IWLSAST

Hi, all. I've been away from my laptop for a few days as I enjoy soaking up some of this Suncoast sunshine. Had a belated birthday dinner with my sister on Saturday and golfed in a charity event yesterday. Today, a recently retired friend from up north nearby, soooo, why not just golf again today.

There was a ton of drinking at the golf outing that I attended yesterday...yet, I felt zero desire to partake. What a blessing from somewhere it is to have another day free from the obsession to drink. I will never take this feeling and gift for granted and plan to do whatever it takes to stay on this sober beam.

Happy to be hangin with like minded right here on this thread.

Have a good one.

Carlos

courage2

^^^

I hope you crushed the vipers beneath your boot! If there are any of them left, we'll crush some here, too.

Every victory over the voice of alcoholism deserves celebration -- it's sound behavioralist psychology, if nothing else. Don't minimize the daily battles -- to lose even one is disaster.

Does anyone have any particularly nice ways to celebrate themselves at the end of a sober tussle?

PS I won't be drinking or taking drugs today.

Gilmer

Rewarding yourself with a delicious treat is nice if you're not worried about your diet,

I find nowadays, though, that there is a kind of unique satisfaction that comes through wrestling with and mastering a difficult situation. Even if nobody else "gets it," God knows and I know.

It feels really good to be proud of yourself.

Gilmer

Beautiful, beautiful sunny, warm day today!

I got out!

Everybody in the central and eastern US is having a warm spell. California is getting pummeled with way too much rain, but it's absolutely perfect on my side of the street!

The sun makes me happy (in moderation, of course!).

Is it getting any cooler for you, Dee? Hope so!

EDIT: uh-oh: looks like Wyoming's bad, too!

badgerden

hello all
C2- I don't physically reward myself, but I do the mental good job, with the associated fist bump and applause to me, when I walk out of the store without stopping at the wine aisle. What Gilmer said about how it feels good to be proud of yourself is dead on. I became sober and am staying sober for me, and its not easy and its an accomplishment every day that I stay on this path I have chosen. I think we as humans go the self depreciation route, so that we do not sound prideful or vain when we accomplish something, waiting and hoping someone will notice without us blowing our own horn so to speak.

That being said, no wine for this girl today!
Badge

tomls

No drink or drug here today!

courage2

Excellent, badger! Hi tom!

Sometimes I think that coming to the forums has become my reward to myself for staying sober.

No drinking here today, either!

Gilmer

I absolutely agree! I really delight in this place and its people.

IWLSAST

Hi All,

Back home and taking a short break from work...two more calls to make today very soon, the I will call this a day. I'm glad to be back to routine and out of vaca mode. I did finish golf with my friend in time to hit my home group AA meeting last night - super glad for that. Work near complete and cardio class at 6pm...woohoo! It takes so much less for me to find happiness in recovery.

Rewards...humm, oh, here's one. I still have much of my mail going to my PA address and the renter just sent me like 6 weeks of that stuff. In active addiction, I would dread mail, phone calls and/or a request to visit. In recovery, I just accept what is and go with the flow.

Haha, and plus, like 20 inches of mail and nothing to dread any longer. Bills paid, no longer on probation or an invitation that I would have used every excuse in the world to avoid....

Add it all up - MY REWARD is peace and serenity. Just what is - not what was or could be. Such an easier way to live.

Hope you all are having a day that offers some measure of peace and serenity.

Carlos

gleefan

The reward for me is coming to SR and taking the time to understand/explain the recovery tool that I used and the recovery reference that I gained from the experience.

I've enjoyed the last couple of days at work, with several people congratulating me on my promotion and some folks even sending gift baskets. Today one of my new peers provided some strong support to get me started on steady footing.

It's a gift for me every time I suppress my innate inferiority complex, enjoy the moment and take people's behavior or compliments at face value.

I hope everyone enjoys a day free from the physical, mental and spiritual bondage of addiction.

Gilmer

I'm glad people are supporting you at work, Glee.

courage2

Glee, have you already moved into your new position, or when? Will there be a lot of change for you?

Gilmer

How have you been doing, Tom?

tomls

Ok. Some days a little better than others.I guess I'm waiting on spring and trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up! Thanks for asking.

tomls

I will NOT, drink/use today.

Gilmer

Good. I will not drink or use today, either!

courage2

What will be, will be.

Letting it be sober makes whatever comes a lot better.

Gilmer

NOTE: The laissez-faire attitude of "What will be, will be" is substantially different from the distantly-related attitude of "I don't give a rat's ***!"

IWLSAST

I'm off to a strange week. For one, I found a deeper understanding of what my higher power is all about. Two, I'm learning to never be board...again, practice not perfection. Three, had a dream where I relapsed, my ex busted me, for spite I was going to file for custody
(haha, somehow my two adult girls were a boy and girl - both less than 10yo), lost my car, saw the Pirates play a game, was at a mascaraed ball with the former President of IKEA, NA (a friend), and wrote a tatt message all over my body. All the same dream from last night. SOOOO CRAZY!!! I want to pick up where I left off....somehow in my dreaming, I was quite aware that I was not doing the next right things - that, in itself, is kinda strange to me.

Ohhh, yep, I agree, Gilmer...hummm, I think?

Off to get many of my remaining hairs cut, then bodypump. I made stuffed peppers with pork and cauliflower rice for dinner - can't wait.

Only drank in a dream - not going to in this real world.

Have a good one, all.

Carlos

Gilmer

Does anybody else ever get sick to death of their own personality?

I think I just need to put a sock in it for a couple of days.

When I start arguing and pounding my fist on the table "in the name of the Lord," it's time to back the heck off!