growth - silly epiphany
learning to live
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,665
growth - silly epiphany
As I walked on the treadmill today, something came to me. Not drinking alcohol is just a small part of the process of recovery. Recovering on mind, body and soul.
Recovery of the mind, body and soul is a lot of hard work. I took lots of time damaging any progress I may have made in my younger days (if any) pertaining to these things it is going to take hard work to build that back or have peace in these places at all. Nothing worth having comes easy.
Not drinking alcohol is a necessity for me to build a better life for myself. I am an alcoholic and when alcohol is in the picture nothing else matters! Without being fogged by it I enable myself to build myself up spiritually, mentally and physically. But, this is just the start.... it is up to me to put forth the effort to build that for myself.
I have to learn and figure out what makes me happy. The ultimate goal is to be happy. But that just doesn't appear out of nowhere I have to search, fall and realize what provides well being for me then work my butt off for it.
I have realized for a spiritual well being within I have to work for that relationship with God. It doesn't just come.
To have friends, family, love interest all healthy relationships I have to work for them and put forth effort and treat people the way I would like to be treated in return.
For health and physical well being I have to put forth the effort to eat healthy and do some sort of exercise. It wont just happen.
For meditation and relaxation I have to practice and practice some more to get to a state of mind that enables me to do so.
To enrich my brain I have to read and study.
To stay sober I have to learn with each craving, occasion, emotion, illness how to get through it. I have to build tools and find out on my own what works for me to not drink.
These are the things I know now but with time, effort and learning more things will come to mind that I need in my daily life for that ultimate happiness goal.
This may sound silly to a lot of you. But, it was like an epiphany for me. I kept waiting for the AHHH HAAA moment out of nowhere but I now see that AHH Ha moment is only going to come from within me and the amount of effort I put forth. Simply not drinking is not going to make life perfect. Life will never be perfect but depending on how much effort I put into the things depends on how much of a BALANCED, happy, content individual I am..... AND ONLY I can provide that for myself! I think I am starting to grow & I am so excited for the future
I just wanted to share this with some of my closest friend (YOU GUYS) who could understand!!! Thank you as always for being here for me!!!!! Your friendships and guidance you provide do more for this girl than you could ever imagine!!!
Any thoughts, advice, anything is welcome on this thread. I would love to hear it!!!!!!
SR!!
Recovery of the mind, body and soul is a lot of hard work. I took lots of time damaging any progress I may have made in my younger days (if any) pertaining to these things it is going to take hard work to build that back or have peace in these places at all. Nothing worth having comes easy.
Not drinking alcohol is a necessity for me to build a better life for myself. I am an alcoholic and when alcohol is in the picture nothing else matters! Without being fogged by it I enable myself to build myself up spiritually, mentally and physically. But, this is just the start.... it is up to me to put forth the effort to build that for myself.
I have to learn and figure out what makes me happy. The ultimate goal is to be happy. But that just doesn't appear out of nowhere I have to search, fall and realize what provides well being for me then work my butt off for it.
I have realized for a spiritual well being within I have to work for that relationship with God. It doesn't just come.
To have friends, family, love interest all healthy relationships I have to work for them and put forth effort and treat people the way I would like to be treated in return.
For health and physical well being I have to put forth the effort to eat healthy and do some sort of exercise. It wont just happen.
For meditation and relaxation I have to practice and practice some more to get to a state of mind that enables me to do so.
To enrich my brain I have to read and study.
To stay sober I have to learn with each craving, occasion, emotion, illness how to get through it. I have to build tools and find out on my own what works for me to not drink.
These are the things I know now but with time, effort and learning more things will come to mind that I need in my daily life for that ultimate happiness goal.
This may sound silly to a lot of you. But, it was like an epiphany for me. I kept waiting for the AHHH HAAA moment out of nowhere but I now see that AHH Ha moment is only going to come from within me and the amount of effort I put forth. Simply not drinking is not going to make life perfect. Life will never be perfect but depending on how much effort I put into the things depends on how much of a BALANCED, happy, content individual I am..... AND ONLY I can provide that for myself! I think I am starting to grow & I am so excited for the future
I just wanted to share this with some of my closest friend (YOU GUYS) who could understand!!! Thank you as always for being here for me!!!!! Your friendships and guidance you provide do more for this girl than you could ever imagine!!!
Any thoughts, advice, anything is welcome on this thread. I would love to hear it!!!!!!
SR!!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,867
Great post, growpath; full of self-awareness.
I, too, found that there was so much more to sobriety than abstinence. There were psychological, emotional and spiritual repairs and adjustments to be made.
Thanks for this post, growpath.
I, too, found that there was so much more to sobriety than abstinence. There were psychological, emotional and spiritual repairs and adjustments to be made.
Thanks for this post, growpath.
learning to live
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,665
thanks Dee, Jennie, Leigh and Wolf!!!!
So, now it is time for me to get to work, lol
feels nice to have a starting point...well actually a head start with sobriety
...each day really is a gift and we should all take full advantage of this gift. I promise myself to live every day to the fullest from here on out learning and growing in every positive way available and the possibilities are endless <3
So, now it is time for me to get to work, lol
feels nice to have a starting point...well actually a head start with sobriety ...each day really is a gift and we should all take full advantage of this gift. I promise myself to live every day to the fullest from here on out learning and growing in every positive way available and the possibilities are endless <3
Life is an unlikely miracle.
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: England
Posts: 1,859
Growpath, thank you so much for your post. 
I'd never thought of it like that , but you are so right. Everything takes work, and focus.
I love this place so much, I learn so much from so many every single day here.
I'd never thought of it like that , but you are so right. Everything takes work, and focus.
I love this place so much, I learn so much from so many every single day here.
learning to live
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,665
That's awesome Janie!! ((())) I am so glad you learned from my post. I, like you, think SR is so great. I read AT LEAST 3 post a day that enlighten me! Let's keep on goin together! There is always room to learn more
Let's keep on goin together! There is always room to learn more 
You are learning much faster than I did. Proud of you growpath.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,831
Great post growpath. At one time I would have thought that quitting alcohol would be the end of the story, now I see that it's the beginning.
Becoming sober, however, is that critical first step. Otherwise there will definitely be a 'failure to launch '.
Becoming sober, however, is that critical first step. Otherwise there will definitely be a 'failure to launch '.
learning to live
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,665
Originally Posted by fromadistance 
Great post growpath. At one time I would have thought that quitting alcohol would be the end of the story, now I see that it's the beginning.
Becoming sober, however, is that critical first step. Otherwise there will definitely be a 'failure to launch '.
Becoming sober, however, is that critical first step. Otherwise there will definitely be a 'failure to launch '.
learning to live
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,665
Hey guys!! Thanks for the nice replies this was actually written when I was less than a month sober :-0 today is 79 days! I retread the initial post and wow I was thinking how far I have come since then!
Sobriety is so awesome. It brings so much growth and sanity to my life.
The beginning is very hard and life still literally sucks some days BUT now I see getting through those days makes me stronger.
It amazes me how much growth I have encountered in 79 days just because I opened my heart and mind to giving sobriety a whole hearted shot no matter how hard it was. I made one rule, don't drink and that lead me to a life I never thought I could have, ever.
I can't imagine where I'll be in 179 days etc
I am so glad I put forth the effort for recovery because it was the best thing for me. As FAD said above. It truly was JUST the beginning
Hugs and love to you all
this was actually written when I was less than a month sober :-0 today is 79 days! I retread the initial post and wow I was thinking how far I have come since then!Sobriety is so awesome. It brings so much growth and sanity to my life.
The beginning is very hard and life still literally sucks some days BUT now I see getting through those days makes me stronger.
It amazes me how much growth I have encountered in 79 days just because I opened my heart and mind to giving sobriety a whole hearted shot no matter how hard it was. I made one rule, don't drink and that lead me to a life I never thought I could have, ever.
I can't imagine where I'll be in 179 days etc
I am so glad I put forth the effort for recovery because it was the best thing for me. As FAD said above. It truly was JUST the beginning
Hugs and love to you all
learning to live
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,665
And Useto* your reply is so true!!! The next two weeks even now will be as you said above Some days are like stagnant (weeks even) then BOOM it's like a little more healing and growth pops up. I just gotta keep doing the next right thing, trying, keeping a positive attitude and above all don't give up Awe I just love SR
Some days are like stagnant (weeks even) then BOOM it's like a little more healing and growth pops up. I just gotta keep doing the next right thing, trying, keeping a positive attitude and above all don't give up Awe I just love SR 
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