Seven Months Sober - Musings
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Join Date: Sep 2013
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Seven Months Sober - Musings
Today marks seven months sober for me. I still feel like such a newborn and fledgling with this sobriety "gig." I have been a pretty steady/heavy drinker since I was a teenager and now I am in my 40s. My family of origin are heavy drinkers, so this is still new, wide open territory for me. But it is beautiful, exciting, clean, healthy territory . . .
For those just starting out, I can tell you that the "not drinking" part of sobriety does get easier. For the first 4 months, I was mostly focused on the daily plan of "just don't drink." Now, I more have occasional moments of "just don't drink". The weekends don't seem daunting to me, like they did before. The more time you put into it, too, the stakes get higher. You have more to lose. So even when my AV plays with me, I have built up a treasure trove of health, dignity, sanity that seems too much to give away for the fleeting pleasure of the buzz of a drink.
I now feel like I am on the self-discovery mode of my recovery. Who is sober me (who obviously is the real me)? What is important to me? I am now counting the relationship to myself as every bit as important as my relationship to others, but it takes practice. It sure is nice to give to myself so much more than cheap liquid poison. I am not cheating myself out of the full experience of life anymore and that feels really, really good.
For those just starting out, I can tell you that the "not drinking" part of sobriety does get easier. For the first 4 months, I was mostly focused on the daily plan of "just don't drink." Now, I more have occasional moments of "just don't drink". The weekends don't seem daunting to me, like they did before. The more time you put into it, too, the stakes get higher. You have more to lose. So even when my AV plays with me, I have built up a treasure trove of health, dignity, sanity that seems too much to give away for the fleeting pleasure of the buzz of a drink.
I now feel like I am on the self-discovery mode of my recovery. Who is sober me (who obviously is the real me)? What is important to me? I am now counting the relationship to myself as every bit as important as my relationship to others, but it takes practice. It sure is nice to give to myself so much more than cheap liquid poison. I am not cheating myself out of the full experience of life anymore and that feels really, really good.
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: North East, US
Posts: 2,310
Ohhhh double dragon sooo many congrats to you on 7 months!
That is the exact point in my recovery I started to make tremendous growth in my self discovery. And learning to listen to what my true wants and needs are!
It's a beautiful process of learning about and loving who you really are deep inside.
Way to go so proud of you!
That is the exact point in my recovery I started to make tremendous growth in my self discovery. And learning to listen to what my true wants and needs are!
It's a beautiful process of learning about and loving who you really are deep inside.
Way to go so proud of you!
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Brooklyn, ny
Posts: 734
I have about the same time in as you DD and I can attest to everything you say, especially about the " not drinking" getting easier and the stakes getting higher. Got to keep our little sober cars cruising down the highway! Congrats on 7 months.
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Join Date: Sep 2013
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Thank you all so much. I just got out of a wonderful yoga/meditation class to about 27 texts. My best friends from college were all "lamenting" in these texts about this annoying era in our lives. (we are in our 40s, a few divorces happening, parents dying, kids acting up, you all know the drill). Now I wouldn't consider any of these friends alcoholics. I get that "distinction." You know what, though, lately I have become really grateful for my "affliction." I have had to do so much self discovery and working on my physical and mental health, just to stay sober. I have learned so many healthy slogans, and good habits, and so much about forgiveness, etc. I feel like I have a leg up on others with tools to help me with the inevitable ups and downs of life. I also feel like I am able to help others in ways I wasn't able to and that feels good, too! So, keeping on, keeping on. A grateful heart is a much better high that a zombied mind!
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