NoAlcohol

Sobriety for me has been a blessing. I really don't believe I can live a successful life and be anything other than completely sober. Alcohol causes me to live a life full of madness, full of insanity, and to put everything that isn't alcohol-related on the back burner. So, for me, the buzz I get from sobriety makes me happy. Sobriety is literally the most important thing in my life, and the one thing in life that makes me happiest.

hokey

Waking up and NOT thinking ... "oh no ... what have I done???"

NoAlcohol

And checking my phone to see who I texted... ugh. I don't miss that.

Mags1

Weekends, home, my cat, my husband, coal fires, the seasons, laughing till I cry with friends, smell of laundry fresh off the washing line. Paddling bare foot in the sea.
Mostly, sobriety to enjoy it all xx

Verte

Oh my gosh, No Alcohol. I had to explain to twelve women in my neighborhood just exactly why I texted that "I need[ed] them to help me with the crocodile in the grass" at 2a.m. and to "get in touch with me ASAP!" Exclamation points.

So, so embarrassing.

Persona non grata and all too human. So done with that.

Jupiters

a big a$$ bowl of PHO.
for those who don't know what it is, it's a Vietnamese beef noodle soup
I love to drown it in Sriacha sauce.

yes, a bowl of soup makes me happy

jessie65

LeTheVerte, oh my God, I hope you're in Florida, lol. That crocodile would be tough to explain.
I absolutely hated the morning after, especially after a black-out night. I swear my heart can't take even one more, I almost feel an anxiety attack coming on just thinking about those awful mornings.

Knat, I relate to so much of your post. I'm hoping with more time sober I will start to remember who I was and what I enjoyed before I entered hell.
I do know Fall is my favorite season, love it! I love the coolness in the air after a long hot summer. Fall is great for the hair too, lol, no frizzies, ha ha

Snow, congrats on 11 days! I too am a joy junkie, I want that instant feeling, especially when I'm down, or angry, even when I'm happy I thought I could make it even better with alcohol. I never did, I ruined it.

Very insightful responses, many have made me smile, thanks guys!.

MandalayVA

Let's see ...

Waking up in the morning rested and ready to face the day instead of still drunk, foggy and/or nauseous.

Wanting to go out and about either by myself or with my husband instead of holing up in my room drinking.

Cuddling with one of my cats.

Eating good food instead of crap or nothing at all.

Walking around my neighborhood in the early mornings with my tunes on.

Enjoying a good book.

Stanley Cup Finals hockey. LET'S GO RANGERS!!!

Baseball when hockey isn't on.

This place.

anewpage

Good music makes me ecstatic

GwenCummings

My garden.
Doing something productive... cleaning out a cupboard, making something...
Camping. I just love cooking on a camp stove.
The ocean. Sends me every time.
Wildlife/nature.
Jane Austen.
Sandra Bullock movies.
Bruce Springsteen.
My great nieces and nephew.

Aellyce

Lol, LTV, that is hilarious. Now, in retrospect, I guess...

I had a friend (actually a boyfriend) in the past who was really into my drunken rambles. I would say, addicted to them, since he wanted to chat with me all the time, and often both of us neglected work because we were hooked on that twisted hotline. He always said it was better to read my emails and chats than some psycho sci-fi or fantasy novels. When I was just describing the madness in my head... There were also others in my history who apparently loved the drunken messages. But not me re-reading them later!

Well, I am convinced my creativity is much better sober.

grubby

Money, or even just the possibility of money in the near-future makes me happy.

Lack of money makes me depressed, highly anxious/irrational, and unhappy.

All else comes second

I know its politically incorrect, but all you really need in life is lots of money - at least in this country anyway.......... everything else will automatically fall into place once you have enough $$$$. It's true if you stop and think about it: no worries, more free time to spend with friends & family, health insurance, access to good attorneys, travel, better neighborhood, better food, more reliable vehicles, better furniture........... everything is better.

When i think of my current situation, the only thing really "missing" is the $ part..........

Nuudawn

Sigh...I relate with that.

Right now..in very early sobriety...every increasing clarity and hope make me happy.
Also the warm, summer wind.

CAPTAINZING2000

Riding my Harley

Verte

Jessie and Nuudawn...Yes

Another story:

During one of my breaks in school I visited my Grandmother who had just had cataract surgery. When I asked her how the surgery went she said, "Oh just great. But can you imagine my surprise after I healed and looked in the mirror...I had NO idea that I had so many wrinkles!"

That is kind of how I view sobriety these days. Ugh. Keep on keeping' on. Great thread Jessie. Oops, no, I do not live in Florida. Wrong state for that text.

GracieLou

I appreciate so many little things today. I have to say I am content.

This morning my cat was staring at my BF. She just kept staring at him until he commented about it. I looked at her and said “She is giving you the stink eye. That means she is plotting your demise”. He said “well I wish she would hurry up with it already”

I laughed so hard. I have laughed more in the last year then I have in the last decade. Full out loud belly laughs.

Laughter is happiness!

Jupiters

laughter is happiness.
I <3 my BF's goofy impressions he does. He knows when I need a giggle and just says the most ridiculous things.

This makes me happy b/c as short as a week ago, I wasn't sure he was even going to attempt giving me one last shot (god knows, he's given me a few the last year)...but he seems to want to try, one more time.

Aellyce

Yes, laughter... and the more lighthearted aspects of life... I sort of forgot those during my worst times.

I think some of those those "wrinkles" that we discover with a clearer sober perception can actually be pretty as well. It's not a bad thing to be able to see our flaws correctly.

This reminds me, another source of more peaceful satisfaction in sobriety came as a surprise to me. That I seem to be able to view the mess I've done to myself with a relatively content disposition, not overreacting it. So what makes me happy in this context: how much my anxiety and depression subsided already. I actually get comments on these in my everyday life, and sometimes people ask "what's going on with you" or "what happened to you". Two of them even tried to guess "did you get a new boyfriend or something?". Lol! Of course not, don't think that would help me just now. I said that I'm experimenting with some new self-work. And it's true.

nmd

Pie for breakfast. (and a pot of coffee)

hiking/camping/fishing with my kids.

Dinner with my girlfriend.

Time with my parents, and friends.

A good workout.

Finishing a big project and standing back to look at it.

JimJim

Learning that bacon jam exists has made me happy.