Can guy, sounds like you have a solid plan. Post on here often!

There was a time I tried green tea in the morning to replace coffee. I was dragging so bad I had to start drinking coffee again. But if you are sensitive to caffeine, green tea may be all that you need. It tastes pretty good. I would pay attention to the caffeine on some of those teas. They can be stronger than coffee.

If you like sleepytime try a tea with passionflower! The stuff is awesome!

You need to be careful with decaf because it still has plenty of caffeine. Whenever I've quit drinking I have normally quit coffee before this 24 days. 24?? Anyway, I switch to like a chamomile or peppermint tea, something with no caffeine at all. Jasmine can be good. Decaf is probably still a lot better.

Hi all,
Seems like the next few days might be interesting for a few of us, and others have turned their corner with a conviction never to drink again. Let's all keep going.

So I got through my day yesterday, client happy, then I hit the gym and had dinner on my own in a rather idyllic spot. Immediately thought of ordering a nice crisp white. First time in a while I've coveted a drink. But I ordered a large bottle of water instead, and with regret to be honest. AV winning, not in that I said I would wait an hour and then order a drink, but it was definitely winning and I felt deprived. But the water was ice cold and delicious, I was sleep deprived and realised as I sat there that alcohol could not improve my experience, state of mind, and I suddenly became very content because I understood that alcohol would worsen the experience and good feeling I was having by deadening my senses. So I guess I concluded I preferred being sober. Weird, and really really wish I could bottle it and ship it to you guys. It could be the mindfulness I have been doing, which has definitely helped, but I am also going to check out the NLP stuff mentioned. Anyway, stating the obvious but my lesson from last night is that even in the most idyllic spot if you think that it would be nice to have a drink, you're wrong. Completely wrong.

So I am now at an airport again, going somewhere else, but as I write this I realise I feel pretty content if tired. I had to get up after just a few hours sleep to make this plane and doing that sober avoids a whole world of pain and resentment. Makes you wonder why people drink.

Have a great Thursday!

Best wishes
OMD

I love green tea too, Lily. It has helped me because I was drinking too many caffeinated drinks. I bought Marley's green tea with honey and I keep forgetting it is in the fridge at work. Hopefully it's still there. :)

I'm feeling good. It's 23 days. I got a lot of sleep last night and today was so much better at work. I'm not sure yet if productivity at work is better because the boss has been out 4 weeks for surgery and won't be back for another couple weeks. It will be interesting to see because I feel like I'm doing a little more than I was when I would come in with those horrible hangovers.

Day 30. I had my first encounter with alcohol since I quit (meaning that I held it in my hand). One of my friends sent a gift asking me to be a bridesmaid for her wedding. The package had a candle, lip gloss, chocolate (with peanuts and salt - yuuuum!) and a mini bottle of champagne. As I was unwrapping it I figured out what it was and it kind of cast a negative light over the joyous experience of receiving a present. I have no intention of drinking it (I put it in my drawer to take to my Mom this weekend). It reminded me that I really need to stay sharp with my sobriety - alcohol hasn't disappeared, I've just been trying to ignore it over the last month. But it doesn't go away. Sigh. Just a weird unexpected experience that I thought I'd share. No one ever said being sober is easy. But it is a million times better than being drunk!

Day 30.....SwimKim that is great. Day 32 is fun as its the first non month numbered day.....sure we'll see you there too.

No, sober is not easy. Sure wasn't this afternoon for a couple of hours. All the triggers at once....'reward yourself', afternoon end of week, day off tomorrow .... the window of opportunity, it was all there and I wanted to go with it.

But.....just sit and ride it out. Another hour and see if you still feel the same. Think about what else you could do tonite, .....think about how it really will end up. Whole weekend probably.

By the time to leave work, it had abated. Had to get out the door and home really quickly....to the point it was remarked upon by workmate.....but needs must.

Can be very strong and intense for as long as it lasts. I try and use the mindfulness thing talked about earlier.....just step back and observe the feeling, you don't have to rush off to act on it right now.

It does pass. Home now, heater warming house up, make a hot drink, plan some dinner, do something constructive.

Post here.

It really does help.

Later......

Glad you made it through Can! It's tough nut to crack and a change in sober routine is sure to take some getting used to at first. On the bright side all the evidence suggests that this stuff really does get easier (like anything) if we stick at it.

If you think about HALT, maybe at that time you could be pressured from a few different elements. Think about a sweet snack in the afternoon, a sober evening/next morning activity... Not sure... Whatever seems like a good idea ;)

Congrats on 30 Swim! Big numbers here!

Hi amp.

HALT?.......definitely. Not angry . Tired today.....not so much sleep last night and I've learnt over the years that alcohol really wipes the tiredness......for a while. Sober is retraining to a slightly longer view of cause and effect.

Hit the chocolate......okay, get organised for the rest of the evening now.

Aa
 

This is a long journey. Things change as time goes on. AA helps keep me focused. I don't do the steps they outline but I respect the intentof the steps. Instead of resisting I just think about them. I go to two meetings a week. It's good to be with people who have the same addiction. listening to their stories is a reminder of a life I do not want to return to. They are not a cult, they only wish to help other alcoholics.

Good morning roomies.
Woke up a little bummed and sleepy. Hard to get out of bed. The good news is I know it will pass! If I wasn't so lazy, I'd go for a run. I'll just do some jumping jacks and push ups. That'll get me going and improve my mood.

Day 0 for coffee :/

Way to go SwimKim for the major landmark!!!!

And Can, nice going buddy. You own this.

None for me today!



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I actually know what tea you are referring to, my 18 year old daughter came home with a bottle....at first my suspicious, mommy mind was all over the bottle! Bob Marley tea, teenage daughter, you get it!

Day 30 for me as well, It's awesome isn't it!!

As for that champagne, I would get rid of it, just in case. We are still so raw! The thought of just knowing it's there would give me unnecessary anxiety, and it can be draining on the energy.

Hi all, just checking in. Late afternoon for me here in SA

Way to go cauliflower!!
Happy BIRTHMONTH!

Morning all!
CanGuy, change is always hard but it's good to switch up routines for the better! Now that your house guest is gone you can walk around in your underware and be yourself in your own home, lol. I love having guests, but oh my god, it's a joy when they leave as well.

FYI: I have a facebook friend from Australia, and we have figured out our time zones pretty well. Back in the day while drinking, she would sometimes find me logged onto facebook pretty late and she would pop up, asking what's going on? Stating that it's pretty late for me to be up and I would make up a lie, insomnia was always a good one!

Regarding the NLP swish...I found myself lingering in bed the other morning with negative thoughts, and I literally just said SWOOSH and got out of bed with a smile on my face! Anything to get the negative thoughts out, especially first thing in the morning.

OMD, where ever you are I am glad you enjoying the experience sober. Now that I am past the uncomfortable part of quitting, I am really starting to enjoy my sober self.

And finally, my thoughts on giving up coffee. NOT! I love my morning coffee...and since the sun is shining this morning, I am going to take my coffee outside!

Have a good day everyone!

I've had the bob Marley tea haha it's pretty good. There's one with passionflower,. They had a drink called rockstar relax that was pretty good, had camomile, passionflower and some other teas. But they discontinued it :(

Just checkin in. Good morning to all of you :)

That's cool! NLP as a whole is really cool.
Can be self taught and can change lives.

My issue is consistency.
I'm going to jump into the audio book I got again. That'll put me on track for a while.

Having a kind of tough day with AV rattling on half-heartedly most of the afternoon. Then, leaving work I bumped into a guy I used to work with. He lost his job because of alcohol and now he's sleeping rough. I took him to a hostal as I wanted to pay to put him up for a couple of nights but the owner took one look at him and said he was full. Then we went to the supermarket as at least I thought I could buy him some food but they were closing just as we got there. In the end I just gave him a 20 which I guess he'll probably just drink away. Left feeling awful. Last time I saw him I got him a list of places where he could seek help from social services and mailed it to him. He says he got it and he's on a list. I don't know. Left feeling awful. I know he's got a nine year old kid out there somewhere.

The only good thing is that I really never want to touch alcohol again. Seen it wreck so many lives

Thanks for sharing Amp. That's tough. You are an awesome person buddy. Need more people like you in the world.