Supercrew

I think if at one point in your life you really enjoyed drinking. It was something that you did regularly for an extended period of time with friends and at celebrations and such. Then you realized that you had a problem or became an alcoholic and you came to your senses and realized that you could no longer drink at all and suddenly quit, it is only natural to think about this missing piece of your life. I think about drinking still daily, to check my sobriety date, and I come to this board to remind me why I quit. I like that drinking stays on my mind, because it keeps me vigilant not to drink again. Now will I think about it everyday for the rest of my sober life? I kind of hope so, because it makes me feel like a stronger person knowing that I have learned to not drink. Some people may look at thinking about drinking daily as a negative, but I look at it as a positive, because I have learned my limitations and have overcome a major problem in my life. And as the old saying goes, "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it".

I even still think about the good times I had drinking, because it played such a major role in my life for such a long time, but I know I can't do it anymore. I almost equate it to an aging athlete. I look fondly upon my past days of playing football and competing, but if I were to put the gear on today, I would get killed. I am looking at my drinking career as something that due to my age and my lack of ability to perform well now, I had to retire from, or it could kill or seriously injure me. (I will do my best not to pull a Brett Favre!

bubblehead

I know. I actually liked the 2 AA meetings I went to besides the religion. In person is nice. Still, this site reeaallly helped me stop drinking, so I am bit overly enthusiastic Just reading through you guys posts can make a person want to stay sober. You guys did it, and so can I!

Boleo

Those that say it is a one-day-at-a-time struggle are doing others a disservice.

I stay spiritually fit one-day-at-a-time but the struggle is over. Here is how David R. Hawkins describes spiritual growth:

"The process is like a rocket's leaving the earth. Initially, it requires enormous energy, but then, less and less as it leaves the earth's gravitational field, and eventually it moves through space under it's own momentum."

TheEnd

I think your strategy is working, I do the same thing too....

AlcoholicOrNot

This is a great discussion and I'm glad others have added their feedback.

Everybody is different. People's minds are different. I am extremely confident that I can "recover" from my alcoholic tendencies without a formal plan - currently in day 25 of abstinence.

I have always been and continue to be a happy individual. I wake each day, as my children would say, "in a chipper mood" - glad to be facing another beautiful day in life - not just without alcohol but life in general.

I take no medications and am extremely fit and healthy.

For other people to claim it cannot be done makes me stronger. I feel for those who struggle through days without alcohol and think about harming themselves. Yes, for those people, a formal spiritual plan OR other formal help is necessary.

Personally for me, I'm ecstatic about my abstinence to this point and look forward to the changes in my life. Abstinence is a major life change. Other changes are required as well and I've got my own plans for what those changes are - more or less to do other things with my time that I would have otherwise spent drinking.

"The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, a hell of Heaven"
John Milton.

CAPTAINZING2000

Real hot here

I'm thinking of ice cream

The mind can be your biggest asset or your worst enemy....

Keep it busy with other things.


Got any hobbies besides drinking??? Got projects you've put off? Do a good deed for a neighbor or family member ... idle time with the mind is a bad place to be early in recovery!

smacked

Good luck!