Putting out a challenge
 

Hi All,


I was just sitting around wanting a drink. (I am on day 3) and I was thinking I am not very good at this quitting drinking thing. I started thinking what am I good at? answer competing. I think my problem may have event started cause I always had to drink the most. So I thought I need competition, so here it is.


Anyone close in time to me in days, (close being as relative as you want it to be) I challenge all of you to stay sober longer then me.

Please reply if you are up for it.

P.S I know this is a bit unusual but I think it will work for me.

I am on Day 2, sounds like a challenge to me! I really want this but want to drink as well. I feel like I am going crazy right now but posting a lot on here, reading other people's stories, doing laundry, cleaning up etc. We can do this!

There is unbelievable power in the fellowship of suffering people. Whether it's a contest or just trying to do something together, whatever we can do to clear some dry time so that we're open and receptive to the changes we need to make, go for it.

your on Tomato.. I will continue to post my progress.. with any luck we tie

I'm a little ahead. But I'll hang with this if you let me in. But here's the gig. If we slip (which I hope we won't) we have to tell each other. If not on a public thread, then in a PM. K?

Go go you two!

Good luck, and i hope you can share a prize! :a049:

Every time you resist temptation you build that muscle! I have only been sober for 6 months but I can say it would be a much bigger deal for me to drink now than it would at the start, if that makes sense. As you get some time behind you you'll gain confidence and strength and happiness. All of these things keep me sober. Best of luck to you.

I'll be honest.. I got nothing to lose and everything to gain. lying will not do any of us any good

I'll be the judge...I can read slurring on message boards.:

Just kidding, but I look forward to keeping up with the progress!

Good luck! I stopped in January...drank after a week...went 20 days ...drank again. Im now on day 7 and feel like I can finally do it thanks to the people in AA.

Only 6 months! That seems like an eternity to me today. I'm trying to make it past the hour. That's great! I think every day is a victory and I hope to be posting in 6 months that I am still sober.

I can definitely agree to tell on myself if I slip. I hope we all are in the February, 2011 club next month and next year. Let's start by posting reasons not to drink today:

1. Don't want a hangover tomorrow
2. Don't want to go through withdrawal again
3. I want my energy back
4. I want to start taking care of my responsibilities
5. My children deserve a sober mother

NEAT, NEAT thread.


Ron

alright Fish & Tomato.. another day down for me.. I like knowing I have someone to answer to for this. keeps me thinking.

let me know how you guys are doing.

I made it through Day 2...with minimal sleep but I'm feeling okay. How I feel physically is directly linked to how strong my cravings are. You know HALT- Hungry Angry, Lonely, Tired. Anyway I haven't had any cravings so far, well any of those cravings that make you start planning what you are going to do to get your alcohol. You know the put your coat on, get your keys, take your coat off again, saying out loud, "no I'm not going to drink, do anything but get in that car" put your coat on again, contemplate "one more time" cravings.

I agree that it is good to have someone to be accountable to. The embarrassment of failing is heart wrenching to me. I don't want to feel that again. Keep up the good work wander. We can do this!

Oh and five reasons not to drink today:

1. I need to go to the grocery store
2. I am starting to feel physically better
3. I have to get up at 6 am tomorrow
4. I want to better my life
5. I'm too old for this ****!

I used to "pay myself" $5.00 every morning when I woke up sober....took the saved $$ and bought myself a present as a "reward" for staying the course....the first thing I remember were these incredible soft high thread count sheets.....because i was sleeping so much better, the color was so pretty and i didn't pour the $$ down my throat.

congrats to all of you for getting through the first couple of tough days.

JT

Good to see you still rolling through these tough times. It will keep me going today.

W,

Sweet invention, I think you have made a couple buddies on here - good to see.

WSTS

My five reasons to stay sober today:

1. I can't die of alcoholism like my mother.
2. If I drink, i'll cheat on my partner, and I can't do that.
3. I won't have bragging rights for 22 days of being sober.
4. I hate hangovers.
5. I don't want my family worried the entire time i'm gone.

Well, I'm on day 2 - so that's fairly close. I'm definitely up for it. Let's see what we can do........

Yay Solly! Welcome to the challenge. I like that our little group is growing. The more people to answer to!

The only problem I see with a "competition" is that it starts with the assumption somebody is gonna "win" and somebody is gonna "lose".

There will always be people with more "time" than I have, and people with less. I stay sober every day for the rewards it will bring me, not to accumulate time or feel like I'm ahead of somebody else.

This isn't a race, it's a matter of life and death. So it sorta feels like a competition is like cancer patients betting on who will stay in remission longest. I'd prefer to think that every person here is capable of getting sober and staying that way. And for everyone to focus on the tools they need to do that. There will, inevitably, be some people who will have problems and may have to go back to square one. Sometimes that's part of the process, but it doesn't HAVE to be.

Just my own musings. If the idea of competing works for you, it works. I guess I have my doubts about it being a great strategy.