Find those sobriety legs!
Mini Novel Post Writer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,649
Find those sobriety legs!
I don't like being at home alone these days. Not because I'm afraid I'll drink but because that's when I'm prone to wallow in the darkness. My mind wants to take over and think about the bad experiences. Impending doom of the upcoming, unknown things I have to soon face. To busy my mind with the positive I come here to gain hope from first time new comers and those who are fighting the daily fight and returning here. I seek out the messages from those with some time and read how they're feeling. As long as that's happening there is hope.
This is a message for those who are new or who are discouraged who consider giving up. We want to think that just because we want to quit that that it should be so. When our resolve is the strongest we are happy, content that we've made a good decision and are on the right path.
Then, the cravings come. We don't realize how really hard it can be to say no. How sometimes it takes every single ounce of strength and determination to walk away from the craving. To ride it out and let it pass. So in some instances, what do we do? We do give up. We assume that just because we weren't able to hold down the fort that it's over. It's useless. It's NOT.
Every time you make the attempt to quit you are learning something. You're gathering information. What are the triggers? When is it that you are climbing the walls? What isn't working for you? What is working?
Eventually, if you're truly serious about quitting you're going to have to find a way to let yourself get through those times. Formulate a plan. If that plan didn't work you've now learned it didn't work so you have to make a new plan.
Every single time you walk away the good news is that you haven't lost what you accomplished. In fact, you've learned something. Use that to your advantage and regroup.
Think of sobriety as somewhat like a child learning how to walk. When's the last time you heard a parent say "I don't know what happened! The baby went from not even knowing how to roll over to standing on it's legs and running!"? Sobriety is much in the same. It's a learning process. The baby will go from rolling over to learning how to crawl. Then, how to pull itself up on something to stand. Then, moving one foot in front of the other as he walks from one end of the couch to the other. Finally, the day that he lets go. What happens then? Of course, he falls on his butt to the ground. He gets frustrated. Then he repeats the process. Back up to hold onto the couch, walking back and forth and his brain begins to understand balance. One day he finally does it. He lets go and is able to move one foot and take a step. This is a daily process which becomes two steps, so on and so forth until he finally realizes balance and is able to move from one piece of furniture to the other. He has found his balance and his footing. All a learning process.
Sobriety is much like this. Each time you put the effort in you're learning something new, making adjustments. You gain knowledge and understanding. When you relapse all the work you did do wasn't for naught, it's all a part of the process. You are not defeated, it's just time to do something different.
Don't ever give up. There will be a day you'll gain those sober legs and put one foot in front of the other. This CAN be done.
You have sober legs and you will find them.
This is a message for those who are new or who are discouraged who consider giving up. We want to think that just because we want to quit that that it should be so. When our resolve is the strongest we are happy, content that we've made a good decision and are on the right path.
Then, the cravings come. We don't realize how really hard it can be to say no. How sometimes it takes every single ounce of strength and determination to walk away from the craving. To ride it out and let it pass. So in some instances, what do we do? We do give up. We assume that just because we weren't able to hold down the fort that it's over. It's useless. It's NOT.
Every time you make the attempt to quit you are learning something. You're gathering information. What are the triggers? When is it that you are climbing the walls? What isn't working for you? What is working?
Eventually, if you're truly serious about quitting you're going to have to find a way to let yourself get through those times. Formulate a plan. If that plan didn't work you've now learned it didn't work so you have to make a new plan.
Every single time you walk away the good news is that you haven't lost what you accomplished. In fact, you've learned something. Use that to your advantage and regroup.
Think of sobriety as somewhat like a child learning how to walk. When's the last time you heard a parent say "I don't know what happened! The baby went from not even knowing how to roll over to standing on it's legs and running!"? Sobriety is much in the same. It's a learning process. The baby will go from rolling over to learning how to crawl. Then, how to pull itself up on something to stand. Then, moving one foot in front of the other as he walks from one end of the couch to the other. Finally, the day that he lets go. What happens then? Of course, he falls on his butt to the ground. He gets frustrated. Then he repeats the process. Back up to hold onto the couch, walking back and forth and his brain begins to understand balance. One day he finally does it. He lets go and is able to move one foot and take a step. This is a daily process which becomes two steps, so on and so forth until he finally realizes balance and is able to move from one piece of furniture to the other. He has found his balance and his footing. All a learning process.
Sobriety is much like this. Each time you put the effort in you're learning something new, making adjustments. You gain knowledge and understanding. When you relapse all the work you did do wasn't for naught, it's all a part of the process. You are not defeated, it's just time to do something different.
Don't ever give up. There will be a day you'll gain those sober legs and put one foot in front of the other. This CAN be done.
You have sober legs and you will find them.
Re-Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 7,909
Agreed. I'm on day 75 sober today but have known for most of the last 14 years that I needed to quit drinking. I have learned something from every single bout of sobriety that I've had over those 14 years. To anyone struggling today--don't quit trying 10 minutes before the miracle happens. You can be sober today. We all can.
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