Dee74

Have a good time RAL

D

Rose335

RAL - I suspect it's not possible to give up alcohol without experiencing a whole gamut of emotions, some of them inexplicable. I second what Venus and PrayBreathe said. 12 days (double figures even!) sounds fantastic time and I'd be very happy to take that. Hope you have a really great break.

Day 7 - what a difference a week makes. Might even begin feel grateful for last Friday night's binge if it's finally made me draw the line. The AV did not come calling yesterday even though it was the most glorious weather in London and I walked home past a pub where lots of people had spilled out onto the pavement and seemed to be having convivial conversation and drinks. Good for them, I thought. Now move on. I've joined the Weekender thread because not drinking at the weekend might present a slightly greater challenge than not drinking during the week. Hope everyone has a great weekend. I really appreciate being part of this class so thank you very much to everyone.

ReadyAtLast

Thanks guys 2 hours into drive and seeking much better 😀 just got to keep going on and getting through

NewDayNewMe

Morning all

Day 11 - starting to feel quite positive about being sober. Had a good night's sleep (albeit sweaty), and feeling very refreshed this morning. Not felt like this in a long time. Shakes have gone, still get a few spasms, but these appear to be reducing.

My first real test tonight. I coach kids cricket and afterwards me and the other coaches normally have a few beers. Not sure whether I'm just going to make my excuses and leave, or just have a soft drink.

Good luck everyone for another sober day.

Andy.

venuscat

Andy, if it was me, I would pack a cooler of soft drinks and offer them up when the beer comes out....someone here does something that I think is absolutely amazing, unfortunately I can't remember who it is right now. (grr)

They/he is the designated driver for a group that go to a game, way early, and party beforehand....and he goes regularly, and has organised a safe sober space inside the stadium for those who want to be sober and away from the beerathon. How cool is that?? What an awesome thing to do.

I always take cranberry and soda anywhere I go, and I take extra. So often people don't want alcohol and don't have a choice....no other options. My landlady for example would choose my cranberry and soda over any alcohol always. She doesn't like alcohol.

Everyone here is doing so well....I hope you are all proud of yourselves.



EDIT: Thinking of your lovely wife Pete....I have a feeling. s xx

melski

Good morning everyone.
Day 15 for me and feeling pretty well.
Sleeping hard and dreaming like crazy.
Weekend should be busy with yoga, horse activities, errands and chores.
Anticipating an urge to buy wine on my Trader Joe's run (which is a drinking-days habit) so making a list and a budget.
Does anyone else get triggered by shopping?
Maybe it's just me but it always felt reassuring in some weird way to buy alcohol.
Not craving it physically though for which I am grateful.
Happy Friday to all!

Abraham

I always drank unless I was sleeping, or working(and I am not working currently), so life in general is a trigger. Shopping included. I'm just sitting here watching tv right now and that is a huge trigger as well. Going up to the bank soon and that is a huge trigger. Had to load up on shots before I left since I started not taking booze with me. Then its back home to do yardwork and clean out the garage. Both (especially yard work) are triggers. But yea, I get triggered by shopping.

venuscat

Shopping was my biggest trigger by far. In the early days, I would tell my SR class when I was going to the supermarket....the bottle shop is right at the entrance in Melbourne....sometimes I had to talk to someone while I was shopping to get out of there without wine. It was hard.

So I changed it up....went to a different supermarket. My local one was a bit more expensive, but the alcohol was in a different part of the store....I didn't need to go near it. I did that for a while.

I haven't been to Trader Joe's yet (not important, just looking forward to it).

Do you make a list? I imagine you do...best thing to do in my opinion is don't go in hungry or thirsty, that helps me. And take us with you if you like. s

venuscat

Yeah, I here you Abraham. I had a lot of triggers too. s
Again, if you can, change it up....make some iced tea or something you like to take outside with you when you do yard work, and when you go to the bank....maybe focus on how much money you are saving without throwing it away on booze. Like Pete said, in a year he will have enough for a very nice holiday. (Or vacation for the USers ).

TV was my second hardest trigger. So I stopped watching it....not stopped watching shows, but changed where and how I watched them. I swapped to my PC. Even now, I have ***** TV and Amazon TV, so I can watch on PC or tablet or phone....I can even watch on the treadmill. And that is a new healthy habit that is fun for me.

I have no clue why the sensor doesn't like that word....not a big deal, just another company's internet TV.

I will happily sit on the couch to watch something if it is with my husband, but not by myself. I sat on a couch alone with a glass of wine for way too many years. I am sure it will get easier and the trigger will fade, but I am still wary of that one.

Zombie79

So today there wasn't a lot of stuff in and a colleague and me decided to take half days and go to a nice place for lunch after. They had told me they'd be ready by 1pm, I checked in round that time and they were still busy finishing up so I waited another 30mins( I knew what finishing up entailed so 30mins was plenty. When I went back in, they were nowhere near finished. I got annoyed (I get annoyed when I'm hungry) and I left because I wasn't waiting around for this. I got the bus and thought I'd go get an ice- cream at the shop. As I waited in the queue I was just surrounded by people just buying loads of beer, cider,wine and I'll admit, my AV was talking. It is a lovely day but I couldn't face the thought of even waking up after drinking and also jeopardising the time I've spent sober and that I'm so close to 21 days.
so I bought 2 ice- creams and a bar of chocolate instead and once I got home and settled a bit I was a lot happier that I didn't choose alcohol.
Rant over!

Abraham

I do, do those things Ven. Probably one of the reasons I have not drank in the first 20 days of my first attempt to stop. Thanks for the ideas though. Sounds like you quit awhile ago. I figured since you frequent the June 2019 class thread that you had recently quit?

melski

Well glad to hear how you all are managing through the shopping trigger. It's good to know I am not alone with this and yes, I plan to make a list and a budget so I get the things I really want and need.
Hopefully this will also help me avoid having to throw things out that I bought but did not use (ie; bags of lettuce lol).

venuscat

I have been around for a long time And I am staying around....recovery is an every-day thing for me, and always will be. I am in a lot of threads here, and I have one I work on every day....you might like it.

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...art-448-a.html (24 Hour Recovery Connections Part 448)

I was four years and eight months sober yesterday....still a miracle to me.

I remember what it was like in early days....how much I needed to feel responded to when I posted, and as you know, Dee is amazing. Now, I happen to live on the other side of the world, and I am pretty much awake when the Aussies are asleep.....I just wanted to help a little if I could....give back some of what has so selflessly been given to me.

Plus I know some of your classmates from SR already, and to be honest....I love being able to read your class thread....it reminds me every day how precious sobriety is.

venuscat

I am forever finding an iceberg lettuce in the back of the fridge....I seriously have no idea how I keep doing it.

And go Zombie!!!

Making a lovely healthy cold summer dinner for us tonight, then have Skinny Cow icecreams for dessert and Shaft to watch. And now I need to go and clean out the fridge. Again. Bet I find another lettuce.

melski

Yes and those shriveled up apples too...
At least my horses will eat those!

Abraham

I cant keep enough lettuce, carrots, and cucumber around. I'm a salad fiend. Vinegar and oil mostly but I do love ranch, italian, french, greek, almost any dressing except thousand island. I usually eat at least two salads a day. Me and my buddy Doug can wipe out an entire salad bar.

Rose335

Venus - so impressed with the recovery time you have under your belt. Even more impressed and appreciative of the fact that you are taking the time to support we relative newbies in the June class. Thank you!

venuscat

One of the things we (a lot of us) find as we go down this path.....it's an AA saying, and it is true for me anyway: "Give it away to keep it".

I am blessed to be able to help in any way....we pass this on, and it gets even better, if that makes any sense. s

And thank you. xx

Rose335

Yes that makes sense. Very good philosophy.

Newbeginning421

Day 49 think I spent too much time walking in the sun today have a massive headache . Ugh do not feel well.. It is either that or tooth is starting to bother me dentist told me to take care of back in September which don't have the money to get fixed right now. Either way going to take a cold shower and lay down!