shanman422

Hi Everyone!

The last few days I have been thinking that I would soon start a 45 Days and Under thread. I think if I have 15 day increments I don't feel as overwhelmed. It may not make sense... believe me I often don't, haha. But when I see the 60 Days, or 90 Days and under threads, I feel like they are so far away. I'm still trucking along, but if I have a simpler goal in site, I won't feel as overwhelmed. It was just a thought... I know Magic is quickly approaching 30 days (((AWESOME)))... so maybe tomorrow I'll start a new thread for everyone! It's always nice to have more than one to visit every day anyways!!!

Smootches

grrrr

Hey Shanman, small steps are fine with me. Right now I think that having 3 weeks today is just amazing and 30 days seems like another huge milestone.

I have had a good weekend. I went to a friend's party last night where there was plenty of alcohol, but I didn't drink. It is not the pressuring type of crowd, and they had bottled cokes to drink which was fun! I was still one of the last to leave the party and had a lot of laughs. I always thought that I was still fun without alcohol, and I am finding out that I can have fun without it too! In fact more fun by staying in control and no paranoia driving home.

I hope everyone is having a good Sunday.

K

mtnmagic

Shanman - I really like your idea of smaller steps. Yep, let's start the 45 day and under thread. Since you thought of it, I think it would be great if you did the honors.

grrrr - Glad you had fun at your party. Way to go!

Well time for this lady to hop in bed with a book. Work was busy tonight, and I'm beat! Sweet dreams all!

justforme

Hello 30 days and under group! It feels great to be back today with 22 days sober! I felt a little emotional yesterday as I hit 21 days... at day 1 I never imagined I could make it this far, let alone feel this good doing it. Feeling pretty damn blessed these days - it's amazing what you can see now with "sober eyes".

Sounds like you all had a great weekend.

Shanman, I really like the idea of the 45 day and under thread. Baby steps! 30 to 60 is a pretty big jump.

Grrrr, great post! That's awesome that you were able to attend a party and still have a ton of fun without drinking. I have not done that yet, and think I should avoid doing so until I have some more sober time under my belt - but sounds like you rocked it! I have a wedding coming up in a few weeks that I'm getting a little nervous about.

Mtn, sounds like you had similar weather to the weather I was experiencing this weekend. What a crappy weekend! I spent some time relaxing on my couch with season 1 of Nip/Tuck!

I also had the best night of sleep on Saturday night since I've gotten sober. I got 12 hours (wow!) and I felt wonderful when I woke up. I must have needed it!

Hope & least, thanks as always for the encouragement!

PB, how was your weekend?

Hope everyone has a great Monday! I'm not exactly thrilled to be starting a new week at work but I'm going to try to make it the best day that I can. Postive thinking

least

I understand the overwhelming feeling of large blocks of sober time. At times it feels like I'll never get there cause it's so far away. But I just stay sober for today, this one day, cause today is all I really have. I have to take it one day at a time cause that's how I get it!

love and hugs to you all!!:ghug3

shanman422

Happy Monday!!!

It's shocking how much I can actually enjoy a Monday now... well I'll never REALLY like Monday just because I would rather be home with my family, but to not be cranky and beat from a weekend of partying is AWESOME isn't it?

I will definitely start that thread!!!

Toodles for now :bounce

BrixtonBear

Hi everyone!

It's great to read all your posts - thanks Mtnmagic, Shanman, Grrrr, Justforme, Least and Hope!

I'm 22 days sober today! My weekend was OK, but really had to work hard to fight off cravings yesterday evening. It was great to wake up sober though - I'm finding that sobriety is worth all the effort it takes.

It feels a bit like hiking up a mountain. At times it's really hard work. But, on the other hand, the view just keeps getting more and more spectacular.

The view from sobriety is definitely better than the view from a hangover.

I brought along a little cake, to help us all to keep going! 6

Thanks for all the encouragement here! Have a great Monday everyone!
Paddington

espresso

Hey guys, I love reading your progress - it's fantastic!
So positive, inspiring and upbeat even though some days might be a struggle- but who said facing life on life's terms with no anaesthetic would be easy? Count me out for the "easier, softer way"!!! Keep Posting :ghug

mtnmagic

Hi everybody - Woke up to another day sober today.

justforme - Congratulations on your sober time. Today will
be 22 days, right? I relate to that emotional feeling of wonder
when I look back at Day one never really believing a could put
three plus weeks together and then doing it. Well we are doing
it one day at a time and with the support of each other. Awesome,
I say!

PB - 22 days for you too! Thanks for the cake. Don't
know about you, but I've been craving sweets lately. That is definitely
new. Never wanted anything sweet before. Prolly cuz all that
alcohol I drank for so long was so full of sugar, if I hate anything
more sweet I would have gone into a coma, lol. I have cravings
on and off also. We shall just hang in there together and not give
in to them ok?

Shanman - Yup! I really like waking up without those nasty hangovers too.
I'm so glad you thought of the 45 days and under idea. 30 -60 does
feel like forever. You know these days sober surely has slowed time
down for me. I'm sure this will pass though.

least - I feel like you are such an inspiration for those of us that have had
so many day 1's. You never gave up. You are making it. We can too, thanks.

expresso - Thanks for dropping by and offering us encouragement. It means alot.
:ghug2

justforme

Mtn... boy can I relate with the sweets. Today I ate candy for breakfast... I have never had a big sweet tooth but my sponsor warned me this would happen. For now I am just indulging in the cravings and remembering that this too shall pass.

espresso, thanks for your positive words. It's so nice others hop on this thread to keep us going.

Today is a good day for me so far. Can't complain and that's a good sign for an alcoholic

shanman422

I certainly can relate with the cravings for sweets... I LOVE them... and that darn Halloween candy dish at work is STILL not empty! So OF COURSE I had to have 3 mini crunch bars... haha

grrrr

Hey all,

Celebrating my 22 days as well! Really starting to feel physically better. Almost done with the book "Under the Influence" also. It really recommends against giving into those sweet cravings, but I have kept drinking my coffee which they don't recommend either!!

When I got that party invite two weeks ago I had no idea if I would feel like going. I just took it one day at a time and on Saturday decided it would be ok. I continue to be amazed at how no one really notices/cares if I am not drinking, and how I feel so much better making the right choice for me. In the past I would have been one of the heaviest drinkers at the party and paranoid that everyone was noticing my bad decisions.

justforme, i think you will do fine at the wedding you have coming up, and there is no reason to worry about it today. Keep getting that sober time under your belt and go from there! I know going to social functions with alcohol is different for everyone and we have to listen to our inner voices to see what is right for us.

Happy Healthy Monday All!

BrixtonBear

Hi everyone!

Hope you are all having a great Tuesday.

23 days sober today. But I still keep getting reminders that I am really very early in my recovery and that I need to take care...

For instance, yesterday on the way home, each time I passed a shop that sells alcohol, it was almost as if there was a kind of magnetic force trying to draw me inside to buy a bottle of wine - it was almost like a physical battle with myself to keep on going. But today I'm very pleased that I didn't drink yesterday.

It's good to know from sober long-timers that it does get easier with time, so I'm just going to hang in there, keep investing time and energy into my recovery and healing each day, and keep on learning good things from all my new sober friends here at SR.

Thanks for being here, Mtnmagic, Grrrr, Justforme, Shanman, Espresso, Hope, Least, and everyone here - you guys are an inspiration and a real encouragement to me!

Paddington

shanman422

Great Job PB!!!!

That's great that you worked through that 'force' and today you are SOBER. We have 23 days, can you believe it? I can... only because I have a great group of people here supporting me and pushing me along. Let's continue on this great path of recovery TOGETHER!!

I'm very proud of you!!

XOXO

Shannon

justforme

Yah! 23 days today! Congrats to us all

I am really looking forward to my sponsor giving me my 30 day chip next week. Not too excited, but excited enough that it's going to get me through another week sober!

I slept well last night and feel great physically today. It's still amazing to me everytime I wake up without a hangover or have lack of sleep due to staying up drinking.

I am reading the stories in the back half of the Big Book. They are all really inspiring and I'm getting a lot out of them. I would really recommend reading them to those who haven't!

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

mtnmagic

I feel so much in common with you guys. It's amazing.
29 days and counting today.

PD - Must have been something in the air. At work last night, drinking kept popping into my head. I would banish the thought, then a little while later I would find myself trying to justify why I needed just a little bit of wine.
Yep, I know there is no justification for it, but boy was I trying to create one.
I was actually worried when I left work to go home that I was going to cave in. Yep, wouldn't that be typical, right before a big milestone of something I am proud of and want to have so much...(my 30 days sober). I made it home, hopped in to bed and stayed there with a book, tea and hard candy.
Today seems a little more peaceful. It is great to know that we are in this together even though we maybe miles apart in the physical sense, we are definitely supporting one another and that is fantastic.

grrrr - 23 days for you today. I can "feel" your satisfaction at your accomplishments in your post. So glad you are able to have fun and stay sober. It gives me hope.

Shanman - Want you to know that you rock!

justforme - I know what you mean about being excited getting a thirty day chip. Me too! Who would have thunk it, being happy to be 30 days sober, lol. Congratulations to you on 23 days, no more hangovers and finally getting some good sleep!

:ghug

justforme

Just feeling so irritated and annoyed and blah this afternoon... I really don't like when i get in these moods. I really don't like me too much when I get in these moods.

I know it will get better eventually, but these mood swings are almost unbearable some days. This morning I was on top of the world, and this afternoon I just want to curl up in my bed. I know that the weather has something to do with it - we have freezing rain and I am looking at a very long commute home. I have a therapy appointment tonight that I hope I am able to make despite the bad weather.

Ugh!!! Hoping I feel better soon!

I am starting to realize that one of the things that is getting me down is a really negative co-worker. She complains about work and our other coworkers constantly. I have changed the subject, tried to get her on a more positive topic, made up an excuse, etc... but she just doesn't quit. I don't love this job either, but I am going to make it the best that I can for the time being. There are some "financial rumors" going around and it's all she has been talking about. I just told her straight out today that there's nothing I can do about this today, and there is no point in me worrying about something that may or may happen... but she just doesn't get it. Just needed to vent about that!!

I hope you are all having a great Tuesday. It's one more Tuesday that I am sober and I am grateful for that.

shanman422

justforme - I'm very sorry to hear about your struggles today. One thing I remind myself when I am down and want to curl up in a ball is that I had those mood swings when I was a drinker too. It's absolutely normal to be in a funk... but at least we can be in a funk and still feel proud of ourselves for making the right decision to not pick up that drink. When I was in 'that funk' the first thing i would want to do is go for that bottle, than try and get drugs. The next day I would be in even MORE of a funk AND hungover!!
Just a reminder that we are still human and our moods are always going to be up and down!

I think you are taking the right steps in dealing with your co-worker. I have similiar issues. Any time my co-worker would come over to rant about other people I would not feed into her complaining. Mind you, I also have co-worker issues, but like you it can be SO draining! Just try to keep positive and tune that co-worker out as much as possible.

Magic - you rock too! 30 days tomorrow... THAT's fantastic!

grrrr

mtnmagic - 30 days tomorrow is great!! I am very very happy for you!

justforme - I had an up and down day today as well. Stress at work that made me upset. I also hope my mood swings will lessen, but they have been a part of me for a long time. For me, I want to start working on daily meditation and dealing better with my own impatience. No idea what your situation is, but I understand going from feeling on top of the world to the bottom in no time at all.

All, I can also relate to the magnetic force of a liquor store or the voice/feeling inside that says something like, "you've been so good lately, today was a rough day and one drink wouldn't hurt..." Ah, but I know it would hurt A LOT. I can understand why I can't get too complacent in my recovery efforts. But, another day down without taking a drink. I do take a lot of pride in finally getting to a point of quitting for this long and being a part of our moving forward in sobriety group on this thread.

Hugs to all!

BrixtonBear

Hi everyone,

Congratulations Mtnmagic! 30 days is an immense achievement!

Congratulations Shanman, Justforme and Grrrr! I think we are all on 24 days today - woo-hoo!!!

I've got another little test this evening, as I've got a ticket for another football game in Tottenham. But I've got my plan - before the game, I'm going into the cafe where they don't sell any alcohol, so I know I'll be safe in there.

I'm finding that it's really important for me that I have a plan, and to stick to it like glue. I find, from my own bitter experiences in the past, that if I am undecided and a bit wishy-washy, if I think "well, I might possibly just go into the pub for one or two drinks", then the results could be catastrophic.

I'm really seeing some rewards from sobriety and I don't want to lose them now. For instance, I think I'm starting to lose weight! I used to drink several cans of lager every night, and I put on so much weight. But now I think I've lost a bit, and I don't hate myself so much when I look in the mirror!

I'm enjoying this journey of sobriety, and the camaraderie with all my new sober friends, and I don't want to turn back now!

Have a super Wednesday!

Paddington