One year challenge
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 754
One year challenge
It’s funny how words can shape our behavior. The current Ice Bucket Challenge has spread like crazy and, because they’ve been “challenged”, people are doing what they otherwise would NOT be doing…pouring a bucket of ice water on themselves. Of course it’s for a good cause. Humm, isn’t abstinence a good cause too?
As you can tell from my join date, I’ve been here for a while. However, I have not been able to muster the fortitude to stay committed. I quit, then I “control” my behavior, then I quit, then I “control”, etc. But this time it feels different. I’ve accepted a one year challenge and my mindset is strong. For me, forever was unbearable - and one day at a time gave me a forgivable slip from time to time. After all, tomorrow is another one day…or day one.
Now I have an attainable challenge. Perhaps most important, I have a best friend who is a few months ahead of me and is my rock. I have a plan. I have a goal. I have support. I have tremendous faith in the God I know and trust implicitly.
It is only one week for me today, but I am ready for the days ahead. It's going to be a great year!
As you can tell from my join date, I’ve been here for a while. However, I have not been able to muster the fortitude to stay committed. I quit, then I “control” my behavior, then I quit, then I “control”, etc. But this time it feels different. I’ve accepted a one year challenge and my mindset is strong. For me, forever was unbearable - and one day at a time gave me a forgivable slip from time to time. After all, tomorrow is another one day…or day one.
Now I have an attainable challenge. Perhaps most important, I have a best friend who is a few months ahead of me and is my rock. I have a plan. I have a goal. I have support. I have tremendous faith in the God I know and trust implicitly.
It is only one week for me today, but I am ready for the days ahead. It's going to be a great year!
Last edited by benice; 09-12-2014 at 09:59 AM. Reason: spelling
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
Love the message of the Serenity prayer you have as your avatar!
Especially appreciate the remainder in the long ( original ) version :
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.
Amen.
Especially appreciate the remainder in the long ( original ) version :
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.
Amen.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 754
Flynbuy, I agree! Love the full text. My grandmother did a counted cross stitch of the short version and it is hanging in my kitchen. My kids grew up with it...not equating it to drinking, but to every aspect of life. One of my kids printed it and put it in a frame in her own room. Sweet!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 380
That's great! I started with a 30 day challenge. Then I moved to 6 months. Then a year after that. Now there's really no looking back. I'm extremely goal oriented so it worked for me; especially to get started. SR had played a key roll in my continued sobriety. Good luck to you!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Midwest, USA
Posts: 1,022
I wish you good luck, but I worry that a year is just too big.
I am at fourteen? months sober now. I'm not saying people can't get to a year, generally, or that you specifically cannot get to a year -- that's not my point at all.
I just think there's a reason for the saying, "one day at a time," and the reason is because contemplating the idea of longer and longer periods of sobriety doesn't help your chances, at least not early in the process. The combined weight of all of those days ends up being this huge mountain, or at least perceived as such, and it's too easy to look at that and then say, "well, that looks hard, I guess I'm just going to give up and drink."
So that's why I don't aim for years at a time -- too much for me to bite off at one time.
I am at fourteen? months sober now. I'm not saying people can't get to a year, generally, or that you specifically cannot get to a year -- that's not my point at all.
I just think there's a reason for the saying, "one day at a time," and the reason is because contemplating the idea of longer and longer periods of sobriety doesn't help your chances, at least not early in the process. The combined weight of all of those days ends up being this huge mountain, or at least perceived as such, and it's too easy to look at that and then say, "well, that looks hard, I guess I'm just going to give up and drink."
So that's why I don't aim for years at a time -- too much for me to bite off at one time.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 754
Notmyrealname,
I totally get it! This is not my forst time around the block. I have had more day ones than I can count. And maybe I could have chosen a shorter goal, but one year is pretty much a full time commitment to say I want this for the long haul. It makes me look at myself as a non drinking person. I can't explain how my mind played games with earlier attempts to quit as just siestas until I could get it back under control.
And I was a heavy drinker and a problem drinker, but always remained "in control". Never drank before 5:00. Never drank too much when out. Always finished drinking at home before bed. Never got sick. Rarely had a hangover. Never missed work. But drank every night! Planed around it. Made sure the home supply was full before going out. So... Did I control my drinking or did it control me?
I totally get it! This is not my forst time around the block. I have had more day ones than I can count. And maybe I could have chosen a shorter goal, but one year is pretty much a full time commitment to say I want this for the long haul. It makes me look at myself as a non drinking person. I can't explain how my mind played games with earlier attempts to quit as just siestas until I could get it back under control.
And I was a heavy drinker and a problem drinker, but always remained "in control". Never drank before 5:00. Never drank too much when out. Always finished drinking at home before bed. Never got sick. Rarely had a hangover. Never missed work. But drank every night! Planed around it. Made sure the home supply was full before going out. So... Did I control my drinking or did it control me?
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