My Birthday Present-100 Days
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2
My Birthday Present-100 Days
It is my birthday tomorrow and I reached 100 days sober today. This is my first post...I told myself if I reached 100 days I would announce it proudly.
I know that my 100 days coinciding with my birthday is what has been motivating me to keep going. When I started on day 1 (after first going 30 days and then thinking I would be "ok" to drink again) I decided I would try to commit for 100 days since 30 days wasn't enough and obviously didn't do the trick. When I counted out 100 days on my calendar, I couldn't believe it would land the day before my 39th birthday...to me that was a sign. I've been through ups and downs and cravings the past 3 months but knowing I wanted to wake up on my 39th birthday sober and proud of my accomplishment has kept me going. My life has truly gotten better, and I am so appreciative of how far I've come and would never want to go back to drinking or have to start over again. I want to celebrate my big 4-0 next year feeling even better and having accomplished even more.
With that said, I am a big goal setter and when I reach a goal I like to feel "done." It's very strange for me to have reached 100 days and sort of feel like, now what? I know I have my next birthday to keep me going, but I do have this feeling still of when is this going to end? I guess I'm just used to putting in effort and working hard towards something and then checking off the box. It has gotten easier each month as far as managing cravings, feelings and thinking less about drinking, but it is still an every day effort, which is exhausting sometimes for me to wrap my head around doing this "forever." Thanks in advance for any thoughts or experience with this...
I know that my 100 days coinciding with my birthday is what has been motivating me to keep going. When I started on day 1 (after first going 30 days and then thinking I would be "ok" to drink again) I decided I would try to commit for 100 days since 30 days wasn't enough and obviously didn't do the trick. When I counted out 100 days on my calendar, I couldn't believe it would land the day before my 39th birthday...to me that was a sign. I've been through ups and downs and cravings the past 3 months but knowing I wanted to wake up on my 39th birthday sober and proud of my accomplishment has kept me going. My life has truly gotten better, and I am so appreciative of how far I've come and would never want to go back to drinking or have to start over again. I want to celebrate my big 4-0 next year feeling even better and having accomplished even more.
With that said, I am a big goal setter and when I reach a goal I like to feel "done." It's very strange for me to have reached 100 days and sort of feel like, now what? I know I have my next birthday to keep me going, but I do have this feeling still of when is this going to end? I guess I'm just used to putting in effort and working hard towards something and then checking off the box. It has gotten easier each month as far as managing cravings, feelings and thinking less about drinking, but it is still an every day effort, which is exhausting sometimes for me to wrap my head around doing this "forever." Thanks in advance for any thoughts or experience with this...
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,444
Welcome, Happy Birthday and congratulations Hattrick
100 days is great...after around three months I started to look at the more long term things. It probably took me the rest of my first year to really learn to live sober and love it and how to deal with and dismiss the crazy thoughts of drinking again.
After I got the not drinking part down I focused on myself and my life - I figure that's a job that will never be done until I stop breathing ...
If we're doing it right we should all keep growing and changing and trying to improve, IMO
D
With that said, I am a big goal setter and when I reach a goal I like to feel "done." It's very strange for me to have reached 100 days and sort of feel like, now what? I know I have my next birthday to keep me going, but I do have this feeling still of when is this going to end? I guess I'm just used to putting in effort and working hard towards something and then checking off the box. It has gotten easier each month as far as managing cravings, feelings and thinking less about drinking, but it is still an every day effort, which is exhausting sometimes for me to wrap my head around doing this "forever." Thanks in advance for any thoughts or experience with this
After I got the not drinking part down I focused on myself and my life - I figure that's a job that will never be done until I stop breathing ...
If we're doing it right we should all keep growing and changing and trying to improve, IMO
D
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 579
One Day at a Time is much easier for me than a week or year. I wake up every morning and tell myself I'm not drinking today. If I have a thought or craving I tell myself Not Today. Rinse and repeat.
now's the time
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,181
I agree with Dee. Time to set sober life goals
For me, the trick has been to set goals that wouldn't work while I was drinking... either because they'd be out of reach, or because I wouldn't enjoy them.
A small example is that I set a goal to figure out a way to enjoy the winter. I took my first ice skating class this week and it made me so happy. And I felt so gratified, because A) nothing simple and healthy ever made me happy while drinking, B) I'd never have the balance to skate before, and C) I was too lazy. I'd be at home drinking.
A big example is that I'm completely changing my career by learning new skills and going freelance. My goal is to build a client base so that I can work from anywhere I want, so that I can travel more. I would never be responsible enough for this while drinking. And I could never afford the booze on what I'm making!
Every time I make progress on a goal, big or small, I feel both the sense of accomplishment from that goal, and an echo of the sense of accomplishment from being sober.
Congrats on 100 days! Goal setting will be a lot of fun now.
For me, the trick has been to set goals that wouldn't work while I was drinking... either because they'd be out of reach, or because I wouldn't enjoy them.
A small example is that I set a goal to figure out a way to enjoy the winter. I took my first ice skating class this week and it made me so happy. And I felt so gratified, because A) nothing simple and healthy ever made me happy while drinking, B) I'd never have the balance to skate before, and C) I was too lazy. I'd be at home drinking.
A big example is that I'm completely changing my career by learning new skills and going freelance. My goal is to build a client base so that I can work from anywhere I want, so that I can travel more. I would never be responsible enough for this while drinking. And I could never afford the booze on what I'm making!
Every time I make progress on a goal, big or small, I feel both the sense of accomplishment from that goal, and an echo of the sense of accomplishment from being sober.
Congrats on 100 days! Goal setting will be a lot of fun now.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 8,614
Happy Birthday and way to go Hatrick! 100 days is a wonderful milestone.
Maybe you can set another 100 day goal, then another, with a healthy reward at the end that increases with each cycle?
It sounds like you've got a good thing going.
Maybe you can set another 100 day goal, then another, with a healthy reward at the end that increases with each cycle?
It sounds like you've got a good thing going.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,163
HT,
I get it with the goals, many of us are the same.
I suspect your AV will be very active today telling you that its your birthday, you earned it, you can do this, just one day..... if you can do 100 days you got this, etc.
Do not give in -- I can promise you that it is not worth it. You will not just carry on afterwards because that is not how this works -- the hardest thing for most of us to learn was that EVEN though we can stop, we cannot control it once we unstop.
Dont do this to yourself. Give yourself a real birthday present and decide never again -- make that your reality. Make being a non-drinker part of yourself and then work on the rest.
Happy Birthday.
I get it with the goals, many of us are the same.
I suspect your AV will be very active today telling you that its your birthday, you earned it, you can do this, just one day..... if you can do 100 days you got this, etc.
Do not give in -- I can promise you that it is not worth it. You will not just carry on afterwards because that is not how this works -- the hardest thing for most of us to learn was that EVEN though we can stop, we cannot control it once we unstop.
Dont do this to yourself. Give yourself a real birthday present and decide never again -- make that your reality. Make being a non-drinker part of yourself and then work on the rest.
Happy Birthday.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2
Thank you all for your words of advice and encouragement. I am truly inspired and will take them to heart as I reflect on this coming year. It is so nice to be able to celebrate today thinking positively about what lies ahead and not ugh, what demon do I have to tackle, but what is it I'd like to do in life?! It was a present to wake up and get these responses today and start my birthday this way. Thank you!
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