Class of January 2019 part 5
 

last part here:

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...rt-4-a-20.html

D

Day 37. Love getting up, refreshed without a hangover.

H379. Quitting smoking, and drinking, and contending with a separation is very difficult. I don't think I could handle it. Quitting smoking later is a wise choice if you can stay off the booze while dealing with the separation.

Thanks for the support, I have reduced the smokes a lot. I know I will quit it, but I guess it's now just a matter of time to get my arms around this major issue and my brain will be free to focus on quitting.

Welcome Sophie great to have you join us .

I'm with dickensen on the smoking h379. Don't beat yourself up over it.

Just saying hello loves. 73 days! Going strong feeling good.

Thanks everyone for your warm welcome!

H379 - sounds like a good plan, take it one thing at a time. Even learning how to enjoy other vices without alcohol is a huge achievement.

Bonnie - Congrats for getting back on the road! Patience is probably my biggest struggle too. Go easy on yourself and keep healing.

Great news bonnie happy driving 😃

I can second the smokes. Part of me thinks it would have been safer to carry on smoking for a couple more months, but after a week, I thought, well the worst is over now.

I can't remember the smoking quitting being such a big deal in the past, though I was drinking while not smoking.

Good call on the smoking H379. Too hard to make so many changes at once, I think.

I'm doing okay today, just got home from work STARVING. I've been trying to push my weight loss and I didn't eat enough during the day. Just ordered pizza for dinner. I'm also celebrating because I just found out my abstract was accepted so I will be presenting at a conference in June - in Las Vegas. That should be fun and it will be way easier to present at 9:45 am in Vegas when I know I won't be drunk the night before!

Stay strong January class!

Bonnie, good for you for pouring it out! The important thing is that you didn't drink it :) Focus on that I say.

Good fight against the AV Bonnie: :You_Rock_

H379 and Strawberry: Congrats on 50 days of being clean and sober! I'm joining you as well. Like you H379, this is the longest that I've gone in two decades.

SBS: Congrats on the abstract acceptance!

I celebrated by allowing myself to take a long nap (actually my body didn't give me a choice).

Yesterday, I had a beautiful sensation of peace that I have truly never felt. It lasted for two or three minutes. But for the first time, I experienced what is described as "serenity" in sobriety. The feeling was so much better than anything I've experienced with a drink. Onward together class!

Like H379, I'm so grateful for every voice in our threads of supporting one another. Welcome Sophie!

Awesome Bonnie!
I pictured your words vividly (but in my own kitchen) and can see how that could suddenly seem like an innocent enough idea. Good on you for hitting the brakes and dumping it.
A friend of mine had 13 years of sobriety and one of those same moments tripped him up. Just 1 beer with 1 friend he hadn't seen in years, and within 2 weeks, he was right back to blacking out nightly. He's sober now, but that 1 drink cost him years more of the annoying, drunken cycle. It's a good reminder that we're never safe, but we're far from powerless :)
Pellegrino for me tonight, cheers January!
✌💚💪
-Z

Bonnie, you should be proud for tossing the wine out. It takes guts.

Thank you all for all the support about smoking. the day is coming when I will be done with smoking.

Anyway as mentioned in the morning that I would share with you all my experience today. It was going to be an interesting day, with some very tough meetings, the wife thing which I knew would be a big blow up, and the party mentioned below (the main thing)

Couple of my friends where being honored for being frequent at a particular bar, they got their name plates engraved. I am glad last year I slowed down, or else I would have been honored as well. The plan was to keep it a secret from them. The invite went to many as my birthday party, it’s on the 23rd anyway. We had a big gathering.

All morning I was worried that I will be questioned, requested and pressured to have at least 1 shot of tequila for my birthday. I had moved from Scotch to tequila with this group. I knew if I caved in for 1, it would be a long night drinking.

I had no desire to drink, all evening the thought did not even cross my mind. I ordered club soda with lemon, to my surprise, a very close friend told the waitress to make it 2. He is 1, at max 2 light beer drinker. His response, if you can, I want to try not to drink, and it’s been couple of weeks, since the last time we went out. I was impressed. Another senior manager is tagging along, on day 50 with me. We were in total 5 who didn’t drink.

One of the 2 VIPs of today’s party said, he would want to be like me, but is not sure if he is ready yet. Many came and congratulated (actually congratulated) me for not drinking.

Was asked by many why I quit? I don’t want to drink. I don’t remember when I felt this great physically and emotionally, I am performing better at work, I don’t get tired as much, I sleep better, I am more efficient, more focused, no more anxiety about happened last night, never worry about being stopped by a cop, I have a lot more time, above all I am never hung over. To my responses few said they may want to try to quit as well. Wow!!!

By the end of the party all my fear about coming back here shamed, apologizing, feeling guilty, start the day 1 again and join the February class had transformed to pride.

Bonnie we ordered Poutine. It was gone in seconds. It will be new dish our team will be ordering going forward.

I don’t think I ever talked so much. I am a shy, an introvert person. But I talked and talked that I am hurting, I think I need a drink…. Perrier!

It ended well, but I know I will always need to keep my guard up. AV is evil, it can creep in anytime in many forms. I kept remembering you all, all evening, one of the stronger tools in the kit. Thanks!

A great accomplishment H379! Truly excellent!

Hi all—still here and still sober and barely hanging in.

Very rough this past week dealing with family issues. Mentally challenging is putting it mildly and I wanted to drink so bad. I must have vented to my husband numerous times, and as I walked out of the room I said I just want a drink. Never picked one up. Need to work on better coping skills.

Thx for all your posts—love seeing everyone’s progress and hearing about what’s going on—let’s keep going!

H379
Dude....well done!
:c007:

Sorry to hear you've had a draining week Suzie.
You're doing yourself and your family a wonderful thing by not picking up a drink though, especially during rough times like these. Hope things level out for you soon!

H379, What a wonderful post. I could feel your elation through it. Well done!

Suzie, I hope things improve with the family struggles. Good for you for not drinking. We all know it will only increase our struggles and problems.

Bonnie, Woa! That was close. I'm glad that little stinkin' wine bottle is gone now. It won't mess with your mind anymore.

Thinking of all of you and cheering you on. We have some good time collecting here and many are sounding so positive. I'm proud to be with you on this journey. I feel this is the year for many of us.

Welcome to sober land! It is so much more peaceful, beautiful, healthy, and contagious.

Love to all and a good night.

Just Tony, Stop by and say hello. I hope you are feeling a bit more upbeat.