Mklove

I'm inspired by you Bandicoot and everybody else. Day 160 today, kind of hit me today with the New Year that I'm really sober now. Maybe proving I wouldn't collapse over the holidays and change my mind, relieved to Be in the new year. Not complacent, grateful for the choices I made in 2016 though.

tootsl1

Great to see you here Meso! And ditto Sass! Once a Marcher always a Marcher!

Mklove, well done on 160 days and on getting through your first holiday season sober.

BeFree, great to see you too sweetie, as you say, a lot has happened to you this year, ups and downs. Something I don't think we truly understand, is that even positive changes in our lives, tilt our equilibrium and take adjustment. This can include some negative feelings. Add the that any truly negative things that have happened and it's understandable that we occasionally seesaw (teeter tot?) emotionally. As long as the periods are short and do not have longer lasting effects, it's a good thing to experience them wholly. If they last longer or effect your work or relationships, maybe it's time to consider getting help.

It is so good to see so many Undies doing well, or reaching out for support. Let's make 2017 your year.

PhoenixJ

Demons swim- but now we have our SR rescue boat.

stargazer016

Great to see you BF. I am glad that you are in a great relationship now!

Saskia

BF, good to see you! Happy to hear you are in an "awesome relationship".

To all: please remember that after working diligently to stay sober through the holidays, it's still important to stay mindful of the treacherous AV.

Hi PJ. How are you doing?

bandicoot2

Thank you so much toots!! I'll take my name in lights, especially at this special Milestone.

Thank you all for the well wishes & for sharing your wisdom & support as I navigated this 1st year.

The good people here at SR taught me a very important lesson- the good times have the potential to trip me up as well as the bad.
So I'll take this One Year and the wonderful feeling of achievement & satisfaction inside me at this moment.
No resting on that celebration though.
I'll continue to build my Sober life and hopefully I can give others what has so freely & generously been given to me.

Thank you Undies & Overs!

Dee74

Congratulations Mklove - and welcome back BF

D

gleefan

Congrats on 1 year sober Bandicoot! It's a great accomplishment.

Kopfan, Mklove, nmd, BF, star, toots, Saskia - Happy New Year!

I related to the posts about the fun turning into problems, binge drinking turning into daily drinking, and turning a blind eye to the trouble my drinking got me into.

I am so grateful to have found sobriety, and to the people (you!) who help me maintain it.

kopfan

It's a wonderful feeling making plans and knowing that they won't be sabotaged by a drink session.

Have a great day everyone!

stargazer016

Saskia, thank you for reminding us all that our battle is never "won" and will forever be ongoing.

I remember at this point last year being between 8-9 months sober. I felt confident having survived Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. My monthly thread had started to stagnate as folks subconsciously thought that they didn't need daily support and had stopped posting often. I stopped checking into SR daily at that point too. Then, the after holiday doldrums hit. I was still struggling heavily with self motivation in many aspects of my life. My birthday is in mid January. I remember a few thoughts of , " maybe I could have just one to celebrate my special day" and "is this all their is to sobriety." I was still fighting the effects of alcohol induced depression. All of this scared the hell out of me and I recommitted to making SR a daily routine once again.

I was amazed how quickly the little things can snowball unexpectedly into an urge to drink again. Saskia is correct, the AV is treacherous and can never be taken for granted. Now is not the time to rest on your laurels! Be strong and continue moving forward. I am fond of saying that we have all given ourselves a second chance at life by not drinking. Let's make the very most of it!

Have a great day all!

PhoenixJ

Hi Sas and everyone. Like many thru the threads- I am more relaxed now Xmas is gone 'way. Busy for me- last stages of a 6 month in house (free to do as one pleases0 recovery- so railroading as much learnin' about myself that I can. So many years of crap to trawl thru- pull apart to get down the the root causes of my reasons for drinking. Very hard work and well worth the effort. Back into study this year to start a new career in community stuff. I am meant to be meeting a Health Prof. on Friday - for placement possibility, maybe volunteering which is a good way to get a foot in the door for paid employment. It is going to be 40C that day, about 103-4F. My fav. word seems apt- ugh.

gleefan

PJ - I hope the meeting with the professor goes well.

I finally got to an AA meeting last night, after missing due to work, kid, and holiday stuff.

Early in my sobriety AA used to be a place to go to keep drinking off the table for an hour. By patiently going back, then diligently working the 12 steps, it's become a place where I can reaffirm my sobriety. It fills up whatever hole the winter duldroms bores into me, or the refreshment in the middle of the hot, sticky thick of summer. Take your pick!

Saskia

PJ, thanks for sharing some info. Glad you are feeling more relaxed after the holidays. I'm always happier when they are over. Good luck with your placement possibility! That sounds like you are moving in a positive direction.

PhoenixJ

Gleef- just to qualify- a professional, not a professor. Not that important.
Sas- yep- mindfulness, a strategy that challenges the ego. Interesting, surrounded here in my little room by the art work I have been doing for months. There is a definite change in style, context, colour and focus. From defined, accurate lines - flames and screaming to mellow abstract blues/greens and seascape thoughts...

Saskia

PJ, that sounds like a positive internal change shown through your art work. And you are right - those internal changes take a lot of work. Keep it up

stargazer016

Great progress PJ!

nmd

Good luck on the appt PJ! 103f sounds God awful, there's never been an official temp above 99f where I live.

I've never made it through the holidays sober before, but I get the risk getting complacent. Class threads do slow down, one of the reasons I post here too. I'm trying to keep some balance, spend a little time on SR each day, but planning my day and spending time on my goals too.

badgerden

Hello all! I have previously posted as Tazzle class of Dec. 2012, and due to lack of control over wine, and also losing all my passwords I am now Badge class of Nov. 2016 and I would like to join your group/family if you will have me. My last drink was 50 days ago, feeling good and strong, but I have been this route before and I know that complacency is my enemy. So I have been posting and reading SR almost daily. I am liking the way my brain seems to be working in a better, clearer fashion. Who knew how sweet it is to wake up in the morning and actually remembering what the conversation was about from the night before!!! Its amazing!

Take care all, hope your day goes as planned!
Badge
50 days

stargazer016

Welcome aboard Badge! Fifty days is awesome. There is lots of great folks on this thread with various lengths of sobriety.

Remembering anything at all is pretty amazing after all these years!

Saskia

Welcome, Badge!

I used to drink only at home but friends would call and in my drunken state I didn't have the good sense to just let the phone ring -- and so I would embarrass myself. And of course the next morning was very unpleasant. These days I'm so much happier :-)