Don W

Going into a holiday weekend, I thought it might help if we were to share positive sober life experences. I was thinking that this might help us reaffirm
our need to stay the course.
I'll start. Today is Thrursday before a long weekend holiday. I've done a good job at work this week. There was no time spent on planning and thinking about drinking. I was focused on the care of the patients at the hospital I work at. Not only that but, a number of doctors and nurses have spoken about how much they can and do depend on me. Don W

debsjsu

Me and my Higher Power are working over time on this one Don... But the soberity is the most important thing in my life today. That is the only reason I am able to deal with the curve balls that reality is throwing at me right now. Peace and serenity are still mine, I just have some things to deal with that I know I need help making decisions about. I am smart enough today to know that I do not have all the answers. So I go to my sponsor, my spiritual advisor, and my Higher Power for advise, I weigh all the options and information that I recieve. I talk with my husband and we make the decisions together. I seem to be able to keep my peace and serenity with these directions in my life, even with curve balls. Life keeps happening even after sobriety but I don't have to allow it to "take me down" Love to all Debs

Hope

I have been doing really well in school and in life. I haven't had to wake up with any hangovers. I have been able to wake up and say "Good morning God" instead of "good God it's morning". I have been productive this week. Enjoying life with clear eyes and a clear mind. I am enjoying the gifts and blessings of life.

2dayzmuse

The fourth of July has been a trigger for me in the past. Independence day is associated with drinking where I come from. July 5th is my sobriety birthday. It will be two years since my last drink. I took a drink on June 26th and didn't stop until July 5th. I am very grateful to be alcohol free this Independence day. I love sober living. Life is good...

Ngokpa

I have a position at my Buddhist place, and we've been having problems with a guy who likes to carry his pet rat around with him. I had to tell them that that's not kosher; meanwhile, some folks are getting their buttons pushed. I was telling one guy that I empathize with the guy because at an earlier time of my career there I was going through changes, and I was the unwelcome one, but that doesn't mean I'd cut him any slack.

It's nice to have responsibilities and the run of a place that gives my life meaning and dignity. And somehow dealing with difficult situations aren't so difficult any more.

CAPTAINZING2000

Don

I'm glad that you're back around

Missed you being gone

Have a safe weekend and 4th everyone

leviathon

Thanks Don W and AWESOME IDEA

Ok, today is Friday... I woke up sober and NOT hungover. I have had a great week at work, had a great week playing golf, went to the gym and played baseball with my friends.

Throughout it all, I have not had a desire to drink at all. I am looking forward to this weekend and having a rest and some relaxation.

I have enjoyed the bounties of this site and been in touch with old friends.

Life is wonderful and I am thankful for every day!

Peace, Levi

findingout

OK, here's a quick one. I had not even thought of the Fourth July Weekend in relation to drinking until Don brought it up. How the heck did that happen? I seem to recall that it was one of my last few drinking Fourth Of July Weekends when I first discovered that the best/absolute worst cure for a hangover was to just start drinking again in the morning.

So much has changed for the better, it's hard to even single out something. As far as I have been able to determine, there just is no downside to recovery.

kali ma

Since I first touched alcohol, I have never had a Fourth of July without getting toasted. I look forward to spending it with my family. It's much easier to enjoy my cousin (she's 10) when I'm not drunk, or too tired from drinking the night before. I have appreciated family much, much more when I am sober.

Don W

Two things you guys brought up reminded me of something positive in my life today. My old joke, " drink a 5th on the 4th" isn't funny to me anymore. And the best part of the Fireworks is being awake to see them live. Here in Boston they have a big display. Drinking many a year I recorded it, while passed out, to watch the next day. And one more, my family is looking forward to me being with them, BOTH, physically and mentally. I need to close with this. Reading your stories, I'm also injoying your sobriety along with mine.

paulmh

I haven't wanted or needed a drink today, that's the first thing - and the thing that makes me smile involuntarily as I type.

A personally positive thing - I met a fellow Scot at a meeting yesterday. He put a name to a character defect that's been causing me problems, and would've continued to do so since I couldn't see it. I had one of those light bulb moments.

Have a great 4th. Curiously we don't celebrate it here...

Don W

love those "Light Bulb Moments" we can always see more clearly.

Doodlebug

I don't have any big plans for the 4th. Tonight however, my husband and I are taking our 3rd ballroom dance lesson. We are learning to Tango! Tomorrow we are taking our 3 year old grandson to an amusement park. Sunday we are just hanging at home, perhaps working on the yard. No parties planned, no drinking. Just a quiet normal life. It feels good.

paulmh

Lol, thanks for reminding me doodlebug - dancing! How many drinks did I "have" to have before I could surlily, rudely, mean-spirititedly get on the dancefloor? And now I can dance the quickstep and the chachacha and the mambo and the merengue and they can't get me OFF the dancefloor!

Freed today from the tyranny of the self, and introduced to the joy of dance? Yeah, that's a positive!

Don W

Oh! How I remember neding to belt down a few before I could dance. The same with Kareoke. Those poor people that had to listen to me sing. There was something about the more I drank the better I thought I sounded. Then I'd get encouraged, the more they drank, the better they thought I sounded.
Today, I'm just relaxing and enjoying each moment. That is positive.

Malcolm

I'm grateful to be alive to see this one, grateful that my addiction hasn't completely taken me over, grateful that in some small way I'm starting to understand how much better life can, and will be, when alcohol is no longer a primary motivator.

MNGirlyGirl

I'm glad I don't have any drunk karoke performances to look back in shame on. However, I was the dancing queen many a nights!! The drunker I got the better I danced!! LOL

Don W

Today I'm happy. Last night I went to a meeting. The guy I called picked me up in a 57 Chevy he's been working on. We went for ice cream with a bunch of the people. I felt like I was in "American Graffitti". Anyways, we sat there looking at wedding pictures. Many of the guests were from the program. I pointed out that I could tell. There were many water bottles on table.

MNGirlyGirl

Cool!! Sounds like fun!