Trying to stay sober this weekend? Check in here!
 

Is this going to be your first weekend sober? Maybe your second or third?

Maybe this is your 100th attempt at a sober Friday Saturday and Sunday. Commonly know as a weekend or to this addict an opportunity.

For me it's both of these things. I am still new at spending weekend time sober. And probably the 1000th time trying!

I recently went from trying and failing to trying and succeeding in managing weekend sobriety.

What changed? Why?

Glad you asked! I went through some painful events that put an exclamation point on my addictions. In a big way. Showed me how far things can go. How bad they can get. Or were.

But the big difference between before and after is I want it. I want to feel my sober body and mind so much more than I want to feel lost and shameful.

Consider this if you have tried and failed over and over.... Each time you try you save up a little more sober energy. The tank keeps filling with the desire to succeed and over come. Eventually that tank has enough to stay that way. Each sober day after that keeps adding to your understanding on how to stay strong and take care of yourself. You can do this.

So let's make today a sober day. Just for today. Then do it again tomorrow and Sunday. Add to your sober energy.

If this weekend turns out it was not the one...the tipping point in filling your tank... just remember you will get there. After all you're reading this so you must want it.

It's all in the execution I say. ;) but you need a plan!

Check in here over the weekend and share what you plan to do and simply how you are doing.

You... I mean we can do this!

What a great thread and a great post!

this will be my first attempt. tonight, I'm not too worried about. taking my son to a birthday party that will kill half the night. tomorrow evening is my concern but i'll be on here for support. thanks weasel

I will be on here tomorrow night so please check in and say hello. No one is alone here.

I'm in Weasel!! How about joining in on the online meeting tonight at 9PM ET?

Today will be my first Friday in a while NOT having a drink. I'm doing it! :)

That's awesome vegie!

I cannot commit to the meeting but I will be here. I have some things at home planned but will have my iPad close by. :)

Glad to hear you are going to make this a sober weekend!

Today if I succeed will be my 10th day and 2nd weekend sober. This is the hardest part of the week for my sobriety. I actually get anxious since I'm use to going to the liquor store as soon as i get out of work and start the partying.

How I managed last week? I stayed home and read my books, I stayed away from my alcoholic friends and I got to sleep early. I been feeling down and depressed since I been sort of anti social to keep my sobriety going. Its lonely but im also learning a lot about myself. When I ask my friends, "what are you doing tonight?" The response is usually "going to a bar or club to get wasted."

What do you guys do in the weekends?

Great thread. I relapsed three months ago after 2 years. Today is day 5 for me. Of all things to happen this weekend, an old Army friend is coming to stay with us tomorrow night and we're getting together with other friends and of all the places they chose to go tomorrow is the Hofbrauhaus.

I have gone out with these friends and drank and not drank and I know it is not that big of a deal to not drink. It was just that last night my husband was saying what is the big deal about one more night and that got my mind in turmoil again.

I woke up early this morning and prayed and will do recovery readings and prayer throughout the day because I am determined not to go backward.

Thanks for the thread and the support. We can all do this not matter what! Don't lose the progress you have made and start feeling sicker and get into more trouble again!

I have lost count on sober weekends. I think I stopped at 7. I can't believe it. It really gives me pause. I still feel a sense of triumph and gratitude on Monday mornings. I wonder if I will ever get to the point where Monday is just Monday? I hope not. I never want to forget, you know what I mean?

just last weekend, I woke up from a black out in the ditch next to my house, and the sun was up! OMG, the shame I felt as I walked around the corner into the house.

Today is day 2 for me, and I plan for a sober weekend. So plans. hmmmmm

Let me work on that. Maybe I can get my son to come spend the weekend with me and we can do his first long ride on our tri-bikes.

I will be back to report.
FF

I have been sober for a while but I still make sure weekends are about recovery. Here is what is on my schedule

Saturday
Prayer and Meditation
7:50 AM Pickup sponsee #2 and go to Alano Club
8:00 - 9:00 AM Discuss 1st step
9:00 - 10:00 AM Attend AA Meeting
10:00 - 10:30 Introduce sponsee to sober friends
Some fun sober activity with wife
Prayer of thanks for another day sober

Sunday
Prayer and Medition
8:00 AM Pickup sponsee #1
8:00 - 9:00 AM Talk in general about recovery and life
9:00 - 10:00 AM Attend AA Meeting
10:00 - 10:30 AM AA Fellowship
Some sober fun activity with wife
Prayer of thanks for another sober day

Although AA takes up some of my day it is much less than the time I spent drinking. To me sobriety is about making changes in who I am and what I do. So far it has worked

I think as an alcoholic and an addict that I have an alarm that goes off in my body indicating that the weekend is almost here.....especially on Friday! Drives me nutty! I have been sober through a few weekends and have found that if I can make it through Friday night, it is much easier for Saturday and then Sunday. Sunday during the day gets a little tricky with watching the football games but I've learned to work around that! Amazing how I actually pay attention to the game rather then can't seem to follow what is happening because I'm looped :)

I plan on going out to dinner tonight with an early bedtime. That is key for me. I am still exhaused with this sobriety stuff. I think tonight will be much easier because I know other SR folks are going through what I am!

Ken, love the gas tank analogy and very encouraging post. Your timing is excellent. It's Friday, there's a hint of spring in the air here, and I'm feeling very tired of the monotony of being responsible. Another day of laundry, caring for mom, and work, just like yesterday and the day before that and so on. The AV was just starting to chime in so reading your post helped to shut it up. Thank you!

Trying to focus on the big picture. I have almost 6 months of sober weekends and I look back on how much more I have accomplished instead of wasting time drinking. It feels like I have so much catching up to do, but it's slowly happening.

For all you new people overwhelmed by the thought of weekends, try to create some little rewards for yourself for sticking to it. It might be a special dinner, or new music, or going to a movie, or calling an old friend to catch up. Things you never seemed to have time for that would make you feel good. Check in on SR a lot to remind yourself why this is important.
Catch up on sleep. It does get easier over time.

Thanks for a great thread. On am starting day 5 so this will be my first completely sober weekend in 20 years (scary to think about). I will be doing many of my normal weekend tasks, in the past with a drink nearby, this time with SR nearby instead, so when the AV starts talking I have a place to turn. Looking forward to watching the Packers with my laptop right next to me. Looking forward to hanging with this group for the next 72 hours.

Hey Ken...great post..

I'll be here this week end...They tend to be harder that the rest of the week...

Jim

I am am in weekends are tough good luck everyone stay strong

This is great! You all are helping give me confidence in myself.

I was invited to my neighbors upstairs Sunday for the game. I told them flat out and matter of factly I don't think I can be in that environment and stay sober like I must. I am sorry. Invite me to modern family night instead. :) they said yes and no problem!

Won't mean my mind won't be there. Get a case of the f' it's. but I have you all to keep company now.

Ken

OK, great news for me. My 20 year old daughter and her boyfriend are coming to stay the weekend at my house. that gives me some peeps that love and pull for my sobriety around.

The univers helping me beat the Beast! sweet

Honestly as sad as it sounds if I go home and go to sleep early on Friday I feel like I've made it over the hump. Problem is since I've relapased I haven't been able to do that. I'm on day 6 now hoping I make it through tonight.

FlyerN.... Wen I know I am in those times my thinking gets much smaller. I cannot say right now that I can refer to this evening as an evening.

I have dinner reservations at 5:30. I know my heart will pound at that time wanting to get done with dinner so I can go to the bar. But I won't.

Then I plan on getting some ice cream. Again to avoid being home before 7. Then right into bed to watch TV in comfort. Watching a series I love.

I need to string that along. Think small and on only the next thing.

It's not like that a lot but I know where I am at and saying it hear means I am responsible to myself.

Hang tight tonight. Ending the binge cycle is totally possible!!

You can do it Flyer

I am off to a meeting in a bit to start another (hopefully) weekend. I will be seeing a band, going to have dinner with my parents, a bit of work, and a heavy dose of reading new books I got for Christmas this weekend. Don't want a drink, and hopefully won't have one. ODAAT!

Definatley checking-in on this thread!

I have decided to relearn a language I once knew so I will be going to class on Saturday morning. I think having a fixed appointment and commitment in the morning is really motivating. I'll go to church on Sunday too. I hate going to church with a hangover and of course, there's no need to do so.

I will be going into the city tomorrow night for a play on Broadway....the city always has always been for me a HUGE trigger just because of all the activity and seeing all the people going about their Saturday nights hopping into bars and clubs, all the lights...etc...ill be with family so it shouldn't be too big of a problem plus my sober friend is just a call or text away...part of me just wants to stay home but the other part is telling me to go so I can learn to do things like this when im sober...

It is funny....I was thinking about what I will do this week end to remain sober..and then it kind of hit me..

I was sitting at my desk a couple of minutes ago and am starting to get a headache. Not from drinking as I have been sober for more than several days. I actually felt really good this morning waking up sober.

Then it hit me. Why, why would I want to wake up tomorrow morning feeling like crap with a pounding headache (all this on top of regret)...

This evening when I go to be sober I know I will sleep well. Tomorrow is suppose to be a mild sunny day. I want to enjoy the whole day...not part of it.

This evening when the av kicks in, remember just how crappy you will feel in the morning if listen to that voice.

Jim

This will be my first weekend sober in a very very long time. I havent got anything planned just going to take it easy, read, some exercise and be on SR. I know we are best to take it a day at a time but Im focusing on how good it will feel to not be hungover/still half drunk on Monday morning. Ive got a heavy day at work on Monday so having a clear head will be amazing.

My gosh ken. I needed this thread for the weekend so badly. Starting over with 11 days and my old drinking buddy guest in town. Makes me want to just line up the bottles and get to work! Funny thing is, before she even came to visit she said "I know you always get me a big bottle when I come out but please, this time don't. I see you have stopped drinking and I really want to cut down myself." I was dumbfounded. During the past couple months back she saw I wasn't drinking and must have put two and two together. I said, "are you sure? Because I was going to go to Costco to get ready for your visit (vodka)" she said "really, no I don't want any".
That's such progress and doesn't make me crave it less but man do our actions speak louder than words.
I know she will still drink some and I romanticize about all the fun we had in the past even though I felt like garbage the next day. After her long visits (2-3 weeks) I was always exhausted and depressed. I don't want to be like that anymore.
I need strength this weekend. Thank you. I'm grateful.

Peace.... I used to say the same thing. I found after many failures... Not that you will.... That I cannot just leave it as I will relax and take it easy. I even had very very big days at work and still wound up drunk all weekend and high as a kite on coke driving to work Monday hoping I could walk from my desk to what ever I needed to do.

I want to hear from you Monday so share that you did do what you wanted and stayed sober. For me.... It takes more planning.

Ken

Hi Ken, thanks for your reply. You are right I have done that many many times before. Im still kinda feeling the effects of withdrawls so thought Id just have a quiet weekend and not pressurise myself to do much. Im just going to read a lot and be on here and sleep (hopefully). And I WILL post on Monday saying I had a sober weekend. Thanks so much makes me feel so much better thinking there is somebody out "there" who cares. Hope you have a sober and good weekend yourself:ghug3:tyou