Class of August 2014 Part 6
 

Continues from here :)

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...rt-5-a-20.html

D

Thanks, Dee!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful, sober evening. Off to the bubble bath for a bit. :)

Hey ATeam! Checking in late, but sober :)

Glad to hear from you, Zozo, and I hope your cat feels better and things begin to go a bit more smooth.

So uplifted by our stories of success over the weekend and liquor store shenanigans where we all thought we were fooling everyone. Nope-just fooling ourselves! I certainly did the same. And I was also the perfect social drinker. My outside facade had to be complete-otherwise someone might have challenged my drinking.

I was supposed to return to my movie marathon last night after the kids went to bed, but I fell asleep on the couch. I hated having to facebook the group of acquaintances this morning and apologize. It was a good reminder to never drink again-it felt just like having to lie about a hangover. All I can do is the next right thing.

I had an argument with the spouse this evening over a decision about the kids. He's convinced that I'm going to try to force him to quit drinking because I'm jealous that I can't drink. Not the case. But I won't be part of drunken arguments-especially not drunken drinking arguments. Not that I haven't started them in the past.

I must be changing-I feel as though what people expect of me has remained the same but no longer fits who I am or what I do.

All in all, it was a good weekend. There are still a lot of adjustments to be made, and I think they will become clear to me as I am ready to handle them. I tried a new exercise class, reached out to a new group of friends, went for walks and spent some good alone time with myself. I'm starting to feel a deep sense of calmness. That's a very different state to what I'm used to. I like it.

Can't wait to catch up with you tomorrow!!

Late check in for me. Had a good day. Even though my team lost :( Went and saw "If I stay" today with my sister.. SUCH A GOOD MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!! Highly recommended. It's been over 100 degrees these past few days and I can't STAND IT! haha Where is my fall weather? :P Everyone have a fabulous and sober week. xo

Good morning class. Got he day off work so I will be busy pottering around the house. Will catch up on everyone's posts but just want to say especially well done to :
Scooter, sthlondon and Zozo for not drinking yesterday

brach and Sthlondon nab, sorry if names are wrong very inspirational thanks I try to read this forum when I wake and before I sleep, it's been helpful so thanks to all for being so honest , best of luck to all here

Hey guys.

Another week! I am so grateful I did not drink yesterday.

Today is work and AA meetings, maybe a lunchtime and an evening one. I am also going to book a week off work so I can have a weeks focus to get some things shipshape, medical appts etc. hoping I can get this time two weeks from now.

Hope everyone is good and have a great day :-)

Well done sir, :tyou

Morning guys, it's raining and cold today. On my way to work feeling fresh though :-) day 18. Today is grocery shopping day, still feels challenging as I walk past the wine aisle, I feel sure that people can actually see me actively avoiding walking past it - think I'm paranoid!!! Today I intend to walk down and through and out of that aisle with my head held high, that is my challenge for today. I will then go straight to the bakery and buy a celebration cake! Have a great day all xx

I know the feeling Pink. That particular seems to glow when I walk past it. Not because I am tempted, just because it's an old haunt..sometimes I am compelled to walk past my favourite drinks section to just look at the bottles. Maybe I am testing myself. Who knows. But I haven't done tha recently. Best to avoid it entirely.

I love my sobriety far too much to ruin it with stupid drink

4 weeks today! White knuckle weekend like several of us, but made it.

Question team, what do you not miss the most about drinking?

The thing I really don't miss is the waking up Monday, half confused what day it is. Getting up and realizing I blacked out before dinner. Getting in the shower ashamed and soooo angry at myself. Trying to drop hints to wife to figure out what happened withou admitting I blacked out. Then, the real treat, missing the gym and going into work terrified to speak to anyone and canceling every meeting that I can. Counting the hours until I can get home to a drink so the terror will subside.

4 weeks ago this morning I was so hungover I took a nap in the gym parking lot before work and blacked out the day before at a friends barbecue.

Attitude of freaking gratitude today. Man I don't want to go back there. I can't believe the AV event tempts me sometimes when I think of all the damage of the past. And there are stories upon stories like all of you guys I am sure.

Really curious to hear what you don't miss the most? Monday morning terror episodes are high on my list!

I would not have made it this far without you all. And, pink, beer signs get me going big time. Just like the wine isle.

Happy sober MONDAY MORNING!! Going to the gym and into work ready to kick it A-Team style!

congrats determined :)

D

Hey guys,
Hope everybody is doing well.
Its one month for restless today, yay! Thats the second time in 21 years.
Good busy day today. My energy levels are still up and down. Read a good post on PAWS on this site.
Hopefully this time I am focused on building a satisfying life for myself instead of changing nothing and just sitting on the couch an grinding through it.
Hoping to get back to AA this friday, this is no time for me to be getting complacent.

Morning team, we've got the same sobriety birthday determined! Well done on the 4weeks!

Four weeks ago today I was in a similar position, I slept in absolutely hating myself for drinking the previous day, that day Id gone to a meeting in the morning but was taking diazepam tablets like sweets to cope with the withdrawal, these made me feel somewhat normal and normal enough to drink again, my mum was over that day from Ireland and she only gets to come over twice a year and I was due to meet up with her at my sisters.

Had a few beers then onto the JD's and kept on and on, telling my sister when she rang that I'd be there in an hour, but that hour turned into about 5 and by the time I eventually rolled in there it was obvious to all that I was drunk- I even sneaked a couple of JD and coke cans in to drink in the bathroom (very classy), in my head I thought they thought that I was sober! How crazy is that!!!!?????

After some drunken ramblings my brother-in-law drove me home, I remember being anxious about getting back in time before the pubs closed and I managed to get in, wait for his car to pull off then near enough ran to the nearest pub like an escaping prisoner desperate to keep the 'buzz' going. Got there and downed as many gin and tonics before last orders and then oblivion.

The shame and remorse I felt four weeks ago was horrible, I had to call my sister to apologize and to her credit she was ok with me, managed to stop somehow, threw away the rest of the diazepam I had on me and began this sober journey, saw my mum for the rest of her visit, and had good times with her and my kids.

This is a good reminder for me how I put drink ahead of seeing my own mother and when I did I 'needed' drink to do it and I hadn't seen her for months, it sure doesn't cover me with any glory but it does make me realise the total inability to stop once I start.

Know Im doing the right thing by being sober, alcohol has took enough of my life and now its MY life to live instead of 'its' to ruin.

Congratulations on 1month restlessanon! Im loving these milestones that we're achieving here!

Kitty been taken into the vets for observation today and lots of tests... Worried sick but he is in the best place. He took a turn for the worse last night; by this morning he couldn't even move.

Thanks sth, I am still around and beavering on, even though it is hard! Flying back to the UK on the 25th for the funeral, back to Spain (and work!) On the 28th. No rest for the wicked! I am off work for a week now though... Busy and I'm sure expensive week ahead.

I will most likely check in later with more Dave related news. We are to pick him up tonight. We left him all doped up and on a drip but he seemed in pretty reasonable spirits. He has had a rather strange week...

Anyway, start of month 2 sober, and it is a good feeling.

Wishing you all a happy, sober day - I am off to indulge in some budget retail therapy!

xx

You all give me hope that I can do this! I am committing to complete abstinence from alcohol. Been trying to moderate, hasn't worked. Today is day 3:)

What I don't miss?

Definitely identify with the 'hint-dropping' the next day and trying to guage if / to what degree I caused sorrow. Also, keeping a vigilant eye on the alcohol and figuring out where and when I'd get more and waking up thinking about when I would drink next. Unbelievable.

But mostly the underlying knowledge that I was not brought into the world to go down this path. I believe we all have a purpose in life and gifts to share. I knew drinking was drawing me away from, not closer to this purpose- yet wasn't ready to stop. Ubelieveable.

Finally, knowing that at the end of my journey- if I kept on this path- I'd look back on my life and see a glaring reason that I hadn't loved more, grown more, experienced more, felt more, or been more. And the blame would be entirely on me. I knew this yet still kept abusing alcohol. Unbelievable.

I'm so glad I am (and we are!) on a different path now!

Best wishes Zoso :)
Congrats restlessanon :)

You can do this RAH :)

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Sorry about your cat zozo that's hard stuff :-(

Get it rah! We are rooting for you!