Saskia

I like that, Glee! "We help me ....." - well said :-)

BoozeFree

Gf congrats on 21 months!!!

Amp rad story!

KIR that's rad. Wompland is what I like to call work. So "wompland" which I say regularly is me heading to work.

Womp dragged out today. Looking forward to having Thursday off. I haven't told my mom yet that I don't plan on going this year. I don't feel like being surrounded by drunks and I figure with all the years growing up going to family events I should be allowed to skip some if I want to. I def tend to be a people pleaser and I think I need to work on boundaries and learn how to say no occasionally.

I have new neighbors in the house next to me and it was reading of pot earlier and then someone was smoking meth as the odor was extremely strong. Not too stoked on that situation.

Soberwolf

Congrats GF on 21 months

Dee74

Add my congrats to the pile GleeFan - congratulations

D

Saskia

Congrats, Glee! Time flies in sobriety. It's great to see those sober months piling up

BF, people pleasing and lack of boundary-setting are so common for women. I'm glad to see you thinking about working on that. For me, frustrations and stress tend to lead to drinking so I have been working on these areas. Good to change traditions when they don't fit for us anymore. Sorry to hear about your new neighbors!

amp123

Yes, congrats on 21 months, Glee?

waywardson8260

Congratulations on 21 months glee! I have been told before that I am very disciplined so I guess I am focused.

Great inspiring story amp!!!

Sorry about the neighbor situation Boozefree. That can't be good.

tootsl1

Amp what an inspiring story, I'm sure you had really great feelings all day.

BeFree, not good at all, not just the neighbours but the kind of visitors likely. But to end on a high note ( no pun intended) contrats on 30 days ipunder your belt.

Zombob accepting responsibility for our own actions shows great maturity. I hope the court went as well as possible and you keep focussed on your sobriety.

Key, hope you're well

Glee, oh how I remember our early days! I am so glad you too have stayed the course. Changed lives we live now!

Sass, I am so proud to be your friend, I know what you have out into gaining and maintaining your sobriety.

KIR I love your interpretation of womp!

Keep on Keeping On Undies.

Soberwolf

Evening gang

KeyofC

(((Glee))) congratulations!
Toots I am doing fine. I think I am already psyching myself out about tomorrow. Having high anxiety already. I wish it were over...
I'll make it through I just don't do real good pretending I'm good at places when I'm not. I am guessing HP is suggesting I have tough skin and to toughen up...so I'm getting on this wild horse...and I will ride...fiercely!

Saskia

Thanks, Toots! You are an inspiration.

gleefan

Thanks for the Congrats, Undies. I may have more than a year sober but I'm still an Undie through and through. I'm glad you haven't kicked me out.

BoozeFree - Terrible about your neighbors. Yuck. Really nice job identifying boundaries that you need to work on. I never realized that I struggled with them until I stopped drinking - and still felt miserable. I've definitely turned to the collective advice of folks in recovery to guide me when struggling with boundaries. The results have been nothing short of amazing. And with time minding my boundaries is becoming more and more intuitive.

Key - I can relate to your tension about meeting those family obligations. When I got sober, for about the whole first year I struggled with white knuckling through events that I didn't want to attend. I didn't know how to say NO, I won't go to this event I've always gone to.

Other folks in recovery would talk about avoiding events where people were drinking, but I felt uncomfortable taking that drastic an approach. I didn't want to tell everyone that I wasn't drinking. My sobriety was too fragile to let everyone near it. I only trusted certain people. Also, I didn't want to be a downer. I felt that just because I didn't drink anymore didn't mean that the people around me couldn't drink. I felt like I needed to be a good sport.

I white knuckled my way through parties, family events, holidays and vacations. There are some responsibilities that can't be avoided, but I had to be honest with myself about what I enjoyed and didn't - and focus on things that made me happy.

I didn't realize it when it was happening but my self confidence eroded in active addiction. I'm genuinely grateful for the folks in recovery who gave me a blueprint to rebuild a life that's joyous, happy and free.

And today, pretty much no matter what I'm doing, or who I'm with, or what they're doing, I'm ok.

Keepnitreal

Wow, 21 months Glee!!!!! That's awesome!
It sounds like everybody is doing well going into the holidays. I've been cooking most of the day so I'm not stressed tomorrow. No WOMP outside the house....just working my program �� I knew it would be a silly question. My first thought was that it was off-road Monster truck driving!
Day 17 and feeling pretty good. I'm hoping tomorrow is a breeze. I have my sparkling water and OJ so I should be good. My kids should be shocked. They probably don't remember me being sober after cooking for several years now.
Big hugs to all of you!

Saskia

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate - and to those who don't, I hope you have a relaxing sober day :-)

KeyofC

I've tried to avoid situations but some things my husband looks at me like I got horns coming out of my head. He is a drinker. He doesn't understand that part. He tries, well to a degree, I presume. I am just overwhelmed with anxiety and stress right now and these holidays are the worst. Giving people a reason to drink for hours on end and to think I was right there. I'll be ok it's just stressful, you know where I'm at. Thank you you guys! (Hug)!

Saskia

Hang in there, Key! Try some slow, deep breathing if you can. Remember that you can do this. I'll be around a bit tomorrow but if you are having a tough time, the Newcomers' threads are always a good place to go for support.

Soberwolf

Best wishes for everyone today

Dee74

Absolutely there will be some of us here Key

D

gleefan

(((Key))) - I can relate to having a partner who doesn't completely understand. My husband is a drinker too. In fact we drank together - heavily - for a long time. When I stopped drinking, and was no longer interested in doing the same things I always did. When I was drinking my decisions were directed toward preserving my alcoholism. My decisions are bound to be different today because today they are directed toward recovery. My husband didn't seem to know how to make heads or tails of it. He was not supportive all the time. And it was hard for me to do what what was right for me, especially when he wasn't supportive of my decisions. I talked about it A LOT in the undies thread.

Without my husband's blessing, or the blessing of any of my friends or family, I dug into recovery. Every day I posted here or talked to another alcoholic. I went to AA meetings. I got a sponsor. I started to work on the 12 steps.

My husband thought I was crazy. My friends wondered what happened to me. I kept trusting my instincts and doing what I need to stay sober and feel some peace and calm.

I'm not super active in AA, and far from a zealot, but I do go to meetings at least once a week. I have a few friends in recovery who I trust, and a great sponsor. We all keep each other in check, so that our focus stays balanced where it needs to be - sometimes it's on ourselves and other times it's on our family or friends.

Today I hope you get a glimpse of some real peace, and that you are able to rely on us if you need us.

BoozeFree

Hi undies.
Womp was super busy today ended up staying a little over time to finish up some stuff. And then out with my friend getting stuff ready for turkey day. Still out actually driving back to town right now. Def wasn't planning on being out this late but at least I can sleep in tomorrow.
I told my mom I wouldn't be going to her house for thanksgiving, she was pretty upset about it and will probably still call me later and try to talk me into going. I simply said tho that I wanted to enjoy my day off and stay closer to home being that I womp early Friday morning. I'm glad I held my ground and didn't give in to hanging out with my drunk family.

Hope everyone had a nice sober thanksgiving