Pilgrim

I have noticed that I have more time for people. I am more interested in their lives and what they are telling me. I care more about them. I am not going through the motions and wishing I was somewhere getting drunk.

Also, I feel less judgmental. The little things don't seem to matter so much when you are fighting to survive.

And I am starting (slowly) to learn how to laugh at the ridiculous things we do and the terrible situations we get into when we are trying to stop. That's when I am not getting into some sort of hysterical panic.

ANGELINA243

Well, before I relapsed and had a little bit of time behind me--I noticed that I wasn't constantly living in fear/worry/anxiety. I was learning how to trust others and to let my guard down--and actually allow others to love me. Now, I'm a little suspicious of people--even those who are in recovery. My mind is back at the beginning (once again)--but I know how to get back. I can't beat myself up with my past mistakes. I must press forward & move on.

c'est la vie

Those are all really good things to be feeling. It is nice to be able to look back and laugh rather than feel so miserable that we were stuck in such a rut.

Something that I like is being able to recognize my emotions as being on a pendulum rather than static. I feel good sometimes and I feel bad sometimes and it's OK. When I'm sad or angry I don't need to force myself into feeling better and I don't wallow in the misery. I just let it be, ride it out, and move on when the feeling passes. Sometimes it takes more time than others, but it does pass (btw, I always hated the phrase "this too shall pass" but gosh darnit it's true)

When I'm feeling good I cherish it. It actually took me some time to recognize low level happiness as even being happy. I thought it was a sign of depression because I couldn't feel anything. My therapist helped me see that it's OK to not be jumping for joy. My moods aren't nearly as dramatic as they were and I'm so grateful. It wore me out to go from really happy to really sad all the time.

GlassPrisoner

Solid Poops

Pilgrim

OMG Glass!

Pilgrim

O and I tucked my childen into bed soberly and made sure they felt cosy and loved for the first time in ages cos I had the energy and I wasn't drinking. O and I played the piano tonight.

nogard

clarity on so many levels

BBQBOY

Better outlook into the future......Actually just having a future to look into.........

Work Hard and Enjoy Life.....NED

lrvp99

Sleeping thru the night. When I drink, I ALWAYS wake up between 2-3 AM and cannot get back to sleep. I also lose a lot of weight, even though I crave sweets. Also, my stomach problems begin to go away.

aasharon90

Even when life throws u a curve ball
and things are questionable...just
by following the principles handed
down to us thru recovery, we will
intuitively know every thing will be ok.

lostmdboy

One of the very first things I noticed was my relationship with my famally. I was always so isolated that I never saw the love they were trying to give. Once I got sober though there it was. Just thank my higher power that they stuck around long enough for me to get sober.

lovecat

im looking forward to all the benifits of long term sobriety .... only 2 1/2 days so far ..... but that IS an acheivement for me as i could only seem to go one day ...... my principle number one is juststay away from 1 drink ... its working so far but still early days .... but have been to the gym for fitness assesment & swim it was fab .... couldent do that a couple of days ago .... I know it dosent sound much but my smile cant be wide enough & my eyes are brighter ..

Sammer

I am going on a hundred days and i have noticed how much my anxiety level has decreased. Still have ups and downs but am not looking for the glass of wine at the end of the day or rewarding myself at the end of the week. One of my biggest fears when I started was the weekends and what I was going to do because everyone drank and I certainly did. I now love the weekends...they stretch out like a great dessert. I am busy around my house; my wife and I plan things together; I laugh with my kids. I sleep so much better now; no more waking up at 4:00 in the morning and laying there, dreading getting up to feel like s***. Food tastes great and i really enjoy it instead of forcing it down or skipping altogether.

One thing I have learned and keep telling myself...maybe I'll drink again; I hope not and don't think I will but I do know, today I will not. Not much comes of thinking too far out.

UncleEarl

All of the above!

Just to add to the list: I stand taller, I'm better rested, I've saved THOUSANDS of dollars in less than two months, I smell better, I eat better, I follow through with day to day plans for myself rather than procrastinate...

In all, not one aspect of my life has deteriorated in sobriety. Quite the opposite!

Earl

requiredfield

Everything the big book promises....

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.

We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.

We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.

We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.

No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.

That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear.

We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.

Self-seeking will slip away.

Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.

Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.

We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.

We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

Astro

Well heck that's all the benefit I'd need to stay sober! ;-) Lol!!

My answer to this is: what isn't good? It's all good, and the best part is I'm experiencing life sober and I can remember it the next day, and the next, and the next, and the next..............

I've been blessed with a life beyond my wildest dreams and expectations, and I'm living the dream!!

Debaucher

29 days...

my kids... I notice so many more things they do... I notice more what they say... I even have played with them on the weekend past noon...

HOLY COW... my eyes have spots now that are actually white... can't waite for all the yellow to go away...

My eczema is going away...

Not waking up in the middle of the night with the shakes...

I sometimes actually sleep all the way through the night...

My wife seams happy to see me when i come home...

When she sends me an email... I am no longer afraid to read it... (because I know what the heck I did yesterday)...

Finzup

I'm 10 days in and I feel fanfreakintastic...not waking up tired and hungover is nice...I'm eating a little better...and I'm NOT worried about getting a DWI!
So far, it's ALL GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pilgrim

I have everything that everyone wrote and especially the sleeping. I used to wake up at the alcoholic's dawn too and not be able to get back to sleep. Also, I am not so worried about getting work done in a hurry. I do things by plodding through them, knowing I can do more later because I will have time. It's just so cool. I used to do everything so fast - like a whirlwind - so that I could stop and drink. Life has slowed down and become more peaceful.

chrisj728

I now go through day & night guilt free.
I now understand others needs.
I now give without expecting a return.
I now know freedom at last.
I now know all this, just for today.