999 bottles of beer on the wall
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,439
999 bottles of beer on the wall
OK, this has nothing to do with bottles of beer other than today is 999 days since I last had one. I've always counted days sober. Every day I write in my planner how many days I have. I think it's a way of appreciating how far I've come and committing to stay sober that day.
Things do keep getting better and better. It's not like life becomes some sort of fairy tale. I still have problems- both big and small. Right now, I am struggling a lot with my relationship- it may really just be over, but I can't quite admit it and part of me still wants to see if I can make it work somehow (despite no sign that the guy feels the same!).
But under that... I see so much growth in myself. There are still tough situations, but how I handle them is 100% different. I'm not acting out or drinking to try to deal with the pain. I'm going deep, feeling my feelings, journaling, talking to people and reaching out for support, doing yoga daily and sticking to a routine of going to bed at a reasonable time, getting up early, taking a shower, eating breakfast, doing a few chores and some work.
I can remember once when I was going through a break-up when I was drinking and my routine was to get up, go out to the garage (since I didn't smoke in the house), start drinking rum, chain-smoking, smoking weed and playing games on my cell phone. Some times, I wouldn't shower all day. Even though I'm struggling now, I accomplish more in the first two hours I'm awake than I would have if I was going through the same thing when I was drinking.
In the big picture, I have so much to be grateful for. I'm doing much better at my job and I made more in 2015 than any other year in my life. I started a retirement account last year (I'm self-employed, so if I don't save, I won't be retiring) and I totaled up how much I put in for 2015 and was amazed! I don't live close to my family, but my relationship with some of them has really improved. I've been fortunate in being able to travel quite a bit the last year and see and do some really cool things.
My social life isn't the best and I feel limited by where I live, but I still go to AA meetings twice a week and to yoga classes 2-3 times a week. I make the effort to get out and get involved. And I have solid plans to actually get out of this sleepy little town, rather than continuing to complain that there is nothing here for me. I have plans to move into my little RV, sell my house and hit the road in the next couple of months! I am really at this phase where I am able to look at my real dreams for life and make them a reality!
I made a post at 6 months on what I did to get there, so rather than repeat it, I'll just post the link. http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...along-way.html
Oh, and I just hit 3 years cigarette-free too! Quitting smoking was in many ways my introduction to a lot of recovery principles and what I really think what I learned along the way there was what enabled me to be successful when I went to quit drinking.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-quitting.html
If you're early on in the recovery process, I want to say that there is hope and things get better than you will ever imagine!
Things do keep getting better and better. It's not like life becomes some sort of fairy tale. I still have problems- both big and small. Right now, I am struggling a lot with my relationship- it may really just be over, but I can't quite admit it and part of me still wants to see if I can make it work somehow (despite no sign that the guy feels the same!).
But under that... I see so much growth in myself. There are still tough situations, but how I handle them is 100% different. I'm not acting out or drinking to try to deal with the pain. I'm going deep, feeling my feelings, journaling, talking to people and reaching out for support, doing yoga daily and sticking to a routine of going to bed at a reasonable time, getting up early, taking a shower, eating breakfast, doing a few chores and some work.
I can remember once when I was going through a break-up when I was drinking and my routine was to get up, go out to the garage (since I didn't smoke in the house), start drinking rum, chain-smoking, smoking weed and playing games on my cell phone. Some times, I wouldn't shower all day. Even though I'm struggling now, I accomplish more in the first two hours I'm awake than I would have if I was going through the same thing when I was drinking.
In the big picture, I have so much to be grateful for. I'm doing much better at my job and I made more in 2015 than any other year in my life. I started a retirement account last year (I'm self-employed, so if I don't save, I won't be retiring) and I totaled up how much I put in for 2015 and was amazed! I don't live close to my family, but my relationship with some of them has really improved. I've been fortunate in being able to travel quite a bit the last year and see and do some really cool things.
My social life isn't the best and I feel limited by where I live, but I still go to AA meetings twice a week and to yoga classes 2-3 times a week. I make the effort to get out and get involved. And I have solid plans to actually get out of this sleepy little town, rather than continuing to complain that there is nothing here for me. I have plans to move into my little RV, sell my house and hit the road in the next couple of months! I am really at this phase where I am able to look at my real dreams for life and make them a reality!
I made a post at 6 months on what I did to get there, so rather than repeat it, I'll just post the link. http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...along-way.html
Oh, and I just hit 3 years cigarette-free too! Quitting smoking was in many ways my introduction to a lot of recovery principles and what I really think what I learned along the way there was what enabled me to be successful when I went to quit drinking.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-quitting.html
If you're early on in the recovery process, I want to say that there is hope and things get better than you will ever imagine!
Recoverer of Self
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 297
DG...Thank you for your post! And congratulations on all your success!!!!! Super motivating! I've gone through some of your posts and plan to read more...they have been inspirational!!!
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,439
Originally Posted by Jsbodhi 
Awesome post!!!
Today is day 1 for cigs
All the best xoxo
Today is day 1 for cigs
All the best xoxo
Way to go on day 1!! I think that is absolutely the most important day out of all of them since nobody gets to any other number without it.
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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Originally Posted by Fabat50
(You say you sometimes did not shower all day... I have managed a whole week before!!! But that is all in the past.)
I'm kidding of course. I really did think I was still a functional alcoholic when I quit though. While I did still have a job, I don't know how I ever thought waking up to a bottle of hard liquor day after day counted as functioning. Of course, in my mind, I needed it to deal with what I was going through.
So glad those days are past!
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