SunnyCoastK

Good morning all!

Hope everyone has had a lovely 1st day of the new year. RAL that sounds like a lovely nap. I hope the duck turned out great! Chancellor I think you have a day on me as my last drinking day was Christmas Day so just starting day 8 here. I love the symbolism of the 8 as the infinity symbol!!! Yes please for a very sober 2021!! Elly I hope you had a lovely walk in the sun and came up with a great idea for dinner. Way to go on your running Strawberry!! The fire sounds very cosy! Zura I hope you got a good sleep and that you are feeling heaps better soon!! Barnaby you said it all about left over Chinese food - nom nom nom!!! Lovely Venus I feel like your post ooooozes just how relaxed you feel! You go girl!!! You deserve some big time relaxation after your Tigger bouncing through so many posts spreading positivity like pixie dust!

Early morning here. My scale hasn’t really moved but I feel heaps lighter. Very happy that the inflammation from drinking is gone and my gut looks like it’s shrinking a bit. The amount of strength in my legs/glutes is a bit of a surprise as I’ve only been walking for exercise but it is so much easier to bend over or squat down and walking uphill is easier. It’s very encouraging as I can remember how good it feels to be fit from years and years ago when I did lift weights and walk more!

Off to the office today to clean for a few hours and finish taking down the office decorations, then a trip to Woolies for more “whole food plant based” shopping and then cooking this afternoon and probably a walk thrown in late this afternoon. I think Sunday morning sunrise sounds like a good plan as I haven’t caught a sunrise in a year probably.

hugs to all and best wishes for a wonderful rest of your day xx

venuscat

Gosh Sunny, I so want to come do all that with you. s ❤️

Lixie

Good to see so many people here!

Went for a walk on the beach with Molly. So cold! But the light was gorgeous, so I had to take a picture.

venuscat

Oh wow....I have never seen any view like that before. ❤️

SunnyCoastK

Oh wow Lixie! That is beautiful and looks so romantic!!!

venuscat

As long as you don't trip and fall over that pointy rock....

Zura

Good Morning All,

I just love waking up to all your posts. I slept in this morning (8am is a big sleep in for someone usually up at 4am) so I'll give responding individually a miss this morning until I wake up more. But it sounds like everyone is doing really well. Love the infinity symbol Chancellor, way cool. Haha Venus's post def was relaxing, I almost got back into bed lolol. Sinus lingering but I'm not agony anymore. Was supposed to mow today, even with mask and goggles I'm not risking it, no sir-ree-bob. See what I did there 😜 omg lack of sleep makes me a bit silly, sorry, no more lame mum jokes, pinky swear.

Tanky

Morning campers. Have decided that since depression appears to want to hang out, (but it is not actually as scary, debilitating or potentially fatal as what I have experienced previously in life) it deserves to get named. If my addict voice is AV, then my depression can be Marvin. As in Marvin the paranoid Android from Hitch-hiker’s guide .

So this is what Marvin said when I tried to force Marvin into running shoes this morning:

“what? Brain the size of a planet and you want me to go jogging? I mean what is the point? you are bound to have a heart attack and die alone on the road , probably with your knickers showing. have you even bathed this week? You do realise nobody will ever like you - even if you aren’t fat, sad and an alcoholic? You should probably just get the dying part over with. Step out in front of that car. You will never be better..”

Marvin, thanks for your input. Shush.

I did run, anyway. I still feel pretty crappy . But now that I know that is Marvin is maybe easier to deal

venuscat

I dunno.....Marvin is nasty.....he might be pretending to be Mr Depression but I still think he is Mr AV.

I mean, major depression is scary....sounds like lots of us have been there....would it even bother to argue with you?
Or would it just make you curl up in a puddle on the floor?

Just a thought. s xx

Tanky

yeah. Maybe it is. And I have already acknowledged this was not big “D” depression. But I know my mental health has tended to suffer shockingly rapid deterioration in past . So I am hoping by calling it out, making it small, I can prevent that , I guess. I didn’t go through 8 years of therapy and medication because I was vaguely sad. Just saying.

venuscat

I hear you. Really I do. s
And I think calling it out is very wise of you love. xx ❤️

And really sorry....didn't mean to upset you.
With you every step xx

RAL

oh wow Lixie that is amazing!

How exciting we have a new home I do hope this class stays active even though we have moved off the main board

Zura-glad you are feeling a bit better today. You must have needed the sleep. The best medicine as my mother always says

Tanky -sorry to read you're having mental health issues. I suffer too athough do feel much better after a while of not drinking. I hope yours stabilizes soon. As Venus say sounds a bit like AV creeping in there too. Someone wrote about standing in front of a mirror and saying 'I am worthy, I am decent, I am loveable' and change whatever positive words to suit you. It works -the more you tell yourself something the more you will accept it not playing your situation down of course and I know it's not that simple but small positive affirmations can hopefully help a little

Just read on another thread Chancellor said about when I drink alcohol is not just in my life but IS my life. Very apt powerful stuff.

Day 27 coming to a close. Will wake in the morning with 28 days. 4 weeks! Can't believe done it over Christmas and NY. Been so tired all day, culmination of late nights and getting up early. hoping for decent sleep and on that note I will wish you all good night or good day to our classmates on the other side of the world See you tomorrow.
xx

Tanky

thanks, Venus. Means a lot. xx Apologies for bristling at notion I didn’t know what MDD was. Trying to be rational when experiencing irrational is hard. 😂

RAL

I don't know if this is any help at all but last night at the SMART meeting we did all about irrational and rational thoughts or what people call them. The group leader was talking and said to be kind to ourselves. Our thoughts are not necessarily irrational -I mean they are our thoughts. But she said are they helpful? Probably not. Instead of calling them irrational maybe just consider them to be unhelpful. Less negative and also makes them valid. So then went through skills about changing unhelpful thoughts and reframing them into rational/helpful thoughts. Sorry probably not explaining myself very well.

venuscat

I would have deleted my post if I could have Tanky honey....no one needs insensitivity when they are dealing with depression. s

And you make a very good point...something we can all remember with love.... ❤️❤️

venuscat

You are explaining it brilliantly RAL....and what a very good idea that is. ❤️

venuscat

Also, YAY RAL!!!! Look at you go....excited to celebrate four weeks with you tomorrow!!!! ❤️

SunnyCoastK

Yay we graduated to the daily support board!!!

Tanky I remember that series on TV. My brother had the book which I tried to read but I just got confused! Lol!

Brilliant idea to give the small d a name, takes away that seriousness/power and does make the voice smaller. I’m glad you went for a run after all, that’s also great at showing Marvin he has no control and can p*ss off! Have you read The Four Agreements? I didn’t think I would enjoy it and then I couldn’t put it down. I’m going to read it again soon, it’s a great explanation of how we develop our sense of self or identity with so many contributing factors that we are too young and too vulnerable be aware of.

Have a lovely night RAL! I hope the sandman comes to visit you quickly!

Zura glad you are feeling better. Your no mowing decision answered my question that I didn’t ask (allergies?) and I saw what you did there. Please keep up the “Mum jokes” I love that style of humour!!

Could go a coffee right now but I don’t feel like crossing the street to go to the cafe

RAL

Thanks Venus, I am pleased and feel so so so much better. I am calmer and think before I act. I am a better parent and wife and just general person. I have lost 8 pounds in weight, my face is less bloated and flushed, I'm eating better (despite Christmas chocolate!) and sleeping better when I do sleep. I'm also taking less medication-not sure if I have ever mentioned but I do have a tendency/addiction to overtake OTC meds. codeine mainly.

But I am scared. I've been here so many many times before. 4/6/8 weeks sober then picked up again. I really don't want to do that again and have no intention of doing it again. But then none of us have the intention to do it again until we do. I don't want a drink and have not had any major episodes of cravings. Occasional ones of course but I've worked through them. I just dont want to get lazy in my sobriety. It has to be the main focus of my life and I need to work on it every day. I'm on SR daily and am going to ensure I go to several SMART meetings a week. They are on every evening and morning worldwide so there is always one I can join.Looking forward to trying different ones. I also want to get fitter and do more exercise as have been extremely lazy over the festive season. Although we are in lockdown that is no excuse. I live in the middle of nowhere so no shortage of walking space. Just laziness. I mean today was such a gorgeous day, albeit cold, and I haven't even left the house. just no excuse for such laziness.

Zura

Tanky - sorry you are having yucky thoughts. It's great you got those shoes on and got going anyway.
Venus - morning lovely lady
RAL - the SMART meeting content sounds awesome.

Today's conversation has remained me ive been meaning to re-implement my morning daily ritual of meditation, gratitude, affirmations and intention setting. I thrive when it's a daily habit. It's even on my "schedule" but it always gets missed. Hmmmm self sabotage much? Ok I'm inspired to get that pen out. Work can wait! Thanks guys 😊