Never again?
 

I was at a BBQ this afternoon and I was talking about how I've quit drinking and my friend said, Seriously, never again? I told him Yes, that's what quitting means. He said, So what are you smoking pot instead? And I said, Nope I'm just sober AF. Then he asked me if I'd switched to Airag (fermented horse milk) and I laughed and said, Nope not even Airag! He looked at me like I'd lost my mind and told me I was going to be his DD. I feel like I've finally come back into my right mind. I'm so much happier and I feel so healthy. I'd been avoiding a lot of my friends these last few months because I just felt so odd not drinking but now it feels very natural and normal for me so I'm ok with going and hanging out for a few hours and then splitting once people start getting a buzz on. I just had to laugh at his incredulity at my decision to be sober, he really didn't get it. The thing is that I still had a really great time, it was good to see everyone and to be clear and coherent and sharp for the visit. Sober is better!

Good for you zen, horse milk??? Really? I thought I drank everything known to man😀

Good for you though. It's an awesome feeling to be sober.

I know right? The things people will do for a buzz! lol

Yeah who am I trying to kid. I would have tried it in a minute if the cabinet was bare and the stores were closed.

Yes- even to the point of avoiding weddings and stuff- I will.

Thanks for sharing, Zen. I agree...sober is WAY better!

To me it's kinda like quitting smoking, you can't totally avoid it but you can limit your exposure to it. I just don't want to hang around drunk people but I can be around alcohol. I had been a drinker for so long that it had become part of my identity so for awhile I felt out of place and awkward in social situations without it but that stage thankfully has passed. I guess I've settled in to abstinence and things have changed to me being a non-drinker as a part of my identity.

Sober and Clean of any and all mind altering
narcotic, alcohol, illegal drugs or meds, incorporating
a program of recovery in achieving health,
happiness and honesty one day at a time.

Of course, it always an ongoing process
that continues to work. :)

Good post!

It makes me think of last summer, when I had my first date with my now fiance....I said "everything is better sober" and he told me later that (at 30 days then) he didn't quite believe me then but wanted to know more. He soon knew what I meant and totally agreed.

Keep it up!

It amazes me that people drink at all. It's so overrated. Seriously. It's crap. Even in small amounts. Our maker did not design us to be under the influence. Life is so much better without it. I really don't understand why it took me so long to figure this out. Oh well, some things aren't meant to be understood.

Great post Zen, thank you.

It really is crap, Wayne! It's the worst drug ever. Made me fat, made me say stupid things and be lazy and irresponsible and twisted my personality. My bf stayed out at the get together last night until the wee hours of the morning and today he's useless, can barely function. Total waste of his day off. I'm getting tired of having a partner who does this every weekend. I know it's hypocritical of me given my past but I wish he would quit with me.

I understand. I really do. I have 2 older brothers that are alcoholics and we don't even talk to each other anymore. I can't stand to be around them when they drink. I don't have to live my life that way anymore. I'm out of the slavery that I put myself thru.
I lost many days due to hangovers. Years to be honest. I really hope he quits. You don't need the illness in your life anymore. Just saying.
Hang in there Zen. You're welcome to pm me anytime if you need to talk.

Yeah I wasted years like that too, such a shame. I remember taking my boys to hockey and being so hungover that I threw up in the parking lot. What a loser I was. I guess because I've lived through it my tolerance for watching my bf doing the same thing is low.... it's too much of a reminder of how I behaved and lived. I'm so glad that I've freed myself from that misery. To anyone reading this and still suffering, you can totally do this! It's hard at first but it gets easier and your life will be so much better! I used to think I had so many problems but once I took drinking out of the equation I realized that they pretty much all stemmed from my drinking problem. It just takes the goodness out of everything and dulls the edges of your life.

I hear ya. I would have been a much better father and husband without alcoholism.
All we can do is move forward. My adult children have forgiven me and rejoice in the 4 plus years of sobriety I have. Or shall I say WE have. It's a process. Life goes on. Just don't drink again. Never. Never give it a chance to destroy you. As long as you don't drink, your in control. That's the only positive thing about alcoholism. You can beat it. Just don't drink.

Yeah never again. It took me a looooong time to accept that, that was the hardest part. I kept trying to find a way. But my decision to quit is final and for life.

ACCEPTANCE is the key Zen. Sounds like your there. Alcoholism is nothing but smokescreen and mirrors. Seriously, it's a bunch of crap.

Yeah it's so true. As long as I had any kind of hope that I could control it I was never going to be able to embrace what sobriety had to offer me. I couldn't move forward until I let it go. Now there's no going back! And it's easy, I don't struggle at all. Sometimes my AV kicks in but that's what IT does, so what? They are just thoughts, I can't control every thought that arises out of my mind, but I can control what I do about those thoughts.

True words my friend, true words!

Good stuff zen!

I completely agree. It amazes me that people poison themselves with booze. Once you break through and realize that the message we get from society that it's cool and required to drink is a lie, everything falls into place. I am still shocked and think, I was poisoning myself!