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What is your single biggest motivator in staying sober ?



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What is your single biggest motivator in staying sober ?

Old 06-20-2013, 01:16 PM
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My biggest motivator is happiness.

When I was drinking I was borderline suicidal, constantly anxious and just plain miserable and a bit nuts. I was paranoid and didn't trust myself. Some of that followed me into sobriety for a time but then I started getting glimpses of happiness and contentment that I didn't recognise and I started developing a self esteem. I guess part of that was that I thought if I could give up drinking I could do anything but also I just feel a lot healthier in my mind. I trust myself now and am able to make positive changes in my life. I couldn't do any of that while I was systematically killing myself with booze.
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Old 06-20-2013, 10:07 PM
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I used to wake up every morning hating myself. Counting the empties and thinking myself to be a looser and a slob. I came to realise how poisonous that was for me. I'm proud of myself now and the mornings are beautiful.
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Old 06-21-2013, 06:59 AM
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My confidence level goes way up. Because I feel so much better about myself I am happy, joyful , and content most of the time. When I put that out into the world others send it back to me.
When I was drunk and especially hungover the vibes were pretty much the opposite.....because I felt like crap. Being sober is a great mood enhancer for me.
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Old 06-21-2013, 07:27 AM
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My quick response in reaction to the question would be for my husband and children but what that truly means if I think about it is the motivation to find my true self again - the self that I am proud of - that aligns with my morals, values and is capable of being loved and respected by myself and subsequently able to truly live and be loved.

What motivates me is to really truly live again - love and be loved.
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Old 06-21-2013, 07:34 AM
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My biggest motivator is the fact that I know that I would probably end up dead within days or a couple of weeks of drinking again. I am convinced I would have a seizure as soon as I would go into withdrawal.

The last days of my drinking were so bad. I could no longer hold even water down in my stomach and my heart beat was racing AND, scariest of all, downing vodka no longer helped these symptoms. The smell of wine (my favorite drink) would make me nauseous, and so I had to hold my nose while drinking.

The alcohol stopped working for me and I know I will die if I ever go back.
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Old 06-22-2013, 04:28 PM
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Fear of death is my motivator, it keeps me going to meetings so I don't relapse. I came so close to death, that brought me into the rooms of AA. I know I have another drink in me but I don't think I have another recovery.
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Old 06-22-2013, 05:35 PM
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AlphaOmega,

Love that you had lunch with your daughter. Besides getting sober for myself (there is so much that I want to accomplish and alcohol is not involved in that plan), my kids are HUGE motivation. They are young yet, but the thought that they would grow up with a drunk mom and have no desire to spend time with me as young adults kills me.

I am only 50 days sober, and even though I felt like things would completely be wonderful and the clouds would part...I am finding that is not necessarily the case. Life is hard, but we are adults and can face our problems like adults. Drinking isn't going to solve (conflict, boredom, anger, fill in the blank) it is only going to make it worse. Thanks for posting- I needed to hear some of these replies too! Hugs, PG
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Old 06-22-2013, 09:27 PM
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"I was soon to be catapulted into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence. I was to know happiness, peace and usefulness, in a way of life that is incredibly more wonderful as time passes."

BB pg 8, 1st edition

Attaining this way of life is my motivation.
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Old 06-23-2013, 08:24 AM
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I have many motivations, but my main one is curiosity.

For my whole adult life (I'm 34 now), I've always had "potential." But I've never been able to be really successful at anything. I would be seen as a smart, capable and talented person, but then I'd mess up. I'd call in sick too many times. I'd quit jobs and projects. I'd get fired or simply not re-hired. People would think I was a smart, funny and interesting person, but then, at the end of the day, not really trust me.

It turned out, I didn't trust myself. I didn't think I could do a good job. Deep down, I thought I was a stupid loser, not deserving of any real respect in this world.

I'm so curious to see how embracing sobriety will change this. I'm still young enough to change my life around! I'm back in school getting my master's degree, I have two young children, I have so much to be proud of, I don't want to mess it up! I already feel so much more respect for myself and I'm sure others will notice.
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Old 06-23-2013, 08:27 AM
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Possibility to really become happy. And be healthier, physically and mentally. Beacause I know that things could be so much better without alcohol and they gonna be better without it.

Because if I keep on drinking it's just actually matter of time when I decided that I don't wanna live anymore.
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