okay with it especially when I look back at where I was just 7 months ago. I am also giving some thoughts to volunteering (an acquaintance works with kids with FAS) and educational advancement but I don’t think that this is the right time to make any major decisions.
I believe that this is a period of adjustment and will work itself out in time. For me, the most important thing is that I know in my heart that drinking will not fill the slight void I feel in my life. I did talk to my sponsor about this and he told me that as long as I keep doing what I am doing, my HP will provide the right answer.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 14
Luckily this problem is satisfying to solve. You just do things that look interesting until you find things you like. Take classes or travel or try different sports or clubs. Go to concerts or the ballet or to hockey games or cage matches or dog shows or all of the above. Pack up the car and drive with or without a plan. Or build something or start jogging.
This is the stuff life is made of.
I speak with some speck of authority because I have been working on this too. Trying to make friends, travel once in a while, to do something new every weekend. No lightening bolts yet but its been a lot more fun than the same old same old I was doing before.
This is the stuff life is made of.
I speak with some speck of authority because I have been working on this too. Trying to make friends, travel once in a while, to do something new every weekend. No lightening bolts yet but its been a lot more fun than the same old same old I was doing before.
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,056
I don't have much to add Dan. Like Taz shared, the world is my oyster, every day I have the option of making the most of life or watching it slip by. Honestly, I'm having a blast in sobriety. But it took awhile to reach this point, I can definitely relate to how you feel.
Working with others is a must. The more time I spend thinking about someone else and the less about myself, the more I'm able to recognize the riches and rewards that come with recovery.
So I'll leave you with this passage from the Big Book.....
Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends-this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.
Quoted from the book
Alcoholics Anonymous..First Edition
Working with others is a must. The more time I spend thinking about someone else and the less about myself, the more I'm able to recognize the riches and rewards that come with recovery.
So I'll leave you with this passage from the Big Book.....
Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends-this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.
Quoted from the book
Alcoholics Anonymous..First Edition
Last edited by CarolD; 07-22-2008 at 04:48 PM. Reason: Added Source
It`s ok to stay sober
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,902
I read a book once and looked at the movie that was made from the book and it had a few gems in it
one gem was
there are no ordinary moments
well,as I thought about it,I believe it is true.I cannot recall having excally the same experiences twice,there was always something a little different about them.
So,I try and look at life each day as a new day,full of brand new experiences created by my Creator for me...
one gem was
there are no ordinary moments
well,as I thought about it,I believe it is true.I cannot recall having excally the same experiences twice,there was always something a little different about them.
So,I try and look at life each day as a new day,full of brand new experiences created by my Creator for me...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: TX
Posts: 542
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I am happy and I have much going on in life I just fail to experience everything that is going on around me (if that makes any sense). I need to step out of the norm from time to time and do something spontaneous.
Alcohol played such a cenrtal role in my life and activities I guess I need to learn how to do things for the fun of it rather than because it will go along with my drinking plans. I have to admit it is nice now to decide on a restaurant by their food menu instead of their bar.
Thanks again I need to remember this too shall pass.
The world is your oyster now Dan, you can do what you wish, alcohol is no longer a deciding factor in any decision or activity.
Thanks again I need to remember this too shall pass.
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