yoli

I was wondering what kind of "tools" people are using through recovery and maintaining recovery.

For me,

I'm avoiding stress - try not to do too much
If working late, bring a delicious dinner, beverage and play my I-phone
Deep breathing
SR

*** Do you have "tools" that work for you? ***

VeeTee

SR, AA, Gratitude, reminding myself on a daily basis what it was like when I was drinking.

I wish I could say I am working the steps but I am not doing so at the moment. Defi a tool I need to use more!

Vee

abstinant

My tools? Realizing I was going to be dead in under 5 years if I kept it up. AND the fact that I wanted to lose the 60 pounds I'd gained in 20 years of continual drinking empty calories.

Veritas1

My tools in the "spiritual toolkit" are: The book Alcoholics Anonymous (the big book), prayers to God, guidance and direction from members of AA, listening to AA speakers, workshops, and book studies.

I have people that I can telephone or pm here at SR for assistance.

I also read other AA based literature.

Another great tool is my experience. It taught me that I was powerless over alcohol and my life was unmanageable. My experience, as long as I keep a current step one, helps me to see the full knowledge of my condition. That I need help. That I need to change. That the main problem centers in my mind.

Honesty, Willingness, Openmindedness, Belief in the power of God, patience, labor, humility...these are essential tools...

Zebra1275

I use many tools to stay sober, and I'm sure other's will be along shortly to describe a bunch of them.

One thing you also need to do is develop some replacement behaviors (a hobby, exercise, learn to play the piano, whatever) to fill the time you used to use drinking and recovering from drinking. Sure SR and AA are important in my life but there is more to life than recovery, especially once you get some sober time in.

Turtle228

So far SR, Big Book,Agatha Christie, computer solitaire.

saint anthony

New to this area of trying to not drink. I fool myself that I don't drink in the day and only at night. It is in the morning then when I wake up that I look lousy, feel tired and know it has got to stop. Will be here to see if I can get some tips and ideas for staying without that glass in my hand.
saint anthony

Francismcan

You must grasp and develop a manner of living that demands rigorous honesty

g-go to alcoholics anonymous and narcotics anonymous meetings

g-get a sponsor with five years of 12 step sobriety

r-read the big book and /or the basic text and recovery related literature

r-(w) rite out everything these books and your sponsor instructs you to do

a-abstain from all mood altering drugs and alcohol

a-avoid all the old playgrounds, playmates and playthings

a-absolute honesty in all your affairs

a-ask your higher power to show you his will for you each morning

a-attend 12 step meetings regularly and attent your home group

s-sponsor get one with five years of 12 step sobriety and call them daily

s-steps twelve of them, work the steps in writing with your sopnsor

s-serenity prrayer, memorize it and say it often

s-spiritual principles, learn them, live them, practice them

p-pray and meditate daily to obtain conscious contact with your higher power

p-practice the spiritual principles in all your affairs

p-practice principles before personalities

p-play and work and play and work

p-phone recovering group members

grasp and develop a manner of living that demands rigorous honesty

COPYRIGHT 2001 Francis P. McAnarney, Spiritual Disease of Addiction,
WWW.spiritualdiseaseofaddiction.com

fulminouscherub

Sponsor. He helped me take the 12 steps. I try to talk to him every week, often when going to a meeting together.

12 Steps. An important part of recovery is learning how to be accountable for your behavior and how to let go of things that aren't working in your life. The 12 steps help you learn how to do these things.

Meetings. I go to meetings to hear both positive and negative messages. I get to hear how thriving in sobriety is a skill that gets better with practice. I also get to hear what happens to those who turn their backs on sobriety. I find I prefer a mix of 3 per week, a mix of bigbook studies, speaker meetings, and participation meetings. If I don't make at least one meeting that is a personal red flag to me.

Service. To my family. To my housemates. To my community through volunteer work.

I hope to get better about making phone calls to other alcoholics. Many I admire state that they call an alcoholic every day. I hope to acquire that tool myself. There is great strength in the fellowship. I need to tap into that more.

Although I haven't cut myself off from the people I used to party with, I socialize with them much less. I really like to hike, so I go to a lot of hiking meetup type functions. Not sober, per se, but partying has no place there. I've found out about a local sober backpacking group. I hope to participate with them once it warms up and dries out a bit more.

pocketpanda

This is a good question and I'll be reading this thread very closely after work. It is clear to me today on my Day Two that I do NOT have the tools to cope with this. I'm having a challenging day at work and like nearly ALL of my Day Twos, I don't see any reason not to go home and open a bottle of wine with dinner. And then drink it all over the course of the evening.

EmeraldRose

Well, I don't know about you guys but when I drank I certainly was not myself. So being as I drank for most of my adult life my first priority is to connect with me. I need to understand what I want from life -my true destinations, future plans. Not just where I expect to be in 10 years but what is it that I will do to fill those 10 years.
My dreams...what do I like to do? What do I like to eat? What do I want to watch on TV? You think, Oh, these are simple questions...not really if you've always moderated and compromised your life for and with others.

I think having a "list" of things you need to do can be way overwhelming. That is like telling a child to go clean your room. They go and stand in their room and cry because it is an overwhelming task to achieve. But if you say "go in your room and make your bed" that narrows it down and makes the chore more achievable.

I have memorized the serenity prayer, I come here as often as time allows, I try to live each day with the best intentions towards lifelong sobriety and always remember that it isn't as easy for some. I try to offer my help (part of recovery) and I try to be a good friend. All of these things are within my power. It is not a list of tools ~ it is my life.

LaFemme

There is nothing more important to my well being than living in gratitude.

Especially when its hard to feel grateful is when you need it most.

There is no room for fear in a grateful heart.

SwanSong

Learning how to pause, and then respond rather than just react has been extremely helpful to me.

Kjell

Well said and prob one of the most important "tools" to have - gratitude. A grateful recovering alcoholic simply will not drink.

I want to add that gratitude is shown in our feet. We have to work for it, not just talk about it though.

My tools include working all 12 steps of AA to have the obession to drink removed and coming here to SR. This includes helping others.

Also eating well, running, playing sports, working out, reading and....

....being open minded, honest, and willing.

Kjell~

pocketpanda

I'm really to early into recovery to understand this. Heck, I'm just at the thinking about it and exploring tools and options phase.

But, I'm a grateful person. I live thankful for every day and for all the wonderful things about life big and small. I can get all teary eyed just now thinking about it, but I still drink. I don't think the gratitude I have for the wonderful world in which I live, and for the incredible fortunate good luck I'm so not worthy of, is stopping me from drinking.

I'm not being rude. Sincerely. I'm simply curious how this works. Do you mean simply grateful for being sober "today"?

Kjell

Hi PP-

I couldn't understand it either, in the beginning, when someone would identify themselves as a "grateful recovering alcoholic".

Who in the world would be grateful to be an alcoholic, recovery or not, right?

...but through hard work, and working all 12 steps of AA, and being open minded, honest, and willing, I've become a grateful recovering alcoholic.

I was told - "more will be revealed" and that has been exactly my experience in AA and on here in SR.

You can be too, if you want to be.

Kjell~

pocketpanda

Thanks for the response, Kjell. I've started this journey whether I want to or not and will have to rely on those like you who are farther along and more knowledgeable than I. (And oh, I think I know everything :-/ )

Thanks for providing guidance and sharing your experience!

Anna

I have found that balance is really important for me.

So, I exercise, do yoga/mediate, read books on spirituality, and try to write sometimes, too. And, I always come here to SR.

Missy7

SR has been my main tool in this short journey. I have also found that I need to sleep. Breathing is more important than it sounds.

Long television series are helpful. I am currently very involved in the show Jockeys--for better or worse. It's on Netflix and each episode leads into the next so I have to stay and watch. (all really drinkable alcohol has left the house) This would be true of any number of shows. I've just uploaded Buffy. This is not as frivolous as it may sound. For my mind at least, I need long-term engagement. So if I can stay engaged I'm less likely to get into trouble.

SR

And I have come to understand the gratefulness. It happened really quickly for me--although I don't imagine I really get it.

Two days after my last serious, shaking, heart-pounding hangover (tequila drinker) I was thankful
A day later when I began to smile I became grateful
When my workload stopped being an impossible boogeyman I shed tears of gratitude.

Then I felt so good I relapsed briefly.

Tool:

SR

Today I am again grateful.

Kmber2010

SR and counseling have been the biggie tools.

For me it is making everyday count