Day 3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Beijing
Posts: 6
Day 3
Hello internet/sober friends.
I just joined this site and apparently have to post 5 times before I can start blogging. I have never joined a site like this, nor posted on one, nor blogged. But I do know that now is a time in my life where I want to stop drinking alcohol altogether and figure this site will probably help me. I've never considered myself a raging alcoholic who needed a drink everyday, but I'm definitely a binge drinker who has gotten drunk 2-3 times a week for pretty much the past 15 years. I'm recently a father (2 years), have a beautiful wife and live in incredible Beijing China. It's time for me to stop drinking and just move forward with a healthy, clear-headed conscious life that I appreciate everyday without being a slave to alcohol. I grew up in Canada, and went to a High School and hung out without a lot of people from the boonies and started drinking/getting drunk with them because there was pretty much nothing else to do. I was smart enough to get into a good university, and additionally went to university in England, which was a great experience, but was pretty into the drinking culture while I was there too. I've traveled a lot of the world and have lived in China for about ten years. I've seen much of this country from Beijing to Shanghai to Tibet and Sichuan...small towns and big towns. Friendly days and lonely days. Lonely days during my 20s.
Anyways, now I'm married to a wonderful woman, and have an extremely cute 2 year-old (pictured in my avatar). Life now is pretty comfortable, but once you have a child, everything changes, and becomes him/her. More stress, more worries perhaps. But it is the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I think I've come to terms with my life without thinking about the kids from the boonies back in Canada too often, or my UK pub mates. There is no reason to drink to remember those days anymore, and no reason to drink to forget the present. I just want to be in the present and with inner peace of mind. The ego can be one's most powerful enemy, and the mind can play tricks on you. I'm a pretty strong guy though who's pretty much lived around the world since his early 20s. I've conquered many challenges, and now, at 35, I slay the booze beast, and all its burdens, once and for all. If anybody reads this, thanks, and good luck with your own Way of finding lasting peace within yourself.
I just joined this site and apparently have to post 5 times before I can start blogging. I have never joined a site like this, nor posted on one, nor blogged. But I do know that now is a time in my life where I want to stop drinking alcohol altogether and figure this site will probably help me. I've never considered myself a raging alcoholic who needed a drink everyday, but I'm definitely a binge drinker who has gotten drunk 2-3 times a week for pretty much the past 15 years. I'm recently a father (2 years), have a beautiful wife and live in incredible Beijing China. It's time for me to stop drinking and just move forward with a healthy, clear-headed conscious life that I appreciate everyday without being a slave to alcohol. I grew up in Canada, and went to a High School and hung out without a lot of people from the boonies and started drinking/getting drunk with them because there was pretty much nothing else to do. I was smart enough to get into a good university, and additionally went to university in England, which was a great experience, but was pretty into the drinking culture while I was there too. I've traveled a lot of the world and have lived in China for about ten years. I've seen much of this country from Beijing to Shanghai to Tibet and Sichuan...small towns and big towns. Friendly days and lonely days. Lonely days during my 20s.
Anyways, now I'm married to a wonderful woman, and have an extremely cute 2 year-old (pictured in my avatar). Life now is pretty comfortable, but once you have a child, everything changes, and becomes him/her. More stress, more worries perhaps. But it is the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I think I've come to terms with my life without thinking about the kids from the boonies back in Canada too often, or my UK pub mates. There is no reason to drink to remember those days anymore, and no reason to drink to forget the present. I just want to be in the present and with inner peace of mind. The ego can be one's most powerful enemy, and the mind can play tricks on you. I'm a pretty strong guy though who's pretty much lived around the world since his early 20s. I've conquered many challenges, and now, at 35, I slay the booze beast, and all its burdens, once and for all. If anybody reads this, thanks, and good luck with your own Way of finding lasting peace within yourself.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Beijing
Posts: 6
Day 5
Well, I'm pretty confident I'll make it past day 5, it's almost 7pm here and I'm at home doing work for tomorrow. I think most here would agree that there is always the thought of..."I'll probably have a drink sometime in the future, so why not now/tonight"...rationale. It's more mental for me than physical I think...and I'm sure I'll have cravings and try and rationalize drinking again in some way, but the bottom line is I think of alcohol as poison in my body, and a part of my younger/former self that needs to be buried with the past and all those High School, College memories. 35 and time to be a man and put other people first in my life. Time to get healthy, be clear-headed, and conscious of myself, and the possibility of being a sober, enlightened person who is compassionate to himself and others. Most alcoholics would probably never dare hurt other people the same way they have punished their mind and bodies over the years with booze. Alcohol for me is not sophisticated, not the Way of an enlightened being, and a bane to most who use it, when sobriety is the true blessing we were all born with. Be in the moment, be in touch with yourself and your life, and all positive energy that is inside of you.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Inverness Scotland
Posts: 9
Well done to you for making that decision. I would say that a huge percentage of people on here are not raging alcoholics. Just fed up with feeling tired and rubbish. I am on my day 1 and have just had enough of living a double life. I too want to feel as good as I used to before drinking took it's hold. And yes I agree with you the ego is the enemy here. But don't try to fight it just know it is there babbling away and go in peace. Be free! X
Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,308
Hi Panda,
I just received you want to be a friend notice, now I see the connection we are both in China. I have been here for over 12 years. China can be a great enabler for drinking. I got sober here with the support of AA and SR, my home group is in Hong Kong, I cross the border when I can to make meetings. Sober 3 years in May. I know they have meetings in Beijing if you ever want to check them out for support.
I come to SR usually every day. For me drinking was not just a bad habit, something to give up like chocolate, it went deeper and needed/needs more work but I only speak for me as everyone is different and I cannot speak of your experience with alcohol.
I can say welcome and keep reading and posting.
CaiHong
I just received you want to be a friend notice, now I see the connection we are both in China. I have been here for over 12 years. China can be a great enabler for drinking. I got sober here with the support of AA and SR, my home group is in Hong Kong, I cross the border when I can to make meetings. Sober 3 years in May. I know they have meetings in Beijing if you ever want to check them out for support.
I come to SR usually every day. For me drinking was not just a bad habit, something to give up like chocolate, it went deeper and needed/needs more work but I only speak for me as everyone is different and I cannot speak of your experience with alcohol.
I can say welcome and keep reading and posting.
CaiHong
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
