Wanted to Say I'm Back, and to Ask What You're Doing to Stay Sober
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Southern California
Posts: 174
Wanted to Say I'm Back, and to Ask What You're Doing to Stay Sober
I tried posting this yesterday, to frustratingly no avail. One more try:
...and sober for a couple weeks now. And in it to win it.
I've been meaning to apologize for disappearing. I've gone in and out, in and out. I pray that this time will be different, and I'm ready to take action; but I can only say for sure that TODAY is different.
So I'm posing a question to all the other newcomers who are serious about creating a life-long lifestyle out of their sobriety. A question to all those who are, as they say, "done":
What steps are you going to take to keep yourself sober? I don't mean "Step One, admitted that we were powerless...."; but rather-- what are you going to do in sum total to make your sobriety stick?
Meetings?
Sponsor?
Take commitments?
Pray?
Exercise?
Stepwork?
Here's what I'm going to do:
*Continue working with my sponsor
*Increase the number of meetings I go to per week (to between 5 and 6)
*Go to meetings close to where I live (this is a big one for me)
*Try to do stepwork at least once every other day
*I've taken two commitments at one of my new meetings
*I have started listening to audio of the Big Book on my ipod at work
*I'm hitting my knees and praying in the morning and at night
*I'm drinking chamomeal (sp?) tea like only an alcoholic could drink tea
*Practicing turning my will over to God, as I understand him on an almost moment-by-moment business
*Consciencously not dating, and not putting myself into situations where temptation will be great
*Being open and honest with friends about the fact that I've decided to quit drinking
What about you guys?
...and sober for a couple weeks now. And in it to win it.
I've been meaning to apologize for disappearing. I've gone in and out, in and out. I pray that this time will be different, and I'm ready to take action; but I can only say for sure that TODAY is different.
So I'm posing a question to all the other newcomers who are serious about creating a life-long lifestyle out of their sobriety. A question to all those who are, as they say, "done":
What steps are you going to take to keep yourself sober? I don't mean "Step One, admitted that we were powerless...."; but rather-- what are you going to do in sum total to make your sobriety stick?
Meetings?
Sponsor?
Take commitments?
Pray?
Exercise?
Stepwork?
Here's what I'm going to do:
*Continue working with my sponsor
*Increase the number of meetings I go to per week (to between 5 and 6)
*Go to meetings close to where I live (this is a big one for me)
*Try to do stepwork at least once every other day
*I've taken two commitments at one of my new meetings
*I have started listening to audio of the Big Book on my ipod at work
*I'm hitting my knees and praying in the morning and at night
*I'm drinking chamomeal (sp?) tea like only an alcoholic could drink tea
*Practicing turning my will over to God, as I understand him on an almost moment-by-moment business
*Consciencously not dating, and not putting myself into situations where temptation will be great
*Being open and honest with friends about the fact that I've decided to quit drinking
What about you guys?
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,514
Hi Blake,
It's good to see you back!
For me, balance is the key. I have to pay attention to the physical, spiritual and mental aspects of my life.
It sounds like you have a good plan!
It's good to see you back!
For me, balance is the key. I have to pay attention to the physical, spiritual and mental aspects of my life.
It sounds like you have a good plan!
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,784
I've finally gotten a sponsor and am working the steps with her. On step five now and struggling with disclosing to her (sponsor) my shortcomings. I'm also praying every day for help with my sobriety and the depression that's wearing me out. My faith isn't very strong so praying is hard to do, but I'm doing it anyway.
I'm staying sober today cause I don't want to go back to drinking again. Nothing back there that I want and it will kill me eventually, one way or another. Also not sure i could make it back to sobriety if I started drinking again and don't want to find out the hard way if I have any more recovery left in me.
Welcome back!
I'm staying sober today cause I don't want to go back to drinking again. Nothing back there that I want and it will kill me eventually, one way or another. Also not sure i could make it back to sobriety if I started drinking again and don't want to find out the hard way if I have any more recovery left in me.
Welcome back!
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,061
Good to see you back BT, and it looks like you've got a good plan of action laid out.
Most of what you've spelled out there is what I do for my recovery 24/7, so I won't add anymore to it except to say that I use SR during my workday as a means of staying in touch with people in recovery.
I've been doing it for over 4 years, and I'd like to think I'll continue like this for a lifetime. So I guess that's all the wisdom I can offer, that I have to keep doing what works for me, and keeps me sober one day at a time.
I'd also suggest doing your maintenance Steps, it gives me a lot of joy to practice them....
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Most of what you've spelled out there is what I do for my recovery 24/7, so I won't add anymore to it except to say that I use SR during my workday as a means of staying in touch with people in recovery.
I've been doing it for over 4 years, and I'd like to think I'll continue like this for a lifetime. So I guess that's all the wisdom I can offer, that I have to keep doing what works for me, and keeps me sober one day at a time.
I'd also suggest doing your maintenance Steps, it gives me a lot of joy to practice them....
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 18,299
Originally Posted by Blake'sTyger 
I
What steps are you going to take to keep yourself sober? I don't mean "Step One, admitted that we were powerless....";
What steps are you going to take to keep yourself sober? I don't mean "Step One, admitted that we were powerless....";
In a way, I think that is what I have done. i don't mean with a sponsor from the book or anything, I mean I think it has sunk in to my thick skull at last.
I could go to meetings, read the Big Book, all the rest of it and still binge every two weeks or every month because I hadn't accepted step 1, I had done step 1 but not accepted it.
I kept binging because I kept thinking, "it will be OK this time", and 1 time out of 10 it wasn't too bad. 9 times out of 10 it was horrendous. I kept thinking 1 out of 10 were good odds, lol.
You don't have to be in AA to accept step 1, all it is is a realisation that alcohol has you beat. Forever.
I am only 2 months sober but going by my usual cycle I would have had 1 or 2 binges in a 2 month period.
This has just been my experience over the last 2 months.
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
BT except for what Astro put out there it sure sounds like you have an excellent program laid out there. There is but one thing I would add and in reality you did it VERY well with that post.
PASS IT ON!!!!! (There is a book by that Title! LOL)
Pass it on as freely as it has been passed to you, when all else fails as is said in the BB working with a fellow alcoholic will help to insure sobriety....... kind of hard to pop a top while helping some one stay sober! LOL
PASS IT ON!!!!! (There is a book by that Title! LOL)
Pass it on as freely as it has been passed to you, when all else fails as is said in the BB working with a fellow alcoholic will help to insure sobriety....... kind of hard to pop a top while helping some one stay sober! LOL
Guest
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 2,013
Originally Posted by stone
In a way, I think that is what I have done. i don't mean with a sponsor from the book or anything, I mean I think it has sunk in to my thick skull at last.
I could go to meetings, read the Big Book, all the rest of it and still binge every two weeks or every month because I hadn't accepted step 1, I had done step 1 but not accepted it.
I kept binging because I kept thinking, "it will be OK this time", and 1 time out of 10 it wasn't too bad. 9 times out of 10 it was horrendous. I kept thinking 1 out of 10 were good odds, lol.
You don't have to be in AA to accept step 1, all it is is a realisation that alcohol has you beat. Forever.
I am only 2 months sober but going by my usual cycle I would have had 1 or 2 binges in a 2 month period.
This has just been my experience over the last 2 months.
I could go to meetings, read the Big Book, all the rest of it and still binge every two weeks or every month because I hadn't accepted step 1, I had done step 1 but not accepted it.
I kept binging because I kept thinking, "it will be OK this time", and 1 time out of 10 it wasn't too bad. 9 times out of 10 it was horrendous. I kept thinking 1 out of 10 were good odds, lol.
You don't have to be in AA to accept step 1, all it is is a realisation that alcohol has you beat. Forever.
I am only 2 months sober but going by my usual cycle I would have had 1 or 2 binges in a 2 month period.
This has just been my experience over the last 2 months.
"one day at a time".
Next stop: real life
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 990
Heya, B'sT. 
I'm a year and a half into my sobriety, but I'm still working on the underlying issues. For me, leaving AA was important: the groups around here are very negative. I decided I'd be better off if I wasn't constantly being told I was going to relapse if I didn't pray (I'm an atheist), et cetera. It's a great program when done correctly, though -- I'm so glad it's working for you!
Other things I'm doing to maintain and improve my sobriety:
--Giving myself permission to like myself. (Harder than you'd think! But at the end of the day I am an intelligent, moderately attractive person and it's okay to realize that.)
--Moving out my old "nest" into a nicer, safer apartment.
--Not dating out of neediness. If I find a good guy, fine, but I'm not going to glom onto the first male that shows a spark of interest.
--Trying new things (clothes, activities, whatever) instead of retreating back into myself for fear I'll F*ck Up somehow.
--Et cetera.
Basically, I'm working on being content with myself and my life. It's a work in progress, but boy it feels good.
I'm a year and a half into my sobriety, but I'm still working on the underlying issues. For me, leaving AA was important: the groups around here are very negative. I decided I'd be better off if I wasn't constantly being told I was going to relapse if I didn't pray (I'm an atheist), et cetera. It's a great program when done correctly, though -- I'm so glad it's working for you!
Other things I'm doing to maintain and improve my sobriety:
--Giving myself permission to like myself. (Harder than you'd think! But at the end of the day I am an intelligent, moderately attractive person and it's okay to realize that.)
--Moving out my old "nest" into a nicer, safer apartment.
--Not dating out of neediness. If I find a good guy, fine, but I'm not going to glom onto the first male that shows a spark of interest.
--Trying new things (clothes, activities, whatever) instead of retreating back into myself for fear I'll F*ck Up somehow.
--Et cetera.
Basically, I'm working on being content with myself and my life. It's a work in progress, but boy it feels good.
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