Reasons to stay sober
 

No more sneaking about the house hiding bottles, getting rid of empties.

No more shakey hands.

No more forgotton conversations.

No more cutting short time spent with the kids cos I need a drink.

No more missed mornings at work.

No more lies.

No more hoping the police don't stop and breathalise me.

No more spending money we don't have on drink.

Got myself to this place now, lots more No mores I probably could add, feel free to add your own, I've just one more just now,

No more alcohol.

Fizzy - Great idea!

I loved what you had to say, especially the part about not cutting the time short with the kids because of needing a drink. That one's huge with me.

No longer afraid when someone comes to the door.

Can look people in the eye now.

More confident.

Not afraid anymore what my boy might say at school about his home life. He knows Mommy has given all alcohol up and he's quite happy about. I don't even mind if he tells someone that I don't drink anymore because I'm pretty proud of the fact.

More energy to get physically fit and to keep to goals I've set.

Look and feel sooooo much better. I have to tell you this week a friend I go riding with said, "Sarah, I was talking with my daughter, the one in Boston, and she asked me your age. I told her you were around her age, I'm right aren't I?" "Barb, your daughter is early 20s and I am 41 turning 42 years old this August." She made my day! That NEVER would have happened when I was drinking. I was puffy, red faced, bags under my eyes. Well you get the picture - not a nice picture.

Great thread FizzyWater.

One of my biggest is no more being alone. I have friends again. I didn't have any when i drank. I always drank alone.

Barb

Nowadays - I like me :)
(some would say I go too far....but I digress :flirt:)

D

I could post until thread number 2 had to be made. But I will be brief.

Self respect.
No more being broke.
My family will trust me.
Respect from the ones I love.
Hold a job.
Self worth.
My grams will be proud of me.
She will see me be something more than an addict.
No more shame.
No more putting myself in danger.
no more risking my freedom.
I will not die an addict.
I have a million more. But this is good for now.
Thanks for this thread.

just not being dead
that's how i spell gratitude in staying sober
:a122:

No more waking up in the morning in the recliner and knowing I said something to p!SS off my wife but not knowing at all what it is.

No more having to face the guy at the convenience store at 9:00 am wondering if I'm the first customer to buy alcohol this morning!!!

That's a great one! Countless times I have sat in the parking lot of the liquor store waiting for it to open because I need to chase a hangover. I remember the other people who were there waiting for it to open also and thinking they looked like the dregs of society. I was one of them dregs!

No more of that!

That was me too, but with my husband. I used to think he would play me at times and now I know he did. It had to be tempting on his part and I know he was trying to point out if I couldn't remember then I'd better do something about it.

the real crowd pleaser...

no more feelings of impending doom! :cloud

Ah-great to have some company here!

No more hiding the empties---I won't recycle my alcohol on the curb because I am scared of being judged and I don't want my neighbors to know how much I drink. I spend a lot of energy sneaking out bottles late at night, putting them on the curb down the street, hoping someone who is homeless can benefit from the change (a common practice in my neighborhood---there is a return amount on glass).

When I am desperate for change myself, I recycle at some center, but have found myself, embarrassed, making up stories about my messy husband's weekend party. I don't even have a husband---how pathetic is that?

Mostly, I hate the lying and sneaking. I have so much compassion for all of you who are honest enough to face this. Even though most of us have gaged when it is socially appropriate to visit a store for booze, we are all here, saving face in the moment.

I have gone into sobriety before and I will not forget how wonderful it feels to release yourself from all of the unnecessary plotting, hiding, disguising, etc. What a relief!!!!

The reason I stay sober ???

To feel fantastic!
:Dance7:

I stay sober because I'm a great Mom and I want it to stay that way.

no more wondering why I have 5 new bruises on my legs

no empty outbox for text messages (i would delete them during blackouts)

no questionable conversations/promises made

no more weekends spent in bed fighting off a killer hangover

I'd forgotton about that, I had a regular 5 different shops I'd go in too, never wanted to go in the same one 2 nights in a row.

Can't buy drink until 12.30 on a sunday here either, also used to be regularly hanging about near a shop around 12.30, as was mentioned you could normally spot the other dead beats waiting as well. Always used to let other people go first, didn't want to be the first to buy alcohol.

After all I'm not a desparado like them, I'm just enjoying a nice sunday afternoon drink away from the stresses of life, last night was just a saturday blow out and friday, well its the end of a week at work isn't it, got to drink.

Can almost see the folk serving in the shop nodding Alki to each other as I walked out the door.

No more of that either hopefully

No more hangovers! No more blackouts! Feelin good!