What keeps you sober?
 

What keeps you sober? What helps you to have the strength to not do your D.O.C? What little "highs" do you find in life that keep sobriety worth it?

A vision of myself as a functioning human becoming. I'm 64 years old. In my wake are 3 failed marraiges and all they entail. As Pema Chodron says "when the bottom falls out and we can't find anything to grasp, it hurts a lot...When we are nailed with the truth, we suffer." I spent 45 years medicating myself to ease the pain I caused myself through the medication. Even an old drunk fool such as I can wake up to this truth. I could wake up and face the pain of my own creation or remain asleep, tossing and turning in my dis-ease. I choose to get out of the bed of my making and live with all that entails, grief, joy, pain, relief. Every day of my sobriety I say to myself "May my heart be filled with loving kindness. May I be healthy in body, mind, heart and spirit. May I live in joy and peace." So far its working. I can't go back I can only move forward.

Highs is life:
-After 108 days sober and 25 year drinking career, I have been able to save money and pay things off that I could have never done without drinking
-Love going to bed thinking about what tomorrow will bring
-Clarity of thought ALL day
-Love smiling and looking at my child
-Love just thinking that I am lengthening my life

They tell me about six months until the alcoholic fog lifts. That's what's driving me now at 2 months sober. After that, I don't know. Perhaps a happy life.

Fitz.....very well said!

Hi Kailae, I'm new in sobriety... but what really motivates me and keeps me pushing forward (aside from my permanent personal commitment to abstinence... no matter what) is this: The hope that I can have a real life again. Drinking stalled me in my early 20's. It just sort of stopped my emotional growth. I had every opportunity in the world... good education, intelligence, etc.

I want to pick right back up where I left off and have a WONDERFUL LIFE. And I know it's possible. It's my hope to do a lot more in life than I've done.

I want to travel & write a book that sells. I also want to do photography. And start a successful small business. These are some of the specific things I'm going to be focusing on and visualizing myself doing in the near future...

The hopes to be able to do simple things like driving a car and sitting in a movie without shacking and feeling anxious. The hopes to get a good job and have a nice life for my wife and I. I'm 33 days sober from alcohol, and taking one day at a time.

I like who I am when I'm sober :)

D

My last hangover.

Having more control is my life. I don't mine getting drunk but don't like the binge drinking I go through.

Oh wow so many things!

Planning vacations for the summer....when I spent 8+ years never getting out of my nightgown much less going on vacation.

Laughing so hard you're crying.

Being trusted and respected again.

My husband not being a nervous wreck all the time, worrying himself sick.

My family being able to depend on me again.


Not worrying about being caught in a lie (cause all I did was lie).

The list goes on and on!

I don't like myself very much when I am drinking. I don't drink because I too clearly recall the bad parts about when I did.

Surviving when before I quit it was going downhill fast, and I came out OK!!!

I am taking care from myself now.

My three dogs are my biggest joy and responsibility, one I didn't do very well while drinking. Missed or late meals, missed walks, not alert to their condition, and either too drunk or too sick to take them to the vet if they needed to go.:(

Two of my dogs are special needs: the very elderly beagirl and the diabetic dog. All the more reason to be sober and alert to watch for any changes in their health, especially diabetic boy. But now that I'm "all here" I don't have to worry that I'll do them wrong.

Just watching them napping on the rug makes me feel good. WAking up in the mornings and seeing them all around me on the bed makes me feel great first thing in the morning.:) Money can't buy that feeling but sobriety can.:)

Knowing what I know now, I could never go back to drinking. My life is drama free. I've made great gains from the hole I dug. I didn't think I'd ever regain the trust I lost by lying about my drinking. I like being reliable, sensible and responsible. Most importantly, I don't think I have the strength to go back to drinking. I thought it was hard trying to quit drinking. Thinking back, drinking, the way I did, was the hardest think I ever had to keep up. It was sickeningly, exhausting.

One of the things that make living sober all so worth it is having a good chance to learn new healthy behaviors.

The will to live.

coming to realize that my affliction,

was my salvation... ala fitzy

In general, feeling better....about everything in general...lol

That ugly, ugly liquor store. No need to go there anymore...what a relief.