What I did today instead of drinking
Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: massachusetts
Posts: 2,216
Hi All!
What a great thread...helps put everything into perspective!
Ok, I woke up at about 7:30, got a cuppa and posted on SR...then got ready for and went to a meeting. It was fabulous! I heard so much that I could relate to and that inspired me. Congratulated the speakers and spoke with some AA friends. Then to brunch with the family, then back here to check in.
Now I've got to study for scuba class, probably take a nap, do a power walk and then a nice dinner for the family...Then a little reading and bed!
At least that's been it so far and the plan for the rest of the day.
Now, if I had drunk last night, the story would have gone like this...
Would have had a horrible night's sleep, awakened in the middle of the night, confused and not remembering what happened. Would have been up for the rest of the night worried and ashamed.
This a.m., I would have felt awful emotionally, physically and spiritually, thrown out the bottle with disgust and would have come here (SR) with my tail between my legs, yet again.
I would have berated myself ALL day and maybe not even gone out of the house...and I would have gone to bed, disappointed in myself.
Sorry for the long post but it's helpful for me to write the benefits of sobriety and to remember how I feel (everytime, no exceptions) "the morning after".
It isn't rocket science to figure out which was the right choice...
Thanks for listening! :bounce
What a great thread...helps put everything into perspective!
Ok, I woke up at about 7:30, got a cuppa and posted on SR...then got ready for and went to a meeting. It was fabulous! I heard so much that I could relate to and that inspired me. Congratulated the speakers and spoke with some AA friends. Then to brunch with the family, then back here to check in.
Now I've got to study for scuba class, probably take a nap, do a power walk and then a nice dinner for the family...Then a little reading and bed!
At least that's been it so far and the plan for the rest of the day.
Now, if I had drunk last night, the story would have gone like this...
Would have had a horrible night's sleep, awakened in the middle of the night, confused and not remembering what happened. Would have been up for the rest of the night worried and ashamed.
This a.m., I would have felt awful emotionally, physically and spiritually, thrown out the bottle with disgust and would have come here (SR) with my tail between my legs, yet again.
I would have berated myself ALL day and maybe not even gone out of the house...and I would have gone to bed, disappointed in myself.
Sorry for the long post but it's helpful for me to write the benefits of sobriety and to remember how I feel (everytime, no exceptions) "the morning after".
It isn't rocket science to figure out which was the right choice...
Thanks for listening! :bounce
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,947
how upllifting to read all your posts
1 i had some blueberry herbal tea
2 i read/wrote on SR
3 I did some packing
4 I went to a meeting
5 I got me sonme pizza on the way home because I was hungry (H.)
6 i'm eating it and visiting on SR again
1 i had some blueberry herbal tea
2 i read/wrote on SR
3 I did some packing
4 I went to a meeting
5 I got me sonme pizza on the way home because I was hungry (H.)
6 i'm eating it and visiting on SR again
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 1,733
Alright I'm going to join in. Yesterday was my second family function where I was not going out to "smoke" and hit the brandy bottle while I was out there. My alcoholism was just starting to progress to that kind of behavior. They would have caught on eventually. But they amazingly didn't notice that the two functions before I was pretty smashed. BUT I notice the difference and am interacting with my two beautiful niecs more (2 & 3 years old). What a blessing. I hope they will never me with alcohol on my breath and a glass of wine by my side. They are young enough they may never know that about me until I choose to tell some day that that was who I was.
Old & Sober Member of AA
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Nursing Home in Brick, New Jersey
Posts: 5,174
Got up at 9:30 when my aide came in to "do me".
Wheeled down to the activities room to check on my peeps...enjoyed "real" coffee, coffee cake, read the horoscopes to everyone.
Went in the courtyard to count the morning glories which have suddenly burst into bloom. Sat in the sun and watched the butterflies flit from bush to bush.
Came back to room, called sister and daughter. Read and posted on SR.
Went to lunch of open roast beef sandwich.
Back to room and two hours of games on pc...don't need to keep from drinking, as much as I need to occupy myself with things that preserve my sanity.
Sunday social at 2:30 for coffee and dessert (ice-cream sandwich for me). Talked about the Olympics and shared European travel stories with the group.
Back to room in time for 5:00 dinner of beef pot pie.
Will play some more pc games until bedtime at 7:30 and watch Big Brother and the Olympics until I fall asleep.
Thirty-two years of drinking gave me enough excitement to last a lifetime. 
Wheeled down to the activities room to check on my peeps...enjoyed "real" coffee, coffee cake, read the horoscopes to everyone.
Went in the courtyard to count the morning glories which have suddenly burst into bloom. Sat in the sun and watched the butterflies flit from bush to bush.
Came back to room, called sister and daughter. Read and posted on SR.
Went to lunch of open roast beef sandwich.
Back to room and two hours of games on pc...don't need to keep from drinking, as much as I need to occupy myself with things that preserve my sanity.
Sunday social at 2:30 for coffee and dessert (ice-cream sandwich for me). Talked about the Olympics and shared European travel stories with the group.
Back to room in time for 5:00 dinner of beef pot pie.
Will play some more pc games until bedtime at 7:30 and watch Big Brother and the Olympics until I fall asleep.
How exciting is that?!
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,781
In 25 minutes I will be starting day 29 of sobriety!!
This is nothing short of a miracle. I keep thinking about how awful my relapses were getting - worse than every. And I ask myself "do I really want to 'go there'?"
Of course the answer's right here in my sober time. How much more fun everything is now that I'm not drunk, hungover, or going thru withdrawals! The dogs always get their walk(s), the house gets cleaned more often. I am going around the house picking up odd things and clothing to see who it belongs to. Hopefully can get all three girls here to collect their stuff and take their mess out of my home!
Next Friday I will break my previous record, and the only record, Actually this is the second longest I"ve stayed sober. Mostly I just used to make it a few days, a week or so - but I always went back out. I'm going to put my addiction in God's hands. His hands can hold everything without dropping anything!
:praying
This is nothing short of a miracle. I keep thinking about how awful my relapses were getting - worse than every. And I ask myself "do I really want to 'go there'?"Of course the answer's right here in my sober time. How much more fun everything is now that I'm not drunk, hungover, or going thru withdrawals! The dogs always get their walk(s), the house gets cleaned more often. I am going around the house picking up odd things and clothing to see who it belongs to. Hopefully can get all three girls here to collect their stuff and take their mess out of my home!
Next Friday I will break my previous record, and the only record, Actually this is the second longest I"ve stayed sober. Mostly I just used to make it a few days, a week or so - but I always went back out. I'm going to put my addiction in God's hands. His hands can hold everything without dropping anything!
:praying
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 983
Last night I went to an indoor climbing wall with a good friend of mine. That's defnitely a sport that requires a lot of concentration and a clear head.
She noticed that I looked healthier and asked if i'd lost weight. Not much, but I definitely don't have that bloatedness from the alcohol anymore.
I'm off until Sunday camping with my family!
She noticed that I looked healthier and asked if i'd lost weight. Not much, but I definitely don't have that bloatedness from the alcohol anymore.
I'm off until Sunday camping with my family!
I'm just a little unwell
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 2,219
I gotta say... right now I'm wondering if I will make it through tonight (Day 2). I was fine yesterday. I've been fine all day. But it's now 6:00 and usually I start drinking right about now, or about an hour ago. About 10 minutes ago I started feeling almost like I was having a panic attack... lots of sudden anxiety for no good reason and the overwhelming urge to just SCREW IT ALL and have a drink.
Good thing there's nothing I can get my hands on right this second.
Is this normal? How will I get through this? This is when I wish someone KNEW what I was going through so I could call them and have them just talk to me for a few minutes... someone I could tell, "I really want a drink right now" and have them encourage me not to.
I'm going back to cooking dinner now. Wish me luck.
Good thing there's nothing I can get my hands on right this second.
Is this normal? How will I get through this? This is when I wish someone KNEW what I was going through so I could call them and have them just talk to me for a few minutes... someone I could tell, "I really want a drink right now" and have them encourage me not to.
I'm going back to cooking dinner now. Wish me luck.
I'm just a little unwell
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 2,219
Ok, well the IMMEDIATE panic/anxiety feeling has passed. I finished cooking and sat down with the family to eat dinner. I drank my water and kept telling myself to just take deep breaths and calm down. I'm now feeling a bit more irritated than I was earlier today, but I'm also now dealing with a husband, a teenager, and a tired 5 year old. 
Since I don't feel confident enough to say, "I won't drink TONIGHT" right now, I'll just say, "RIGHT NOW I'm not drinking, and I'm going to try not to drink for the next 30 minutes."
Since I don't feel confident enough to say, "I won't drink TONIGHT" right now, I'll just say, "RIGHT NOW I'm not drinking, and I'm going to try not to drink for the next 30 minutes."
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Eh? :)
Posts: 1,410
TSH: you're doing WONDERFULLY!!!! I can't get through "won't drink today" either...I literally get through "won't drink right NOW"....and now I seem to have accumulated 32 days. 
I tell you this with all honesty and hope for you...it WILL pass! If you wait out each of the cravings, they DO get less and less. You must know that when you've had a craving...and didn't drink....it DID eventually pass, right?! So just wait out each and every one of them. You CAN do this!!! I am only 32 days in, and the absolutely wonderful day I've had today would not have been possible 32 days ago. I wouldn't have had a clue how great this would feel, 32 days ago. I mean, I read about other people saying how great you can feel, but who can really believe that after only having years knowing that viscious cycle?! I wish this for you and know you can do this! Just ride out those cravings...post on here...we all want this for you! You deserve this!
I tell you this with all honesty and hope for you...it WILL pass! If you wait out each of the cravings, they DO get less and less. You must know that when you've had a craving...and didn't drink....it DID eventually pass, right?! So just wait out each and every one of them. You CAN do this!!! I am only 32 days in, and the absolutely wonderful day I've had today would not have been possible 32 days ago. I wouldn't have had a clue how great this would feel, 32 days ago. I mean, I read about other people saying how great you can feel, but who can really believe that after only having years knowing that viscious cycle?! I wish this for you and know you can do this! Just ride out those cravings...post on here...we all want this for you! You deserve this!
thank you so much, dancing. Really, thank you.
I'm just a little unwell
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 2,219
Alright, it's 10:15, today is basically over, and I'm about to get in bed... so here's what I did today INSTEAD OF DRINKING:
Got up at 5:35 to get my teenage son up for school
Made him breakfast
Got up with my 5-year old 10 minutes after the teenager left
Made him breakfast
Read SR
Did 2 loads of laundry
Read SR
Ran the dishwasher, Read SR, unloaded it, re-loaded it
Read SR
Played with my 5-year old
Read SR
Cooked dinner
Put little one to sleep
Read SR
Helped teenager with geometry homework
*sigh* Thank goodness today is over.
Got up at 5:35 to get my teenage son up for school
Made him breakfast
Got up with my 5-year old 10 minutes after the teenager left
Made him breakfast
Read SR
Did 2 loads of laundry
Read SR
Ran the dishwasher, Read SR, unloaded it, re-loaded it
Read SR
Played with my 5-year old
Read SR
Cooked dinner
Put little one to sleep
Read SR
Helped teenager with geometry homework
*sigh* Thank goodness today is over.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Fort Wayne IN
Posts: 284
Today was a great sober day. I went to work. Talked with my coworker, she is not in recovery and does'nt know I am, she said she learned more about me today than in the last 4mo we worked together. She gave advice that sounded like she was my sponsor about being the better person in a exab situation. Went to a great BB mtg. Learned a new way of thinking about a bad situation.
I just removed my cat deezal for the 2nd time off of my computer. Now I am here. Lovin it!
I just removed my cat deezal for the 2nd time off of my computer. Now I am here. Lovin it!
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