My plan..
 

I plan to stay sober 365 days starting yesterday, I want to see how my life is without alcohol and what changes will take place. After a year I will evaluate things.

To stay sober I will attend aa gets sponsor do the work,post on sr and write my journal daily.

Hope everyone is well.

That is great. I am horrible with making plans. I am always too busy dealing with the consequences of not making plans. You know what I mean?

Have you accepted that alcohol is no longer an option in your life and that you don't drink anymore?

I found accepting and understanding that reality to be a powerful tool.

Congrats on your decision to stop for a year....i think that is a fantastic start and i think you may be happier.

Good for you LionHearted! Hope you make it and if you do, you won't be disappointed.

When my wife quit smoking she picked a date, 11/1/2001 and stuck with it. In support, I put my pipe and cigars away and neither of us has smoked since.

Unfortunately she has an alcohol problem and has found that is much harder to quit. This is a really tough thing that you are going to do for yourself, but keep in mind you wil also be doing it for the people around you who care what happens to you.

Keep in touch with this forum. Everyone here cares too and you'll have great support and encouragement.

You can do it! Just focus on all the benefits that come with sobriety. Being a creature born into this world of ours is truly a miracle. Do it for yourself. Your highest self is going to be proud of you.

go for it lion,,, i know u can do it xx
i have a friend who is now nearly 3 yrs sober,, he is my rock when times gt hard,, and he said,, when u get to a year the rest is history lol
im so prouda u ,, xx
keep us all posted xx
lv cleo xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I found the opposite. Doing that early on would have made me say to hell with this, I can't do this forever. Thinking if it gets bad enough, I'll drink tomorrow kept me sober for my first year. Things I learned after that kept me sober for 28 more years. For some it's necessary, and works to say I'm done forever. For others it's a recipe for disaster. We only have today. And I only need for me to stay sober today.

That is good news Lionhearted.

Wishing you well.

So did u get a sponsor? Find a meeting? Still sober?

Good point...everyone is different and I appreciate you sharing how you've gone about it. One day at a time would absolutely not work for me. Forever is my cup of tea.

Accepting that one can no longer drink alcohol, at least for me, is empowering.

I couldn't stay sober without accepting that alcohol is no longer an option.

It sounds like a good plan lion. Really glad to read that here.

If you do the year as you describe you will be paid handsomely..... you will see that you have received far more than you invested.

As Wayne Dyer said "You'll see it when you believe it".

Looking forward to having you in The Rooms.

All the best.

Bob R

Hey Lion

I set myself that challenge last Valentines Day, Feb 14.

I have 24 days to go until I get my year.

I am so proud of myself it actually makes me feel tearful.
I never thought I could do it.
I just kept going, and kept going and kept going.

I used a calculate the date website.
Every night I put in my start date and the current date in the calculator.
In black and white it gives me days, weeks and months.

I remember being wowed when i reached 28 days.
I could not believe when I got into 3 figures when it was 100!
When it went to 200, again I was amazed.
300 I was awed.

I did that.
No-one can ever take that away from me.

I never had a lot of confidence.
But I was determined to give it my best shot.
I never really told anyone, a few people I trusted.
My partner drank and its cool.
My friends drink and its all fine with me.
My work colleagues drink..a lot...and again its fine.

I've done an Irish wedding, two holidays abroad, one of which was all inclusive and Christmas and New Year. All with no booze.

I know I have said it in other posts, but I really do think you have to get busy, especially at the start.

I also get from you Lion, that sometimes you feel resentful when you stop and go to AA.
Maybe if you set yourself a challenge, it might fire you up a bit more, be something you want to take on. Accept the challenge!

I have also found that when you start getting further into the the days and months, people don't want to encourage me to drink.
My friends know how important it is to me that I get my year.
There is a bloke from work and we work in a boozy environment and whenever I see him he HEAPS praise on me that he thinks I have done amazing and it means the world!

I wish you all the luck in the world Lion and I hope when you get to day 338 days you feel as proud of yourself as I do.

Good stuff, lionhearted. I look forward to following your journey.

Great post sasha thank you! What will you do once you have a year?? Will you continue your sobriety??

Sounds like a good plan :) Someone in AA said to me once "Try it for a year and if you don't like it you can go back out and your misery will be refunded"

Sasha great post you are an inspiration! Lionhearted just remember to have fun on your new journey. You are not losing anything by being sober and taking care of yourself. Enjoy it!

I will no way go back to who I was and what I did.

I have thought what happens after a year?
Will the novelty wear off?
Will have to cross that bridge when I come to it.
But I cannot see that I will drink again.

Or maybe continue but set a new challenge?

8 years without a coffee.
4 years without a cigarette.
1 year with out booze

Whats next?