Daily mantra
 

Not sure who posted this a while back but I saved it in my 'recovery' folder and find it very useful.

Keeping sober is the most important thing in my life. The most important decision I ever made was my decision to give up drinking.
I am convinced that my whole life depends on not taking that first drink. Nothing in the world is as important to me as my own sobriety.
Everything I have, my whole life depends on that one thing. I can't afford to forget this, not even for one minute.

Increase The Peace

Had a great evening tonight.

Family and laughter and not even any desire or compulsion to drink alcohol. There was alcohol asll around me and pints of beer next to me. But absolutely no feeling whatsoever. Other than a gratitude in being where I am at in sobriety.

Man I feel free. Lots of questions about my sobriety and 'new life' and it is so great portraying the man that I deserve to portray. Rather than a drunk getting more and more desperate and into the intoxicated addicitive mind that i used to get into when drinking before.

I had laughter and reserved comedy rather than forced over the top chemical laughter. I left with self-respect, dignity and acknowledging that yes I f*cked up the last 6 years but I don't regret them and I am happy with where I am on my journey of life now.

So grateful to be sober tonight and so grateful to be a recovering alcoholic. I truly mean that.

Peace and Love x

Neo...not only do you feel great, I can tell you as a family member, I would be very, very proud of your accomplishment! They probably feel even better than you do!

I hope my own kids.....have the same attitude you have! :)

NEO, I hear ya! Something one of my sober girlfriends pointed out to me was that she wasn't constantly thinking about when she'd be drinking again. When she said that I reflected back and remembered how no matter what I was doing, if I wasn't drinking, I was thinking about "getting to it", and it dawned on me how free I was of that constant obsession. It really was owning me.

Love your posts NEO!! TY!! :)

Neo, glad to hear things are going so well for you in sobriety. I'm also finding myself just relaxing and laughing much easier now that the obsession to drink has lifted. I also use the "one day at a time" approach...when you think about it, that's all we really have anyway. We can't change the past and the future is not yet known, so live in the present and do it with an open heart and a clear head. Thanks for sharing your awesome journey with us!

Good Stuff Neo.. Thanks For a Positive Message!

Really in a good place mentally at the moment all thanks to recovery and sobriety.

I have began the 'next phase' of my recovery and it is something which I was unable to face whils't I was still actively drinking and drugging and self-medicating and running away.

It feels good to be at a place where I truly actually want to get well. And by well I mean well!! Loving sobriety and recovery at the moment.

It doesn't bear thinking about where I would have been if I hadn't have gotten sober. Either way I would have been incredibly depressed and in such a dark place. Quite literally if it was a police cell or dead.

It's great because not only do I feel happy and in a good place but this also has a knock-on effect to those close to me ie- family and loved ones. Just like when I was in a dark and horrible place binging on booze and drugs this also made them feel really crappy. It is a nice ammend to make every day by being clean and sober to them. Feels good!

Grateful to be a recovering alcoholic.

Well said NEO!

I too am really feeling 110% today. I never ever ever in my wildest dreams felt like this when I was still drinking.

Man, we really are so lucky to be able to experience this. A few more terrible decisions and I would still be drinking right now like most alco's. Very grateful to be where I am today, in my early days of recovery.

Have a good one brother!

Just got back from an all-day BBQ/Party. Scorching weather today in England.

This event I wouldn't have felt up to 'accepting' before as the experience as a non-drinker is oviosuly very different to a drinker with 'the boys'.

However I accepted my experience and got on with it. It really helps me knowing and truly accepting that I'm an alcoholic. Everybody there knows the score and it's great. No pressure or anything.

No shame, embarassment or none of that but the main thing would have been the carrying on the drinking (and probably drugs) back on my own. Also the drinking upon waking the following morning and day. I guess it helps to know and be under no-illusions as to my alcoholic behaviour. I partied more than enough times to realise the true party for me always would begin once I was all alone and able to drink and drug into oblivion. Challenging my own mind and will to see how high I could go. Man I went high but at a terrible cost.

Grateful to be sober. Grateful to be a recovering alcoholic.

Increase The Peace.

Hey Neo,

I will be stealing that mantra!

Also what an uplifting and joyous thread. Just what I needed, thanks.

I typed out that mantra and put it in my Big Book.