8 Months Sober!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ontario
Posts: 392
8 Months Sober!
I am 8 months sober today and it feels so satisfying. I am beginning to realize how selfish I was during my drinking days. I spent my time drinking instead of doing. That has changed in the past 8 months. I am taking better care of myself than perhaps ever and I am giving more to the people around me. I see things more clearly and I am learning how to experience my feelings without running away.
Maintaining my sobriety has gotten easier over the past 4 months. It is my new normal, I can enjoy socializing and all aspects of life without it now. I can comfort myself and celebrate life’s blessings without alcohol. It is becoming less about what I don’t have now that I am sober (hangovers, middle of the night nausea, vomiting before breakfast, the runs, pounding headaches, trouble sleeping, memory loss, embarrassing personal conversations with people I barely know, mysterious bruises, liver pain, tremors, anxiety, regrettable sexual experiences, intense guilt, obsessive worry about the health of my liver & brain, shame, frequent trips to the liquor store, the need to be sneaky about how much I was drinking, the habit of endlessly counting my drinks to collect data regarding how safe my drinking was or wasn’t, and an empty wallet) and more about what I do have because I am sober (better health, richer relationships, a sense of accomplishment, the ability to persevere in the face of adversity, a greater sense of self-confidence, a feeling of pride, self-esteem, a deeper knowing of who I really am, experience with serenity, hope for the future, the ability to take care of my responsibilities, a thirst for life, and a willingness to try new things, meet new people, and change my perceptions every day). Also, I have more time because I am not drunk or hung over I get more time to experience my life which I am so grateful for.
My sobriety also matters to me because it makes my life so much more manageable than it was without it. I am able to accomplish and do things that I could only dream about while drinking. I never want to lose what I have gained by working towards this length of continuous sobriety because it is terrifying to imagine going back. I know I have said this many times before but sobriety is truly the foundation upon which I am building my life. I want to be a sober woman, student, citizen, neighbour, girlfriend, co-worker, manager, wife, mother, friend, lover, and grandmother. I just want to honour my life and the lives of my ancestors by giving it the very best that I have and to me that means living it with a clear head and an open heart, sobriety gives me the opportunity to do that. Thank you SR for supporting me through these past eight months! I couldn’t have done it without you.
Maintaining my sobriety has gotten easier over the past 4 months. It is my new normal, I can enjoy socializing and all aspects of life without it now. I can comfort myself and celebrate life’s blessings without alcohol. It is becoming less about what I don’t have now that I am sober (hangovers, middle of the night nausea, vomiting before breakfast, the runs, pounding headaches, trouble sleeping, memory loss, embarrassing personal conversations with people I barely know, mysterious bruises, liver pain, tremors, anxiety, regrettable sexual experiences, intense guilt, obsessive worry about the health of my liver & brain, shame, frequent trips to the liquor store, the need to be sneaky about how much I was drinking, the habit of endlessly counting my drinks to collect data regarding how safe my drinking was or wasn’t, and an empty wallet) and more about what I do have because I am sober (better health, richer relationships, a sense of accomplishment, the ability to persevere in the face of adversity, a greater sense of self-confidence, a feeling of pride, self-esteem, a deeper knowing of who I really am, experience with serenity, hope for the future, the ability to take care of my responsibilities, a thirst for life, and a willingness to try new things, meet new people, and change my perceptions every day). Also, I have more time because I am not drunk or hung over I get more time to experience my life which I am so grateful for.
My sobriety also matters to me because it makes my life so much more manageable than it was without it. I am able to accomplish and do things that I could only dream about while drinking. I never want to lose what I have gained by working towards this length of continuous sobriety because it is terrifying to imagine going back. I know I have said this many times before but sobriety is truly the foundation upon which I am building my life. I want to be a sober woman, student, citizen, neighbour, girlfriend, co-worker, manager, wife, mother, friend, lover, and grandmother. I just want to honour my life and the lives of my ancestors by giving it the very best that I have and to me that means living it with a clear head and an open heart, sobriety gives me the opportunity to do that. Thank you SR for supporting me through these past eight months! I couldn’t have done it without you.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,996
Hello Flying4Life,
Congratulations! You sound as though you are in a very happy place!
Thank you for this beautifully written post. You have eloquently put into words many of the sentiments and realizations that I too, have come to in sobriety, but I don't have the talent to adequately express them, as you have done.
I'm happy for you!
Congratulations! You sound as though you are in a very happy place!
Thank you for this beautifully written post. You have eloquently put into words many of the sentiments and realizations that I too, have come to in sobriety, but I don't have the talent to adequately express them, as you have done.
I'm happy for you!
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
