Going on holiday thanks to the steps of AA
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4,682
Going on holiday thanks to the steps of AA
Cmon how can working the steps of AA and getting a spiritual awakening mean that you can go on an adventure when you couldn't before, anyone can do that if they just stop drinking!
Not this alcoholic!
I have always been very lucky to earn a reasonable wage and have never been anywhere save for geographicals which are knee jerk moves...
In 2000 i left a job in London with a very nice amount of money in the bank to take some time off to sort my drinking out...in fact the plan was that i would go on a world cruise for 100 days when i stopped drinking! The reason i would not go before i stopped drinking is that i would feel uncomfortable in social situations, always be self conscious of being alone on a cruise, find it hard to make friends for the 100 days, would end up islolating a lot and avoiding people, would have to avoid all areas that served liquor etc...
Well guess how many times i have travelled in the last 8 years during my periodic breaks from drinking, i.e. a few months at a time? None thats how many! The intention was there of course, once i quit drinking i will be ok and fine to travel to wherever i want as i will have a new found confidence and will not feel awkward, gone will be the shame of the past etc as if by magic??? Well it didn't work out like that! Don't get me wrong i would go anywhere with a drink inside me though!
Today i have just booked a 7 day trip leaving on the 11th June, going to Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Spain and then onto Gibraltar...so whats different this time...
I actually feel comfortable with me, i have a level of trust with myself, i dont feel awkward anymore, i feel less fear and have a lot more faith, i feel i deserve to have a treat, i don't feel the need to hoard money...i want to live, as in live life...so many things have changed that i simply am not the person i was when i walked into AA last year.
I only post this in case anyone is sitting there sober and thinking well at least im not drinking cos thats what i did before and i thought that was it...the steps were not a great deal of work, sure i had to be willing to do them and honest but the rewards/promises are worth it!
I sat in a meeting 2 weeks ago, i try and get to at least one a week where i am, and i listened to this lady who was 7 years sober and her life sounded terrible, i dont mean materialistically but the racing mind, the blame, the problems, the resentments, the world owes me something etcetc and thinking why the hell don't you work the steps, you go to 4 meetings a week and you've never worked them...but fairs fair i wouldn't be told and if i had read this post this time in 2008 would have thought yeah ok mate well i am different, i'm on a different path...yeah right...that uniqueness almost killed me, guess thats why they call it terminally unique in the rooms!
Anyways just thought someone would find this of some interest:-)
Not this alcoholic!
I have always been very lucky to earn a reasonable wage and have never been anywhere save for geographicals which are knee jerk moves...
In 2000 i left a job in London with a very nice amount of money in the bank to take some time off to sort my drinking out...in fact the plan was that i would go on a world cruise for 100 days when i stopped drinking! The reason i would not go before i stopped drinking is that i would feel uncomfortable in social situations, always be self conscious of being alone on a cruise, find it hard to make friends for the 100 days, would end up islolating a lot and avoiding people, would have to avoid all areas that served liquor etc...
Well guess how many times i have travelled in the last 8 years during my periodic breaks from drinking, i.e. a few months at a time? None thats how many! The intention was there of course, once i quit drinking i will be ok and fine to travel to wherever i want as i will have a new found confidence and will not feel awkward, gone will be the shame of the past etc as if by magic??? Well it didn't work out like that! Don't get me wrong i would go anywhere with a drink inside me though!
Today i have just booked a 7 day trip leaving on the 11th June, going to Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Spain and then onto Gibraltar...so whats different this time...
I actually feel comfortable with me, i have a level of trust with myself, i dont feel awkward anymore, i feel less fear and have a lot more faith, i feel i deserve to have a treat, i don't feel the need to hoard money...i want to live, as in live life...so many things have changed that i simply am not the person i was when i walked into AA last year.
I only post this in case anyone is sitting there sober and thinking well at least im not drinking cos thats what i did before and i thought that was it...the steps were not a great deal of work, sure i had to be willing to do them and honest but the rewards/promises are worth it!
I sat in a meeting 2 weeks ago, i try and get to at least one a week where i am, and i listened to this lady who was 7 years sober and her life sounded terrible, i dont mean materialistically but the racing mind, the blame, the problems, the resentments, the world owes me something etcetc and thinking why the hell don't you work the steps, you go to 4 meetings a week and you've never worked them...but fairs fair i wouldn't be told and if i had read this post this time in 2008 would have thought yeah ok mate well i am different, i'm on a different path...yeah right...that uniqueness almost killed me, guess thats why they call it terminally unique in the rooms!
Anyways just thought someone would find this of some interest:-)
Awakening
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 290
That trip sounds awesome! It sounds like the trip you've already been on has been pretty awesome, too. Congrats on getting to that place with yourself.
BTW, I expect to see pix upon your return.
Rev
BTW, I expect to see pix upon your return.
Rev
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: scotland
Posts: 1,493
nice post yeahgr8!
i went on holiday about 3 years ago,week in portugal with my other half whos an alki too.
the beach was 150 yards from our apartment.....did i see it....? no.
i spent all week in an irish bar and a tattoo parlour.
when we got sober at the begining of last year my other half asked if we should go away for a weekend to a hotel for a treat :eek no way! i was terrified,,whenever we went away to hotels it was just to drink,,i mean get blitzed!
i got left a little money last year,shortly after i got on the programme.
i had made good friends with a few folk in the usa on here,and said to the other half,,,shall we go on the trip of a lifetime????????? i had just done my step 5 with my sponsor,but asked her if it was ok to go right in the middle of the steps,she said heck yeh! if she had said it wasnt a good idea i wouldnt have gone!
anyway.................we are booked to go again this year,we fly out to the US 7 weeks today God willing what with the volcano and all,and are attended the world convention in san antonio.
beyond my wildest dreams? heck yeh!
worlds my oyster? heck yeh!
now the little bit of money was a help obviously,but my point is,what a difference getting on the 12 steps has made to this gal.
enjoy your trip yeahgr8,you deserve it
i went on holiday about 3 years ago,week in portugal with my other half whos an alki too.
the beach was 150 yards from our apartment.....did i see it....? no.
i spent all week in an irish bar and a tattoo parlour.
when we got sober at the begining of last year my other half asked if we should go away for a weekend to a hotel for a treat :eek no way! i was terrified,,whenever we went away to hotels it was just to drink,,i mean get blitzed!
i got left a little money last year,shortly after i got on the programme.
i had made good friends with a few folk in the usa on here,and said to the other half,,,shall we go on the trip of a lifetime????????? i had just done my step 5 with my sponsor,but asked her if it was ok to go right in the middle of the steps,she said heck yeh! if she had said it wasnt a good idea i wouldnt have gone!
anyway.................we are booked to go again this year,we fly out to the US 7 weeks today God willing what with the volcano and all,and are attended the world convention in san antonio.
beyond my wildest dreams? heck yeh!
worlds my oyster? heck yeh!
now the little bit of money was a help obviously,but my point is,what a difference getting on the 12 steps has made to this gal.
enjoy your trip yeahgr8,you deserve it
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,058
You rock Yeahgr!!! Thank you for sharing and you are so right about sobriety being far more then just being sober. It's way more then that.
Keep on going my friend......Love reading your thoughts and experience.
Keep on going my friend......Love reading your thoughts and experience.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Hicktown, PA
Posts: 1,479
Thank you so much for sharing that, Yeahgr. That is something that I am going to take to heart...daring to dare is such a newfound idea in my life....never realized what a cage the drinking helped me build...still learning to step outside of it 2 years and some later! Thanks for the great post - have a great trip and I'm with Rev....waiting for pictures! Jomey
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