rah555

Checking in on day 17! Doing well with it drinking. I've been tempted but have been able to say no. I feel a lot better. I am happy not to be spending so much time nursing myself back to health through a hangover. I've been doing some more activities which is good. We went to bingo at a local casino, swimming, sight seeing in our area, and my daughter has been visiting so it's been nice spending time with her. I've been upset about my job. I finally talked to my boss yesterday. He gave me the green light to look for other opportunities at the company I work at. I'm happy about that. I see some people are racking up the days...congrats!! I also see some are struggling. This is not an easy road. One of the things that has been helping me is that I am so glad to not be spending so much time hungover and full of guilt and regret. It feels good to be off the gerbil wheel (that's what I call the cycle I get stuck in). It's very freeing. Hang in there and don't give up!!

Dee74

Congrats Rah and anyone else hitting a milestone
I'm glad things went better than you expected Jezzi!

I hope the brain fog will left the more days you stay sober ST - thats how it worked for me.

As regards living with or around drinkers - in a sense we all live in a world of drinkers - we're surrounded...

That need not be a determinant on my drinking.

I know what happens when *I* drink - and I never want to be that person or have those things happen again.

D

Purplrks3647

Hey, fellow August warriors! Winding down for the night and hoping to get some good sleep.....glad to see we're still fighting - I'm gonna have to check out that Annie Grace book too! Thanks everyone for helping me stay sober another day!

mandosca

Good Evening Everyone! I just wanted to check in and announce that I am back on day one. I was somewhere around day 35 but I went on vacation and blew it. I've been "mostly" sober since Late Jan/Feb with a few days here and there. I was feeling soo wonderful, I had lost 15 pounds, everything was going great.. then I decided it would be ok to drink for vacation.. what a mistake! While I didn't go as crazy as I would have a year ago, I still ended up drinking most nights, not getting enough sleep, being cranky with my son, etc etc. I am so pissed at myself! Ugg! Anyways, time to move on and learn from my mistakes once again. I'm going to try to take some time to read up and get to know everyone tomorrow but until then I hope that everyone has a wonderful sober night. :-)

Wrandi1

Hi August Posse-

Hope everyone is well and sorry I haven't checked in in awhile! Today is 3 weeks no alcohol and 2 weeks no nicotine.......I must be a lil crazy, both at once , but Im doing it. I can't wait to quit thinking about either though....thought would be easier by now! Have a great week!

Dee74

Welcome back Mandosca

So you think you're closer now to accepting you can't drink at all - not if you want your life to change?

D

lilymaz

Good morning everyone. Hi and welcome mandosca,

It's so good to sit with my coffee in the morning and read everyone's posts. Another busy day ahead for me. When I was drinking I thought I was still doing a good job at work, I've never had a bad review or anything. But I have so much more energy now and I'm also thinking better, reacting less and just so much more positive towards everything. In other words I wasn't giving 100 percent and it feels good to be able to that now. Just another to add to the massive list of pros for not drinking!

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday, stay strong and safe Xx

emme99

Hi everyone,

Thanks HappyPineapple I hope you have a peaceful night as well.

Congrats on 1 month teaorcoffee

Day 18
Today was my mom's birthday. She is still in the ICU but the nurses sang to her and gave her a stuffed cupcake that played "Happy Birthday", we were all up there to celebrate tonight and I think she had an ok day.

I thought about drinking tonight to just get one night away from everything, and I also thought about how I would feel tomorrow morning, and having to start over, and the fear that drinking for just one night wouldn't end up to be just one night. I ended up having iced tea instead, and I hope thoughts of drinking start coming less frequently.

I hope everyone is having a good day/evening

hpdw

Morning comrades , Yesterday was so busy , the kitchen and hall were a building site during the new kitchen install but the guys were great and got it all done by 5pm . When they were doing their stuff I was out cutting back a big hedge , mowed the grass ,weeded all round the potted area which took me to about 2pm then just generally took it easy sitting outside waiting on the kitchen being finished . after they finished it was a 2 hour clean up although they did leave the area pretty clean I still needed to wash all the floors then of course reinstate the stuff then goes in kitchen . By 7 pm I was knackered , bathed the supper and I was ready for bed .

I'm nearly at a month sober on 1st Sep ,don't the days just fly in .

SoberBlondie

Checking in on Day 19 and feeling good. I haven't told too many people yet but I found out I am pregnant (again!) just a couple of weeks ago, which REALLY kick-started my sobriety again.
I know that I often find it easiest to stay sober while pregnant, but I am making sure this time around to continue to seek out support/talk about drinking etc; so that I don't have a relapse when this baby is born next spring.
I really feel like these back to back pregnancies are a sign that I am being supported in my sobriety journey (or maybe a sign that I am at my peak fertility hahaha).
Either way, I know that pregnancy does not guarantee sobriety automatically, so I am still celebrating each day booze-free.

Off to the lake with husband and baby and some friends today for a swim and a picnic

Have a great day all!

determined99

Good morning gang! Congrats blondie! That's awesome!

Lilymaz, you are spot on with your work comment. Amazing feeling to be getting a glimpse at our true potential, both work capabilities and emotional strength. Even when not really hungover, we still walk around with weights on our ankles when in the drinking cycle.

Emme, glad your mom had a good day and you stared down the AV. Good work friend.

Mondosca, your post really resonated with me. I have blown it a few times on vacation. I beat myself up tremendously afterward too. I feel like when I am having a good time, why not really kick it up and celebrate the good life? Then, it's fun for about an hour, I overdo it, sleep terribly and late, etc.. Then I don't have the energy to do the things I planned, at least with vitality. I feel like I am then just enduring the kid activities until it's lunch time so I can beer away the hangover and regret. Then I feel ok for a brief afternoon period, keep going, blackout later in the night.... The cycle seems impossible to break and next thing I know I am back home wanting to kick my self and do the whole vacation over! Such a waste on so many levels! And then I think about it and wonder why for weeks!! I know why though, it is addiction. And my plan needs to be strengthened. Really strengthened. Long post today, but I wanted to let you know I really feel you on that one and I can read this again when I am in that situation and the AV is trying to convince me that snorkeling would be so much better with a few beers.

Have a fantastic day today team! Much love out to everyone.

Dee74

I'm really glad you're staying sober Emme

Congrats to all you guys

D

SoberTyger

day 5 sober, and the good part is i have no desire or craving whatsoever for a drink. Still blurred in brain fug though, and struggling to do anything, even having a normal conversation.
Looking back i see i didnt care properly for myself or my recovery for at least 2 months, even though i "only" drank for 10 days. I see i lost the faith and pride in my recovery. A while ago I was so proud of myself for being sober, thinking it was the strongest and best thing I ever did, but that feeling faded quickly when life threw some obstacles in the way. I just need to get that feeling back, I think in recovery as long as your faith, pride or trust in your recovery is stronger than any desire to drink you are fine, but once that balance tips you are in danger of a relapse. I need to work on strategies for these occations.

I know how to stop drinking, but i certainly need a lot of work on learning how to live sober, because that skill i have never mastered - i am 34 and drink has been my #1 priority since age 16, so it's like learning to live life all over again.

Snufkin

Morning everyone! Checking in on day 25. I'm about to start a final year of my degree and I'm feeling a little bit stressed out but also very excited. I want to make the most of it and I know I'm going to waste it if I won't stay sober. Perhaps I will make some friends for a change; last few years I would avoid everyone and all social gatherings so I could get drunk 'in peace'.

Wise words, SoberTyger. I also need to work on how to deal with my feelings when things are not going so well; getting drunk is all I've ever known.

Have a wonderful day, team! I hope your week is off to a good start.

KiKi0615

Good morning everyone!

Congrats SoberBlondie! That's so exciting! I think it's great that you are forming a plan now so you don't drink when the baby is born. I did the same thing....easily stayed sober through 3 pregnancies but the minute the babies were born I drank....hard! Good for you for working on that!

MANDOSCA: Welcome!!!

Have a great day everyone!

August 2017 Class!!!

PurpleCat
Forwards
Sober81
Lilymaz
teaorcoffee
Sath79
ReadyAtLast
Erratic
Doodles84
Michelle009
Eslsp
Surrender2win
determined99
fgo
Legolady
Awkwardkitty
Plenny
MNVikes4life
Jezzi
Flinders39
StartingOverNW
Islingtonite
Thomas59
Georgie123
DeniseLarkin
Evienne
LukeStanley
1StepUp
ghostgirl
courtneylove140
CaptainHaddock
Linners820
Poppy79
CJHolden
Susiegirl
Debbyjay
MovingForward1
Nic233
SoberNeveah
Atwitsend123
Pinky1
decchemist
snufkin
Purplrks3647
KIKI0615
Kgirl41
Thunderskies
Alock
DarkestHour
Horn95
LunaBlue
bblackbirdflyy
sweenzo
eremite
Lava256
Candie
BiskyRizness
Sunny06
GreatEscapade25
bllit
Jforce58
ChickChick
theVman31
Ekohe
emme99
Caramel
Areyoukittenme
Lyddie
Emzy20
Rah555
Sweetchick
Treesofgreen
Wrandi1
Grateful11
Sweetpeacan
Sofedupofthis
Garfield
Lilitheruffgem
Withinme
ssd858
aca508
NightHeron
jacintadturtle
Bluebird2007
HappyPineapple
Horatio48
time2LLL60
martina12
Mando
Sandra16
Gram99
Cuckoo
Gradstudent1986
BeachE
SoberTyger
SecretChord
SoberBlondie
Catch847
Mandosca

Debbyjay

Help.
I know you all can't do this for me but I need to know why I would break a streak of alcohol free days to drink. My go to drink is wine. I almost always get a little box (500ml) and drink it. I have nothing else in the house so I stop there and I find myself thinking that it is not too bad. I went two weeks sober and just calmly decided that I felt like drinking wine one day and went to buy it.. When I drink that much I do get drunk, make poor decisions (a phone call I shouldn't make, a purchase that I don't need etc) and I always feel regret and a little sick the next day. Why would I do that? So now I have been off a few days, then drink. There is nothing good about drinking, other then the feeling from the first glass. Everything after that is a bust. Am I being defiant just to be defiant. I live alone, finally getting good closure after divorcing my AH and yet I am guilty of the same thing really. I am at a loss!

Jezzi

Pineapple - thank you!
Kiki - I hope you had a great meeting.
tea - congratulations on 1 month!
Sweeti - I'm sorry about your friend. I really think it's a blessing in disguise considering how he often treats you so poorly. Keep going strong <3

Jezzi

rah - 17 days, fantastic!
Dee - thank you! I'm really relieved.
mando - I'm glad you're here after the slip. Jumping back on the wagon is the best decision you could make!
Wrandi - You're such a champ! You're a big inspiration as I have yet to quit nicotine.
lily - I love that you can focus on the best parts of sobriety. It's such a good weapon against the AV.
Emme - It sounds like a lovely day with your mom. Good going not giving in to that thought of drinking!
Thomas - sounds like a very busy, productive day. Good job.
Blondie - how exciting! Congratulations!
Tyger - congrats on 5 days. Hang in there.
Snufkin - Good luck on your final year! You'll kick butt
Debby - The AV is a powerful, however annoying, part of us. It's about recognizing when it's barking at you and having tools ready for those moments. Hang in there, you can do this!

Bluebird2007

Debbyjay - I haven't really got any good advice as I don't consider myself to be out of the woods yet either having been a serial relapser over the last few (12?) years, but please don't give up. Perhaps the impact your drinking is having on your life/health is not yet sufficient to give you a strong enough desire to stop, but having read so many of people's stories on this site, and from my own experience, one thing I know is that alcohol is never going to improve your life in the long run; rather, it's just a matter of the extent to which it will damage or destroy it. If you can take action before this happens, you'll save yourself a lot of regret.

Do you have a plan that you implement when the urge to drink strikes?

Sweetpeacan

Evening fellow classmates, Day 23 and had a whirl of a day today. Thank goodness for the meeting I went to tonight. I sat quietly, listened and took stock. Felt so much calmer when I got home, had a lovely cup of tea and a very lush cupcake. Hope you are all well. Goodnight,sweet dreams/Good Morning, have a good day all.