One Year And Under Club Part 69
Living and Loving Life at Last
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: gods own country
Posts: 12,192
Polaroid, Free, you're doing great, it's so important to focus on your recovery.
For you and many others here on SR, this will be the first sober Christmas and regardless of personal religion you will feel the bombardment of alcohol from adverts, films, parties and family and friends. Take some time to plan how you are going to avoid temptation; what has worked in the past? What didn't? I find visualisation a massive help; picturing myself having a wonderful time with a soft drink in my hand. Also running the tape forward, knowing that I would never stop at that one drink. Surround yourself with children, they instilled the magic of Christmas in anyone. Spend time listening to the older folk as the share past christmases. Make sure to make quiet time for yourself, maybe a walk in the fresh air. And keep SR handy, there are specific threads on other handy tips and where people can spend time over the festivities with others feeling challenged or alone.
Don't allow the silly season to jeapordise your hard work so far. You can and will get to January 2nd sober if you put yourself and your recovery front and centre.
Be Strong. Be Safe. Be Sober.
For you and many others here on SR, this will be the first sober Christmas and regardless of personal religion you will feel the bombardment of alcohol from adverts, films, parties and family and friends. Take some time to plan how you are going to avoid temptation; what has worked in the past? What didn't? I find visualisation a massive help; picturing myself having a wonderful time with a soft drink in my hand. Also running the tape forward, knowing that I would never stop at that one drink. Surround yourself with children, they instilled the magic of Christmas in anyone. Spend time listening to the older folk as the share past christmases. Make sure to make quiet time for yourself, maybe a walk in the fresh air. And keep SR handy, there are specific threads on other handy tips and where people can spend time over the festivities with others feeling challenged or alone.
Don't allow the silly season to jeapordise your hard work so far. You can and will get to January 2nd sober if you put yourself and your recovery front and centre.
Be Strong. Be Safe. Be Sober.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,252
Yep
Every holiday was a huge drunk fest for me and a few in my family.
Never thought there was any other way.
The first couple were a little challenging and very weird. Like I was there but in a different dimension.
Watching everyone drink and act foolish while I stood by with my water just soaking it all in.
I learned to focus on the reason for the celebration. Like toots said, run with the children, talk with others who are sober and just happy to be around loved ones.
You Do Not Need alcohol to celebrate.
As a matter of fact the holiday season, and life in general, is So much better sober.
Imagine partying with everyone until the last one goes home then waking up the next day ready to do it again instead of lying around all day in misery. It really is magical, especially the first time.
This will be my 2nd holiday season sober and the thought of drinking is the furthest thing from my mind.
All yall can be there also. Just Do Not Drink, No Matter What
Every holiday was a huge drunk fest for me and a few in my family.
Never thought there was any other way.
The first couple were a little challenging and very weird. Like I was there but in a different dimension.
Watching everyone drink and act foolish while I stood by with my water just soaking it all in.
I learned to focus on the reason for the celebration. Like toots said, run with the children, talk with others who are sober and just happy to be around loved ones.
You Do Not Need alcohol to celebrate.
As a matter of fact the holiday season, and life in general, is So much better sober.
Imagine partying with everyone until the last one goes home then waking up the next day ready to do it again instead of lying around all day in misery. It really is magical, especially the first time.
This will be my 2nd holiday season sober and the thought of drinking is the furthest thing from my mind.
All yall can be there also. Just Do Not Drink, No Matter What
Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 118
Thanks Toots & Fish - thinking thru the next few weeks has definitely help me identify some chinks in my thoughts. I’m going to work on some visualization and will try and focus on my kiddos and their fun. But I’m definitely nervous as this was for sure a drinking time for me and I’m also having the “you’ve proved you can stop drinking” thoughts, so after the holidays if you show you can get thru without drinking… I’m working on ignoring those
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,252
polariod I will address that AV.
Right after Thanksgiving in 2019 I quit drinking for a few weeks with the intention of breaking the cycle of daily drinking and proving to myself I could moderate my drinking. The plan was to drink Christmas Day and New Years Day then nothing until the next big event.
I started drinking on Christmas Eve and did not stop until January 16th 2021.
Experiment was a failure and a success. I proved that I cannot moderate. I proved I could live without alcohol. I proved to myself I Did have a problem with alcohol, which I always knew in the back of my mind but the AV kept telling me otherwise. I proved to myself that as long as I left the option to drink open I would always fail and quickly end up back in the hole I wanted so desperately to get out of.
So glad I found this place and decided to give it up for good.
We simply cannot enjoy alcohol anymore so why continue doing something we don't enjoy?
Because that's just what we do?
Because that's what others do?
I stayed in that mindset WAYYY too long.
There is not one good reason to drink. None. Period.
Tell the AV to bug off and Truly enjoy the holidays. Not the ones you see in the alcohol ads but the ones that are about family and friends.
Right after Thanksgiving in 2019 I quit drinking for a few weeks with the intention of breaking the cycle of daily drinking and proving to myself I could moderate my drinking. The plan was to drink Christmas Day and New Years Day then nothing until the next big event.
I started drinking on Christmas Eve and did not stop until January 16th 2021.
Experiment was a failure and a success. I proved that I cannot moderate. I proved I could live without alcohol. I proved to myself I Did have a problem with alcohol, which I always knew in the back of my mind but the AV kept telling me otherwise. I proved to myself that as long as I left the option to drink open I would always fail and quickly end up back in the hole I wanted so desperately to get out of.
So glad I found this place and decided to give it up for good.
We simply cannot enjoy alcohol anymore so why continue doing something we don't enjoy?
Because that's just what we do?
Because that's what others do?
I stayed in that mindset WAYYY too long.
There is not one good reason to drink. None. Period.
Tell the AV to bug off and Truly enjoy the holidays. Not the ones you see in the alcohol ads but the ones that are about family and friends.
Living and Loving Life at Last
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: gods own country
Posts: 12,192
Brilliant posts FK and so many bare truths in there, thank you for sharing.
Poloroid, as FK said, AV will happily try to convince you that, having proved you can stop drinking, you no longer have a problem. If that were true there would be no drunks! Be strong and don't listen to the little booger, it does not have your best interests at heart.
Poloroid, as FK said, AV will happily try to convince you that, having proved you can stop drinking, you no longer have a problem. If that were true there would be no drunks! Be strong and don't listen to the little booger, it does not have your best interests at heart.
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 8,762
I’m off to a work Christmas party tonight. Designated driver. I’m not really looking forward to it at all to be honest. I would much rather stay home 
but it’s an obligation I can’t escape, so I will do my best to enjoy it. I will be the only sober person there, that’s a certainty, and hopefully I can convince my partner to not stay too late. I really don’t want to be around for the inevitable after party drinking session. Will see what happens, but hopefully we can escape before it’s too far into it, because from previous experiences with this company, they get very messy, and I just can’t be bothered dealing with drunk people. And I have to keep hammering the AV on its head. Wish me luck!
but it’s an obligation I can’t escape, so I will do my best to enjoy it. I will be the only sober person there, that’s a certainty, and hopefully I can convince my partner to not stay too late. I really don’t want to be around for the inevitable after party drinking session. Will see what happens, but hopefully we can escape before it’s too far into it, because from previous experiences with this company, they get very messy, and I just can’t be bothered dealing with drunk people. And I have to keep hammering the AV on its head. Wish me luck!
Living and Loving Life at Last
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: gods own country
Posts: 12,192
Good Luck Willow! I went to a few works parties sober before I left the place and it was not pretty! It did however reinforce my desire to remain sober, realising I too would once have been in such a mess!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,252
You got this willow. It's gonna suck but you got it.
Watching folks make fools of themselves should help. You don't want to be like them.
Just remember they will be laughing now but tomorrow morning I guarantee None of them will be. Except you of course. Because you will be sober and feeling great.
I feel bad when I think of all the nights my wife sat by and watched me get hammered while she waited for me to be done.
Watching folks make fools of themselves should help. You don't want to be like them.
Just remember they will be laughing now but tomorrow morning I guarantee None of them will be. Except you of course. Because you will be sober and feeling great.
I feel bad when I think of all the nights my wife sat by and watched me get hammered while she waited for me to be done.
Magsie
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 26,893
When I first stopped (and meant it) I thought I was missing out sometimes. But I really got a kick on New Years morning going to the sales, sober. I didn’t really want anything I just loved the freedom of being out instead of nursing an hangover like past New Years days.
Being sober and present gives us opportunities we would’ve missed to be with our families and friends.
Being sober and present gives us opportunities we would’ve missed to be with our families and friends.
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 8,762
Congratulations Polaroid! Well done on 90 days!
Pretty chuffed that I didn’t cave in to the “are you sure? Not even a glass of champagne? Not even one? You could have just one….” last night. As we all know, one is never enough. Even if I’d had “just one” last night, the beast would have been reawakened, alive and growling, roaring, clawing at me today, and today would have been a disaster.
Instead, I’m 31 weeks sober with no intention of drinking today
Pretty chuffed that I didn’t cave in to the “are you sure? Not even a glass of champagne? Not even one? You could have just one….” last night. As we all know, one is never enough. Even if I’d had “just one” last night, the beast would have been reawakened, alive and growling, roaring, clawing at me today, and today would have been a disaster.
Instead, I’m 31 weeks sober with no intention of drinking today
Living and Loving Life at Last
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: gods own country
Posts: 12,192
31 weeks is awesome Willow,
Polaroid I always have a big supply of fizzy water, it's kind of a crutch for me now, I always have a glass by my side. There are worse things to rely on! Great going on 91 days
Hi Dickensen, how's it going?
Polaroid I always have a big supply of fizzy water, it's kind of a crutch for me now, I always have a glass by my side. There are worse things to rely on! Great going on 91 days
Hi Dickensen, how's it going?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,252
Somewhere along my journey to sobriety a fellow mentioned his tactic for handling persistent folks who insisted on pushing drinks.
They would say, come on man drink with me!, he would say, ok clear your calendar for the next month or 2.
Apparently noone had yet taken him up on his offer.
They think it is just for tonight but we Know differently.
Great Work willow!
Awesome job Polaroid!
This is how it is done
They would say, come on man drink with me!, he would say, ok clear your calendar for the next month or 2.
Apparently noone had yet taken him up on his offer.
They think it is just for tonight but we Know differently.
Great Work willow!
Awesome job Polaroid!
This is how it is done
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
