Olivia2011

Hang in there Plenny. Small steps and I pray we all get there.

Another big thing that helps me and I wouldn't have thought.... Playing the tape forward. I do typically glamorize my drinking. Then, seriously, look at every time you drink. The majority of nights I was waking up saying, "Oh ****, I did it again". I just can't spend my life like this anymore. Life is precious. Life is good.

Something interesting in this really good book I'm reading (I Want to Change My Life by Steve Melemis -Amazon). He says to also play the Positive tape forward. Look at how much better you feel, how much more energy you have, how your self-esteem is growing, etc. I thought this was great.

I also feel like I try to sabotage my life. Sometimes I wonder if I feel bad or guilty for being somewhat successful. Who knows where this addiction crap comes from and this kind of stuff comes from.

Anyway, that's it for now. Something else was interesting in this book. I'll have to post it later.

We are expecting our first snow this year in St. Louis Yay!

Behindthelens

Day 5 for me. I did not post yesterday because I did not think I would last the day. My AV was throwing morbid thoughts/feelings at me non stop. I managed to get through it by rationalising each one as if talking to a child. It was pretty tiring but it worked, eventually.

Had an ice cream (never eat sweet foods normally), watched a couple of films and dropped off really well. I've just contacted a fellow brit who runs weekly AA meetings here in China. So that's for tomorrow and hopefully will inspire me to remain focused tonight.

Great posts on here. Really helps.

ChickChick

Congrats on beating AV benice! Chocolate is a bizillion times better in my book than alcohol!

obxtacy313

My AV will be wearing a cheerleader's uniform this weekend as my other addiction, football, reaches critical mass. Last weekend was tough, this one will be tougher - at least I'll remember what took place in the game. While the crowd yells, "DEFENSE!!", my AV will be yelling , "CROWN ROYAL!!".

In for a penny, in for a pound ... the fight will be on!!

SillyHuman

I attended the chat meeting. It started out genuine, but quickly turned into an extended lecture, more of a speakers meeting (yuck). And then it got prayerful. Oh well. It was enough to make me decide against a F2F meeting, like ever. I am on my own, but tomorrow is another day! Good night, folks.

Applekat

I can't wait to wake up sober tomorrow morning! I hope you are all with me.
Star Wars tomorrow, then Sunday my hubby will be out of town two nights - typical prime time for me to have a couple or four glasses. Haven't done that in recent trips and I don't plan on it this time either! Can't wait for day 7 tomorrow.

Dee74

Have you ever considered a secular meeting based approach like SMART or Lifering, Silly?

congrats on 7 days applekat

have a great sober weekend guys

D

SillyHuman

We have no meetings here Dee, but I am downloading the book from Audible. Thanks.

Delilah1

Just wanted to make sure to join! Sober since 1-1-16!! Happy New Year Everyone!!:-)

JulySeaCoast

It's the end of my first week remaining sober the whole way through. Yay! Daily, evening wine drinker here. For many years I was a two glass a night person with no struggle to remain at that level. The past three years have been stressful and I used it as an excuse to raise my level of consumption. This past year was especially out of control I could easily kill a bottle a night, every night. Enough is enough.
I stopped completely. I have never done this before. I put a lot of work into cutting back but never stopping. I want to be free of thinking about wine.

adelina123

Hey everyone hope I'm not too late to join the January class? ? I'm on day 3 today. My consumption has crept up one and half - 2 bottles nearly every night. I look awful, have gained loads of weight ( doesn't help that I binge eat when I'm drunk). I feel it's put of control now. I have to stop. This is the first time I've joined class so not sure what to expect??

Dee74

I think both have pretty a good online prescence with meetings and stuff Silly?
Not a member of either, just thought I'd pass it on


welcome adelina - plenty of January left yet


D

Plenny

Hey y'all. Just told my roommate I'm getting sober. Came home to find a big pack of orange licorice next to my bed. I'm gonna need those

charliesworld

Helloooo everyone. Not been on for a couple of days and loads of newcomers again. Hi

We've made it to the weekend - Saturday morning here. I'm up to 5 days healthy eating (9 sober) and managed to get my first run in the other day for months. I'm off out for another later - trying to change habits!

I'm doing good. I'm working hard on keeping my thoughts positive so have been trying to catch myself when they start spiralling into the negative. My relationship isn't great atm and I'm finding it difficult. I'm supposed to be out tonight for a drink for my mums best friends 60th. Not a problem for me to just have coke but I'd rather be sat in watching a film with my family. She makes the effort to come to our family dos though so out of respect to her I will go. I just won't stay too long.

For those starting off and feeling lost and not sure what to do - my advice is to do whatever you find comforting. If that's vegging out all day watching tv then do that . If you are restless go out for a walk. Wander round where other people are because I think that helps with feeling normal and gentle exercise is fab. We spend too long hiding in shadows and that just makes things worse because we feel we are not good enough.

I've a busy day planned today so I'm off have a lovely weekend

Shantilove

Nearing the end of day 5 and everything is agitating me, people taking loudly in the cafe people walking slow, I feel like a bad person for being so sensitive but I just want to scream at them. The joys of the first week withdrawals!

lisatryingagain

There is a lot of positivity here, which is great to see.

But. Its not all roses. I did well yesterday and today. Today I got lots of housework done... heaps. My place looks nice enough to have visitors again. But tonight I have had a drink. Don't ask why, I just did. Im going to try really hard in the morning to not be mad at myself and just start again. The awful part is I didn't even have cravings. So I got to day 7 and drank. Anyway. I am a bit buzzed as I write this, which I feel rather ashamed about. But if I don't write it now I might not fess up tomorrow. And there is no point being on here if I am not honest with you all and myself.

Dee74

Its those auto pilot moments where a good plan really helps.
Even if it's just a plan like 'log onto SR instead of drinking' it's really worth trying.

D

GerdMuller

Hi all, day 9 here and feeling so much better all round. I hope you're all having a great Saturday, make sure you all wake up fresh to enjoy Sunday!!

loopylou69

Thanks for your honesty Lisa. Don't be mad at yourself, focus on positives. You were strong enough to admit you'd drank, and you're committed to staying sober. Your AV won last night, AV probably suggested you deserved a reward for a week sober and a clean house. That's one of my triggers too, 'rewarding myself'. Right now my AV is doing overtime with the 'let's plan some drinking' suggestions. It's Saturday morning here and I would usually do grocery shop, buy wine and vodka, hide vodka in water bottles in my handbag and wardrobe. Do housework (nipping from water bottles) walk dog, kids, go to beach (with trusty water bottle) open wine and do some ironing, make dinner (more secret vodka nips) more wine... Every activity is a trigger but I recognise that and that's half the battle.

Taking hubby food shopping with me though just to be on the safe side and ensure I don't cave in when I pass the alcohol aisle!!

Keep up the good work. We can do this!

tiredofme

Just caught up liking that this thread is so busy. Welcome to everyone new.

Made it through Thursday just and managed to get out of next week yay my goal is to to step back from situation gradually.

Trying to keep myself occupied this weekend boredom is a big trigger (one of them anyway). Having kitchen remodeled in a week so empting it should take up some time, even if my av has piped up 'oh but wouldnt it be more fun with wine' ahhhh madness. That would just end up with very little being done.

Starting reading again not read a book for years and I do enjoy it more relaxing than TV. Finding it a good way to switch off from dramas and stressful situations around me.

Well signing off now to pop to shops while cravings are low later I find they are much harder to combat only a small change of routine just hope it helps.

Have a good saturday everyone.