Feeling Pretty Strong - So Can You!!!
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 71
Feeling Pretty Strong - So Can You!!!
I decided to post something here today for two reasons. Number one I feel really good about myself. Number two maybe somebody else out there who's going through what I went through might see this and it may help them :-). A little over six months ago after a binge that seemed like it lasted for weeks, and a bout of acute pancreatitis, I decided to put the bottle down. I was depressed, anxious (the two go hand-in-hand often times) and out of shape. I hated my job, which I still had - wow.
If you could've seen a picture of me 15 years prior, you would be like who is that guy? Well, I decided I was sick of it and with the help of my loved ones put down the sauce. And have done so successfully without AA, or any other intervention, with the exception of one instance where I was weak and had three drinks. Which I posted here, and people here didn't let me get away with thinking just because I had dried out, stayed sober for six months and managed to somehow have three beers and go to bed, that I had anything under control.
So since then what I did is start going back to church, replace alcohol with working out and a new cooking a hobby, and just started to be a nicer person or at least trying to be. I think it's working :-).
The catch on this one is that I did lose my job about a month after I dried up. I didn't get fired, my company of over a decade went through what they call a reorganization and I got laid off. It's okay, as I got a very very generous severance package. Now however it's been a few months, I've lost over 50 pounds, I'm no longer experiencing symptoms of depression and my problem with anxiety is much better controlled, and sleeping well every night.
Last week, I had a very big job interview. Made it all the way to an interview with the vice president for the company I was hoping to work for. I was one of the final two candidates, and actually thought I had it in the bag. This would've been a great job. After twists and turns, and another tiebreaker interview I found out that I was not selected.
So, the beat goes on. However, the stress of last week, the activity, the pressure, the anxiousness six months ago would've launched me into a ridiculous alcohol binge to try to cope with the stress. If we want to be real though, I probably would have not gotten to the final interview with the Vice president had it been six months ago.
Through all of it, and now even though I'm a little disappointed I still have not turned back to the bottle. Got my resumes off this week, got a few things in the hopper for next week, and right now I'm bored-so I'm off to the gym :-).
For years, I never thought at 40 I could be the same guy I was it 25 again. It's awesome! I put this here for two reasons like I said, hopefully it helps someone else, and yes I just wanted to brag. But overall I'm just thankful that I'm able to, and hope you all find the piece you're looking for as well. And I hope mine stays :-)
If you could've seen a picture of me 15 years prior, you would be like who is that guy? Well, I decided I was sick of it and with the help of my loved ones put down the sauce. And have done so successfully without AA, or any other intervention, with the exception of one instance where I was weak and had three drinks. Which I posted here, and people here didn't let me get away with thinking just because I had dried out, stayed sober for six months and managed to somehow have three beers and go to bed, that I had anything under control.
So since then what I did is start going back to church, replace alcohol with working out and a new cooking a hobby, and just started to be a nicer person or at least trying to be. I think it's working :-).
The catch on this one is that I did lose my job about a month after I dried up. I didn't get fired, my company of over a decade went through what they call a reorganization and I got laid off. It's okay, as I got a very very generous severance package. Now however it's been a few months, I've lost over 50 pounds, I'm no longer experiencing symptoms of depression and my problem with anxiety is much better controlled, and sleeping well every night.
Last week, I had a very big job interview. Made it all the way to an interview with the vice president for the company I was hoping to work for. I was one of the final two candidates, and actually thought I had it in the bag. This would've been a great job. After twists and turns, and another tiebreaker interview I found out that I was not selected.
So, the beat goes on. However, the stress of last week, the activity, the pressure, the anxiousness six months ago would've launched me into a ridiculous alcohol binge to try to cope with the stress. If we want to be real though, I probably would have not gotten to the final interview with the Vice president had it been six months ago.
Through all of it, and now even though I'm a little disappointed I still have not turned back to the bottle. Got my resumes off this week, got a few things in the hopper for next week, and right now I'm bored-so I'm off to the gym :-).
For years, I never thought at 40 I could be the same guy I was it 25 again. It's awesome! I put this here for two reasons like I said, hopefully it helps someone else, and yes I just wanted to brag. But overall I'm just thankful that I'm able to, and hope you all find the piece you're looking for as well. And I hope mine stays :-)
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
For years, I never thought at 40 I could be the same guy I was it 25 again. It's awesome! I put this here for two reasons like I said, hopefully it helps someone else, and yes I just wanted to brag. But overall I'm just thankful that I'm able to, and hope you all find the piece you're looking for as well. And I hope mine stays :-)
I feel pretty good about my situation when I compare myself to say when I was 15. I'm thinner now then I was then I'm fitter too and I'm fitter then most teenagers etc. and I'm 37 :-).
Congrats on your progress and I'm glad you shared it made me think what I just wrote.
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