top ten tips for the first year
 

A question for all those with some time under their belt. The achievers!!! What are your top ten tips for living sober in the first year?

currently I am day 44

May sound silly but "If you don't drink, you don't get drunk". Keeping that in mind helped.

Also "playing the tape all the way through" helped and does to this day. What I mean by that is when the thought of a drink crosses my mind I think of what drinking has always ultimately brought me; unmanagebility, sorrow, pain, destruction, embarrassment, financial ruin, pain to those that love and care about me, physical health problems, knowing I could not continue drinking but not knowing how to live without drinking, etc.... By thinking about what the first drink will lead to it helps me to remember why I wanted to stop drinking in the first place.

Have a spiritual awakening as the result of the 12 Steps by about day 45. The remainder of the year (and the other 9 tips) will take care of itself.

Whatever happens, you don't ever have to drink again.

I was so grateful when someone told me that.

Here are a few that really helped my thru:

1. There is nothing in the world that drinking alcohol will make better
2. Never forget the hell that brought you here.
3. Don't believe everything you think. In fact, ignore most of it.
4. What anyone thinks of you is none of your business.
5. Keep your side of the street clean.
6. If I have to rationalize ANYTHING then I know I am in trouble.
7. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
8. Saying the Serenity Prayer over and over.

My Top ten tips for living sober:

1. Do not drink, not even one drop
2. thru 10. --- don't really matter after that

meetings, meetings, meetings
get a sponsor
work the steps
pick up the phone often
do something for your recovery every day
never, ever forget the pain and misery

You are not your feelings....no matter how bad you feel at this second, you WILL feel better...

truly take life one day at a time. Learn to let time pass. No major decisions or catastrophic thinking, like "I can't stand - my partner, kid, life, job, house, whatever- for one more second!" Let that "second" pass without a drink, and you will find yourself stronger, sober and more serene.

Amen to that. I try to avoid conflicts like the plague.

Hmm...
I re connected to my God....prayed often for clarity and peace.

I attended AA daily...began making sober friends

I began working the AA steps to learn how to enjoy a sober lifestyle.

I've never regretted any of those changes.....:funjump:

1. You have a fatal disease called alcoholism. Any doctor will tell you there is only one course of treatment - abstinence from alcohol.

2. The real you can only emerge when you stop smothering your brain in alcohol and let it blossom.

3. Surrender to your body with its disease called alcoholism. You can't change it. Be grateful you don't have a fatal disease with no known treatment.

4. Your disease tells you that it would be a good idea to have a drink. That's the disease talking; it's no more true than a schizophrenic's brain telling him he's Napoleon. Or Charlie Sheen thinking he's "winning." /prayers for Charlie

5. For alcoholics, drinking is death and sobriety is beautiful. Now that I have the gift of sobriety, it means more to me than anything and every day I renew my commitment to keeping it. By coming to SR and reading tales of woe which remind me of my past and my future if I choose to drink. By reading lots of sobriety books.

Don't mess up your gift of sobriety.

I made a list of reasons why I don't want to take that first drink, and taped it to my bedroom mirror where I would see it all the time.

GG

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08. Don't isolate. - Nobody can beat addiction by themself and we addicts love to isolate so our fears and insecurities can reinforce our addiction. Even if you're a total introvert, go places where you can be around people: coffee shops, libraries, art galleries, parks, even the mall. If your recovery program has meetings, go to as many as you can. Be around people; not alone at home.

09. Talk to people. - Share your feelings with those in your recovery group and with your therapist. Nobody is going to know how you are doing unless you tell them. If you have a partner, let know them how you're doing, but remember they are not your sponsor or therapist & don't treat them as such. Instead, talk to those in your group. Get their phone numbers and call them.
Get out of your head.
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These two probably intimidate me the most... I've become so isolated in my 30's compared to my 20's. Working online from home even reinforces my hermit way of life. I do live with my boyfriend and 3 cats, but I know I need to get out and around some people... My boyfriend is even more introverted than me it seems and he isn't thrilled with the idea of me even joining hiking clubs, book clubs, etc!! I'm going to force myself to do it though, and he's going to have to deal with it.

Great post and replies! Top ten lists are always fun to read :)

1-See alcohol for what it really is-poison.
2-Enjoy life.

Trust the process. Have faith that you will get to a place of neutrality when it comes to alcohol.... if you work a program and are fearless.... Don't force anything, except of course, don't drink even if your ass falls off...

I wonder why we need so much instant gratification, I guess it's part of the addiction. But try to see past that, past the dark moments, the urges, the self pity. Do not be afraid. You can be happy in this life without alcohol or mind altering drugs.

Understand that you are not the center of the universe, and that it's much much better that way.

:)

I've gotta echo what Keith said. IF you fall into the category I do, you don't have the power to keep yourself sober. As was posted in another thread about someone who set their mind to not drinking yet found themselves right back on the horse that very same day, all the tips and tricks in the world just gave me hope that lasted right up until I poured that next first drink down my throat.........which was anywhere from minutes to hours after my decision to "not do it again tonight."

So......my advice is pretty-much my standard answer when someone new in AA asks what to do to get some years: get to some meetings, get a sponsor, read the AA book, and start working the steps with your sponsor's guidance like your life depends upon it - because whether you know it or now, your life DOES depend upon it. And even though you may "get" how big of of a deal this is, YOU can't make it happen.......YOU can't pull it off. If you could, you wouldn't be here, with me, right now. So......you do those things (meetings, sponsor, book and steps) to get you in touch with whatever power that's out there that's bigger than you.....and as soon as you start hookin' up with that power.......sobriety will be a snap - you won't have to do anything to "keep yourself sober" - partly because there's nothing you CAN do to keep yourself sober but mostly because whatever your conception of a power greater than you is will have already done it all FOR you. :)

If you smoke, quit.

If you smoke, quit. Your brain will heal faster if you quit, and the cravings for alcohol will probably go down.

Smoking May Interfere With Alcoholics' Neurocognitive Recovery During Abstinence

WhyQuit - the Internet's leading cold turkey quit smoking resource