11 Months Sober.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,047
11 Months Sober.
I'm not really an active poster like I use to be, but I do still visit occasionally. Today is my 11 months sober. I was going to pre-type a well thought out post and then post it, but decided against it.
I quit alcohol because I wanted better for myself. I had the confidence to walk away and stay away. I believe those that truly want to quit, and have the confidence to do so, will achieve life long sobriety. If a spouse or someone else of importance tells a person that they need to quit alcohol, and then that person quits, it was not really their choice to quit the alcohol in the first place, and thus I don't see how it would become long term sobriety. The person must want to quit alcohol - for whatever reason - and have the confidence in themselves to go through with it and know that they never want to drink alcohol again. If you don't have confidence in yourself, how are you suppose to resist the urges?
I have a very alcoholic father that insists that alcohol must be present anywhere he goes. I could tell him to quit drinking, give him the facts, and maybe if I'm lucky he would stop drinking. A day or two goes by and he starts drinking again.. Why? Because it wasn't his own decision to quit drinking.
For most of my life I didn't have confidence in myself, but every day that was going by and I was drinking, I was losing any and all confidence that I had in myself. I was really depressed the final night, without knowing what tomorrow was going to bring. I woke up sick and tired of feeling the way I did, and seeing what alcohol was doing to me. I told myself that I quit and I meant it, the first sign of confidence that I have seen in a long time. As the minutes and hours ticked by, I felt more and more secure with who I was, and who I was about to become. I felt good in the morning, and I could wake up and do things.. The wheel kept on turning with positive things and I kept gaining confidence in myself and this helped fuel my sobriety.
I haven't thought about alcohol for several months now. It's good to be out and about and not having to worry about the things I would of worried about back in my drinking days.
Even with no confidence in yourself, you have to dig in deep and find at least a little bit to help you get started. You're doing this for yourself and it's one of the gifts that will keep on giving. I have good days and bad days, it's not all sunshine and rainbows, but even on my worst day, I haven't even had a thought about alcohol and I'm not even kidding. My thoughts when walking out of work from a bad day is to just get home and relax or go out for a walk around the park or lake. It's not "I need a drink" or whatever the feeling I had after work was in my drinking days.
This is your life and your future, think about this positive choice of giving yourself a better life and everything that goes with being able to see things in a clear light.
You can read this and shrug it off, or sit and think about it. It's up to you. You're on Sober Recovery for a reason, you didn't just appear here because you've never had a drop of alcohol. You realize you have a problem and you want to quit.
Enjoy your life for what it is and what it's about to become - Sitting in misery, hatred, and depression will never solve anything. Problems will still exist, the problems that you covered up with alcohol, but masking problems your entire life will just make for a miserable life and you'll never be happy. Solving problems sober is just another great gift that you'll get with sobriety
.
I also had to "ditch" a lot of people whom I thought were "friends" but turns out that the only way we got along was because we had drinking in common. You'll gain new friends with time and you'll be happier when you find friends when you're sober.
Believe in yourself, have confidence, and know that you truly want a better and happier life.
Do you want a miserable life, or a happy one? Your choice.
I quit alcohol because I wanted better for myself. I had the confidence to walk away and stay away. I believe those that truly want to quit, and have the confidence to do so, will achieve life long sobriety. If a spouse or someone else of importance tells a person that they need to quit alcohol, and then that person quits, it was not really their choice to quit the alcohol in the first place, and thus I don't see how it would become long term sobriety. The person must want to quit alcohol - for whatever reason - and have the confidence in themselves to go through with it and know that they never want to drink alcohol again. If you don't have confidence in yourself, how are you suppose to resist the urges?
I have a very alcoholic father that insists that alcohol must be present anywhere he goes. I could tell him to quit drinking, give him the facts, and maybe if I'm lucky he would stop drinking. A day or two goes by and he starts drinking again.. Why? Because it wasn't his own decision to quit drinking.
For most of my life I didn't have confidence in myself, but every day that was going by and I was drinking, I was losing any and all confidence that I had in myself. I was really depressed the final night, without knowing what tomorrow was going to bring. I woke up sick and tired of feeling the way I did, and seeing what alcohol was doing to me. I told myself that I quit and I meant it, the first sign of confidence that I have seen in a long time. As the minutes and hours ticked by, I felt more and more secure with who I was, and who I was about to become. I felt good in the morning, and I could wake up and do things.. The wheel kept on turning with positive things and I kept gaining confidence in myself and this helped fuel my sobriety.
I haven't thought about alcohol for several months now. It's good to be out and about and not having to worry about the things I would of worried about back in my drinking days.
Even with no confidence in yourself, you have to dig in deep and find at least a little bit to help you get started. You're doing this for yourself and it's one of the gifts that will keep on giving. I have good days and bad days, it's not all sunshine and rainbows, but even on my worst day, I haven't even had a thought about alcohol and I'm not even kidding. My thoughts when walking out of work from a bad day is to just get home and relax or go out for a walk around the park or lake. It's not "I need a drink" or whatever the feeling I had after work was in my drinking days.
This is your life and your future, think about this positive choice of giving yourself a better life and everything that goes with being able to see things in a clear light.
You can read this and shrug it off, or sit and think about it. It's up to you. You're on Sober Recovery for a reason, you didn't just appear here because you've never had a drop of alcohol. You realize you have a problem and you want to quit.
Enjoy your life for what it is and what it's about to become - Sitting in misery, hatred, and depression will never solve anything. Problems will still exist, the problems that you covered up with alcohol, but masking problems your entire life will just make for a miserable life and you'll never be happy. Solving problems sober is just another great gift that you'll get with sobriety
. I also had to "ditch" a lot of people whom I thought were "friends" but turns out that the only way we got along was because we had drinking in common. You'll gain new friends with time and you'll be happier when you find friends when you're sober.
Believe in yourself, have confidence, and know that you truly want a better and happier life.
Do you want a miserable life, or a happy one? Your choice.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 100
What a story! I too can relate because 7 times of trying were because someone told me I needed to. That last time, 40 days ago, I can actually say it was me! Finally!! I am taking it day by day, and my desires for that sip are slowly going away. And it happened just like that, woke up tired of how I've been feeling all that time. It just clicked. Congrats on your sobriety!!!!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,387
Gerbosko,
I remember you! When I was starting out your posts were very inspirational to me. This post was very well written and thought out - I love the way you think. Thanks for the positive and thoughtful post. And, hey, don't be such a stranger! Take care and congratulations.
I remember you! When I was starting out your posts were very inspirational to me. This post was very well written and thought out - I love the way you think. Thanks for the positive and thoughtful post. And, hey, don't be such a stranger! Take care and congratulations.
Keep on keepin' on!
You are really a good writer!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,247
Hey Gerbosko.....Really...Really nice post.
First congratulations of 11 months.. You appear to be in a good place as a result of not drinking..
Secondly...thanks for taking the time to give an update...For me personally, where I am at the moment, I find comments like this to be very hopeful and inspirational....It is so very easy, for me, and others where I am at, to give in, then regret the decision. It is nice to read about other who have achieved success.
Thanks again.
Jim..
First congratulations of 11 months.. You appear to be in a good place as a result of not drinking..
Secondly...thanks for taking the time to give an update...For me personally, where I am at the moment, I find comments like this to be very hopeful and inspirational....It is so very easy, for me, and others where I am at, to give in, then regret the decision. It is nice to read about other who have achieved success.
Thanks again.
Jim..
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