Jeni26

I'm 5 months sober. Not without its struggles, but I'm doing it.
Sometimes I'm taking huge strides forwards, sometimes it feels like I'm walking through treacle. I over think everything. I procrastinate. I spend too long hypothesising situations until the 'what ifs' become real. But all the time I put one foot in front of each other and keep moving...one day at a time.
After isolating myself from life in order to protect my sobriety, I decided last night to venture out to see some friends.
Normal drinkers, they occasionally share a bottle of wine, but not always. They don't keep a stash like I did, they just buy a bottle when they're socialising. In my drinking days, I used to find evenings with them supremely frustrating. I would take wine and get agitated when they didnt open it immediately, I would find an excuse to leave early so I could rush home and pour vodka down my neck so, in my mind, the evening wasn't wasted. My time with them was always ruined by my obsessing about alcohol.
Well last night, one of the women cooked a lovely meal. She automatically handed me a glass of wine which I had no difficulty in refusing. They had a glass each and switched to coffee.
I felt with the obsession to drink gone, I could really relax and enjoy the evening. I felt so free! We chatted, we laughed, we supported each other with our own issues in life.
So this is what it's like to socialise without fear?!
I like my new life. I like it very much.
Just wanted to share x

Rosiepetal

That is great Jeni.
They sound like a great bunch of friends.
Well done for not overindulging.

bloss

Good for you, I can relate to going home after an evening out and getting down to serious drinking. It is nice not to have to do it anymore. Glad things are going well for you.

Itchy

Thanks for that share! Nice. Grats too on your continuing journey.

Natom

Thank you for your share Jeni. It's so nice being able to turn down our old demons I wonder if you live anywhere near me being as we are both in the south east.

positivelady67

Well done Jeni, I am so glad your felt the strength to come out of isolation and socialise with your friends. I like you, have good friends who actually don't drink too much. I have enjoyed more evenings sober than I ever did when drinking and have belly laughed like you would not believe.

So well done you, sobriety rocks.

By the way what you wrote about your drinking days could have been me writing it, the anxiousness of them not opening the bottle straight away, the wanting to get home to carry on the drinking so as not to waste the evening, omg so exhausting. I am so grateful not to feel like that any more.

Ally
x
p,s I am from the South Eat Too

RevivingOphelia

Wow--that's so cool and wonderful!

hypochondriac

That's ace Jeni. I feel the same now, but it has taken me a long time to get there. I am amazed that I can be around booze and not be even tempted to drink it now. And social occasions are so much easier and relaxing sober x

zanzibar

It's nice to see you enjoying life again Jeni.

Anna

I love this post, Jeni! Terrific!

And, you know, sometimes when we feel like we're moving slowly, if at all, we can expect a breakthrough like you had.

jobei

Great post! I'm so happy for you and your continued success! I say success because that's exactly what it is. You are doing what seemed to be impossible and you deserve a lot of credit for that. Well done sis!

Delilah1

Great post Jeni!!! I am glad you are doing so well.