unentschieden

It's here. My "first" business trip. "First" in quotes because it is literally the second, but the first was two weeks in and being disgusted with myself was enough motivation to not drink.

Now I'm over 6 weeks in, and I'm about to be faced with no accountability, free booze on airplanes, and an expense account.

I feel strong in my abstinence. What am I doing differently? Well, first of all I'm not a drinker. Second, I've been practicing yoga at a studio almost every day for the last 2 weeks. It's been (mostly) amazing. Third, I've set an insane work goal so that I have to work almost constantly while I'm on this trip.

However, there is this insistent trepidatious feeling that I will fail. I know not to listen to it, that I have the power to not place a glass of liquor at my lips, but still the voice persists.

Still I'm afraid...

langkah

You've decided firmly and no one is going to pour booze down your neck and you feel very strong and you didn't drink for 6 weeks.

I don't think you'll drink or dope at this point.

onlythetruth

About 4 weeks after I quit drinking, I went out of town for a class reunion. I stayed at the home of a friend, who had gone out of town. Her house had a fully stocked bar. I was completely alone in that house.

Also, no one at the reunion knew that I had quit drinking.

So, no one would have known, or cared, if I drank on that trip.

But I didn't drink. Instead, to keep myself honest, I told a couple of close friends at the reunion that I'd quit. And I didn't drink a drop of booze in that house.

Why? Why could I do that, after YEARS of "not being able to resist" temptation? Because I had made up my mind and there was no turning back. I was done.

That was when I knew for sure that I would make it, and I have. That reunion was in 1998, and there really WAS no turning back after I'd made up my mind.

Sounds like you've made up your mind too: you referred to yourself as a Non Drinker. Congratulations, life will get a whole lot better from here!

Dazee

Sometimes fear can be a good thing. It keeps us aware.

Stuart12

Good luck with the Business Trip. I have spent best part of 30 years doing these things and no matter how much booze is on offer I mostly found that if you choose not to drink alcohol then nobody will be surprised, after all it's business not social, even in the evenings.

I know lots of people who enjoy a drink and have had beer etc when we have gone to the pub after work but on a business related trip just drink water, diet coke or whatever and nobody ever seems surprised.

So I'm sure it will be OK. Also I have attended too many events like this and had a bit too much to drink and it never looks good. YOu will only regret as I have many times.

Stuart

bostonluv

Oh! Look on-line for an AA or NA meeting you can hit right as you get off the plane if you can! I hit one right after rehab even though I really didn't want to and it helped so much. Plus, you'll get to see how a different meeting runs and get that great feeling of doing the next right thing! Just keep doing the next right thing............Keep It Simple

unentschieden

Thanks everyone.

Stuart: in travel alone on business trips, and I would drink endless glasses of wine in my room.

Off I go! I'll check in later this week.

Zebra1275

Good luck on the business trip. They can be dangerous. One thing I've been doing is googling AA meetings in the city I'm going to and then going to a meeting. That's worked well and I've met some very nice people.

Anna

Enjoy your trip!

Dee74

I have confidence in you...U
enjoy the trip

D

Stuart12

Unetnschieden,

Well done with the business trip. Being away from home and being a bit of of 'free agent' is always going to be tricky if you are trying to avoid drinking.

Hopefully other trips should be a bit easier.

Stuart12