Doing something you could never do before
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Join Date: Dec 2012
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Doing something you could never do before
Just a light hearted thread for Friday night 
I've always wanted to see the Northern Lights.I live in deepest, darkest, remote Scotland and tonight there is a Northern Lights alert - When the levels of solar activity are so active there's a strong chance of seeing them. So at 10pm I got dressed into warm clothing,got my camera and off I went
Didn't see anything as too much cloud cover but it got me thinking. When I was drinking there is no way I could have gone out or even wanted to leave the house so late(and leave my wine
) I couldn't (or shouldn't) have driven. Would probably have been crashed out by 10pm anyway,especiallyon a Friday night.
Now I have the freedom to just go out. Getting sober has given me a freedom I never knew I was missing. People talk about freedom to go to the pub or have a drink.It's the opposite really -not drinking gives you real freedom.
The more I think about it the more things there are that I can do now that I couldn't or wouldn't have ever done before. How about you?
I've always wanted to see the Northern Lights.I live in deepest, darkest, remote Scotland and tonight there is a Northern Lights alert - When the levels of solar activity are so active there's a strong chance of seeing them. So at 10pm I got dressed into warm clothing,got my camera and off I went
Didn't see anything as too much cloud cover but it got me thinking. When I was drinking there is no way I could have gone out or even wanted to leave the house so late(and leave my wine
) I couldn't (or shouldn't) have driven. Would probably have been crashed out by 10pm anyway,especiallyon a Friday night.Now I have the freedom to just go out. Getting sober has given me a freedom I never knew I was missing. People talk about freedom to go to the pub or have a drink.It's the opposite really -not drinking gives you real freedom.
The more I think about it the more things there are that I can do now that I couldn't or wouldn't have ever done before. How about you?
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South west uk
Posts: 960
Post is spot on. The freedom is definitely not drinking. On Sunday I have football in morning and would literally start drinking from end of game until bed. This Sunday I'm going surfing after football. Never would have done that before!
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South west uk
Posts: 960
Ya they have a very different feel. Not sure why though as I work Saturdays! Sunday is my day off in the week and my oh my does it feel amazing now! Went for a 10 mile run today I felt so good when I woke up!
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Midwest, USA
Posts: 1,022
Adhering to healthy habits was something I always wanted to do but never could manage while I was drinking. Sober, I watch what I eat, I train with weights five days a week, and I run (lingering foot injuries permitting). Feels good. I feel like I'm in control.
Feels weird.
Feels weird.
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,439
Nice post.
Definitely a lot of things that are open to me that weren't before.
It's early for me still, so sometimes it's the small things I appreciate that I couldn't do before: eating healthy, not getting extreme anxiety when my phone rings, having dreams again at night, being able to speed a little and not worry about anything other than a speeding ticket. Being able to remember things and do simple math again.
But there are other things that are open to me now too, like going on an airplane to a city I don't know and not worrying about not having weed with me, I never would have considered even going before due to that, but now the whole world is open.
Definitely a lot of things that are open to me that weren't before.
It's early for me still, so sometimes it's the small things I appreciate that I couldn't do before: eating healthy, not getting extreme anxiety when my phone rings, having dreams again at night, being able to speed a little and not worry about anything other than a speeding ticket. Being able to remember things and do simple math again.
But there are other things that are open to me now too, like going on an airplane to a city I don't know and not worrying about not having weed with me, I never would have considered even going before due to that, but now the whole world is open.
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Okc
Posts: 22
Tonight I spent about 5 hours at the bookstore after my meeting. Decided to finally tackle Ulysses... I could never finish it because I'd start drinking. I think I'm going to start reading books again. :-) so awesome what we can do with our minds clear and focused.
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Somewhere in Wisconsin
Posts: 661
Ditto! I feel more free now than I ever had while drinking. I, too, would have just sat in the house and drank myself into a stupor and been in bed by 9 pm. Tonight I went fishing with my boyfriend and we caught 34 crappie! First time fishing sober in 13 years. Then we went out for an excellent catfish dinner (something else I never did while drinking--going out for dinner). I FEEL SO ALIVE AND HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
sold my motorcycle about 12 years before i got sober. drivin on 2 wheels drunk was getting dangerous and i chose drinkin over riding.
got a bike 2 years into recovery. scared the crap out me getting on it. in about 15 minutes i was experiencing serenity and peace i never experienced before on a bike.
got a bike 2 years into recovery. scared the crap out me getting on it. in about 15 minutes i was experiencing serenity and peace i never experienced before on a bike.
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Deep South
Posts: 14,636
My attention span is improving. My concentration is WAY better! I feel capable and competent again... that's an amazing feeling after having your self-efficacy eroded by addiction. I'm able to hold many thoughts together and not feel overwhelmed or stressed. I'm better able to work through problems, and take multiple steps to reach a goal. This was SO frustrating for me while drinking, beating my brains out over things that shouldn't have been so hard... I'm a thinker naturally, and just didn't realize how bad the alcohol was messing things up for me cognitively.
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,742
It's true there are more options now. The other day, I had lunch with a friend, worked in the studio and got four pieces ready to go, wrote a story, and went to a show. Before, I would have made the to-do list, gotten drunk at lunch, and made excuses for not working. I would have continued all day and bailed on the show or showed up drunk and not enjoyed it. That is, unless I had been hungover, in which case, I would have bailed on my friend, and additionally not worked. Now I can freely make my to-do list and choose my options, knowing I have reserves of energy to do as much as I want.
I now make art whenever I feel like it, instead of just keeping a pile of procrastinated ideas accumulating around me
I now make art whenever I feel like it, instead of just keeping a pile of procrastinated ideas accumulating around me
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Originally Posted by DoubleBarrel 
Driving at night without worrying about cops.
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NMRN- being in control is a really good way of looking at it.I'd never thought of it like that before,thank you
Olive-apparently this year is a great year for seeing them due to high levels of geomagnetic activity or something
DG- you sound positive and getting sober has opened up loads of new avenues for you
LoneJ- I love reading too. I know what you mean Bigsombrero - It's nice to be able to remember the previous chapter the next morning
Eleni-hope you're feeling good now you're a few weeks into sobriety
Plenny-great to hear your work is improving and your creativity has returned
Olive-apparently this year is a great year for seeing them due to high levels of geomagnetic activity or something
DG- you sound positive and getting sober has opened up loads of new avenues for you
LoneJ- I love reading too. I know what you mean Bigsombrero - It's nice to be able to remember the previous chapter the next morning
Eleni-hope you're feeling good now you're a few weeks into sobriety
Plenny-great to hear your work is improving and your creativity has returned
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Originally Posted by ZoeM
I just want to get back to driving. I gave up as I was getting panic attacks - didn't realise at the time, it was due to withdrawals
Thanks Zoe, the stronger you get in your sobriety hopefully the panic attacks have eased for you.
LDT- I love being the designated driver too- I'm the only one who ever offers
tom-hopeyou're enjoying riding you bike again
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