EternalQ

One way I first knew sobriety was making a REAL difference in my life, was when: ______.

One way I first knew sobriety was making a REAL difference in my life was after a few weeks sobriety, when I was able to fly on a plane to visit my Dad, and not drink on the plane and neither of us drank the whole 3 days. And we had fun and some important conversations which we were always way too defensive to have before.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

tomsteve

i didnt kill myself and actually looked in the mirror at myself.

stairs

I went to a parent teacher meeting and the teachers hugged me and told me I look great. I hadn't seen them since last school year.

LDT

I read this in a book once and I think it perfectly applies in my case....
I knew sobriety was making a real difference in my life....when I realized it had ruined drinking for me.

EternalQ

I knew sobriety was making a REAL difference in my life because I stopped wishing I was dead everyday, and started looking forward to trying to live.

EternalQ

I knew sobriety was making a real difference in my life when my sister said that sobriety made me more emotionally available and that our relationship now reminded her of when we were young and close and in college.

stairs

I knew Sobriety was making a difference in my life when random people started smiling at me again.

Fernaceman

When I started actually caring about other people's needs and actually wants to help.

Fandy

When i was 3 weeks sober, someone commented that i was smiling, and starting conversations.

MythOfSisyphus

I realized it was making a difference while I was at work. For those who don't know/remember I cook for a living. When it's busy it can be a pretty demanding job. But a couple weeks ago I was struck by just how easy work seemed to be despite being very busy with the holiday rush. I realized it was because I wasn't fighting a hangover the whole time!

Funny how being sober is like having an "Easy Button" for life!

rainyengland

I wake up smiling and ready to go!

lilgolden73

I'm not sure it has made a difference, I just know that despite the urges I don't wanna drinkever again. That's all I got!

least

When I stopped hating myself and wishing I were dead. Now I wake up raring to go and feeling pretty darn good.

EternalQ

I knew sobriety was making a real difference in my life, when:
I stopped crying two or three times a day about my Mom, and started moving through grief instead of being stuck in it.

fallingtogether

It knew it when I could pass on to others, what I have learned about alcoholism. It's is too much for me to keep all to myself. I will share with anyone who needs my help or simply has questions.

Wesley423

When I looked in the mirror and actually knew the person i was looking at. Also so when I realized that dad doesn't stand for drug addled dude and I could actually be one. Your pal in recovey... Wes...

Happier

When I started feeling like life could be fun, enjoyable, and peaceful again WITHOUT DRINKING! It took a while after I quit for this feeling to come out of hiding.. It is showing itself more and more frequently though and that excites me.

sofie

I don't know- it just feels right and I feel like a more authentic person and I started and hope to continue to truly appreciate life and its joy rather than focusing on the negative and things out of my control. That however grim things seem to be, handing life is so much better with a clear head, body, and spirit.

Twenties

Sobriety was making a real difference in my life when I can actually make it day to day without any pain, sadness, suffering, and self pity. My head is now cleared, I'm relaxed, productive, I feel better about myself, and I'm happy.

EternalQ

Just NOW at ten months sober, I am noticing a big difference will be coming: because I am surrounded by my awareness of all the ways I am dissatisfied with where I am in life.

Since I've promised myself I won't drink, I know I will have to find it in me to change soon.

These will be changes that should've occurred twelve years ago when I chose alcohol over personal growth and over dealing with reality.

I am actually scared, overwhelmed, tearful, and bewildered as to how I will go forward.

But since I won't drink, I know I will go forward.

And that is how I know quitting alcohol will make a huge difference in my life, probably in ways that I can not yet imagine.

I have to deal with my resentments and my deep fears. But since I won't drink, I will.