steve-in-kville

I was reading over my other thread: http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-sobriety.html

And upon reading the various responses, and I spent the day thinking about the positive things I was able to do before this wretched addiction took over my life. Maybe instead of all the negative that happened when I drank, I tried to focus on who/what I was before that.

Not to start another poll-type thread, but perhaps we could all focus on the positive things we had going, with the intentions of getting back to that place again!

For me: I was extremely organized. Stuff filed away, no messy desk, garage was neat and tidy. I have a bit of a ways to go in this area, but at least I have the ambition!

bluedog97

I was wildly ambitious and was on my way to a successful career in financial services. Addiction derailed that. But I can say I've had some success in life. I'll never be able to return to a career in that field, but I would like to think I could be successful in another.

Marissa41

I very much agree with you on this one.
I can't focus on my failures.
But I can focus on what I did accomplish and try to get back there.
I know my career will never be the same. But I can become employable.

zjw

I enjoyed weight lifting back then. I also had my own routine going and was content with it. I was not interested in making lots of money or anything either just content that i made enough to take care of what i had to take care of it didnt stress me out as much.

that was also before a wife and kids too so things got a bit more complicated once i had a wife and kids and my alcoholism progressed. I felt under the gun to make more cash and do more with myself this stressed me out. wife and kids and added responsiblities stressed me out. SO i just drank more and more to cope. I lost myself in my addiction somewhere along the line. Struggled to please everyone etc.. and well bit off more then i could chew all the time.

now that I"m sober I run. I try to keep it simple and i'm trying to further simplify my work life if i even can. I try to get back to that person i was before but yet still enjoy having a wife and kids added into the mix as well. its been hard trying to figure out how to balance all of this without rushing to the bottle but somehow i've managed.

AlaskaGirl

I've managed to do some things right despite active addiction. I feel very fortunate that I have been able to get sober without losing everything first. We can find our own bottom, it doesn't have to be the stereotype.

Some of my successes:

• I found the strength to leave a twelve year emotionally abusive marriage.
• I have excelled at my job (Although admittedly I could have done more without being hung over all the time.)
• I found my other half, he has the most beautiful soul.

Now that I am sober I can enjoy the fruits of my hard work rather than drinking it all away.

ardy

I stayed up very late drank by myself and painted.. funny how that works.. now I work pay the bills cook paint the house and hope to get back to the art side of a college to paint and do clay again.. positive things.. I have people come up and hug me tight and tell me how much they have missed me... like one of my fav gents in music.. many a time I have no idea who they are.. hahahahah Earl this is glass empty held high in your direction.. hon see you in the summer promise..

MsCooterBrown

I guess I can't really respond to this post. I have been drinking since I was 13. I also dabbled in a bit of drugs in high school. I did take a break long enough to have 2 beautiful daughters. Out of that I have seven grandkids! That would be my shining report. I also held down an excellent job for 33 yrs. One of the examples of a functioning alcoholic. And out of that was able to put in for early retirement. Now I find it to be the perfect time to straighten up. I now have the most stress free life. I spend a LOT of time in Manatou Springs Co ...I have to add Garden of the Gods is the most BEAUTIFUL place ...so serene. Can't wait for the weather to get nice again. I like the focus on the positive. Grand idea Steve!

Doug39

I started drinking heavily when I was 25 and my life was a mess. I was in and out of low paying jobs, had been in trouble with the law, hung out with other losers and had no direction in life.

Drinking actually helped me network with people, I got my first real high paying steady job from a guy I met at a bar. I met my wife while drunk at a bar.

Today I am better off financially then I ever have been.

But alcohol abuse took its toll on my body both mentally and physically - today I am a basket case.

I just wanted to post that my life got better during my drinking in a material sense- the alcohol just messed me up mainly emotionally.

zjw

i agree with doug one could say for me that was true too while drinking life got better i got my first house married had kids climbed the corporate ladder etc...

I dunno i mean i just took on the challenges and drank away all the stresses. then it all caught up with me. The stresses and such never really changed i guess but i started getting anxiety and panic attacks like crazy my health was headed down hill. Something had to be done something had to change.

once i got sober i struggled to maintain the life i had created for myself since my main coping mechanism had been removed.

its also probably why i didnt bother to quit sooner. why things hwere going ok or so I thought. it took me until i had a year sober to admit i had a drinking problem. Drinking was never my problem or so i thought.

steve-in-kville

One thing for sure, alcoholism is very progressive! I kinda look back at the small steps... just drinking now and again. A shot before bed every night. Drinking while taking part in hobbies on weekends. Then drinking every evening. To basically just drunk or hungover all the time.

How much precious time was wasted!