Thanks and an update
 

THANKS: I wanted to say a particular thank you to the 'old hands' on this board who, despite many months or years of sobriety, commit their time and hard-won wisdom on a daily basis. You do it with patience and compassion and tell it straight when needed. I appreciate just about every word you all write and know it to be true, even though I might still have to go and make the mistake myself and learn it the hard way.
All contributions are valuable of course but I am constantly amazed at the relentlessness of the contributions from some stalwarts - you know who you are! Thanks.

UPDATE: It is 7 days for me today. I feel like I have almost got to where a month brought me last time. This time I have been ACTIVE! Running, weights, doing tasks at home, getting stuck into work. I was angry at my lapse, albeit a brief one. I seem to be using that anger as fuel this time.

My mind is full of projects and possibilities and alcohol has been shoved out. I know it will come back a-knocking of course. But I am going to allow myself a brief and modest nod of approval for coming out fighting after a setback.

Right, things to do!

CC

Congrats on 7 days! :You_Rock_

I always had a lot of manic behavior surrounding me when I drank. I could accomplish a lot of busy things. I pushed myself to see how much I could do to prove to myself and others I'm not a drunk, look what I can do!!

In sobriety I had to recognize this mania for what it was. Even a washing machine works hard - it doesn't make it smart.

My challenge was to quell and quiet my brain. I had to find a way to slowwwww things way down into smaller bites. Focus on now and stay in the present. My days of grand plans and long term achievement had to be put aside.

I need to stay sober, just for today. Not for a life time - that was too long and I did not know what that even meant, still don't.

But I learned from others wisdom if I could keep things simple, stay sober today, perhaps begin to have some level of spiritual nature (however one defines that) and do some basic meditation I might stand a chance or real sobriety, perhaps.

I started that path on 6/9/2014 and have not changed it very much. I still stay focused on today's challenges and don't future trip :)

Glad you're back with us! Together WE stay sober......

Thanks a lot, very interesting post. Definitely the opposite way round for me. Drinking is a passive, inactive thing for me. Everything around me gets neglected while I sit stationary in the middle of it all. Passivity is my defensive place. I have to consciously choose activity and push myself into it. Fascinating stuff though and I agree completely about the benefits of meditation. Thanks again.

CC

7 days, a week- that's great! Keep it up. The old hands here are great, aren't they?

Congrats on a week

very much so!

Don't confuse activity with progress. With all the things you're doing, you mentioned nothing at all about what you're doing to prevent another relapse.

thanks EndgameNYC

I understand your point. For me though, positive activity is often also progress for the reasons mentioned in my above response to Flynbuy.
I have some specific contingency plans for urges and risky social situations. But this thread was really about what I do with my sober time - just avoid alcohol or invest in activity that has a return? It is not the solution but it is a positive step nonetheless.

All the best and thanks again

CC

Congrats on the first of many sober weeks! :)

Congrats on day 7 CC.

I'm glad you've got a recovery plan - it really is vital, along with all the other stuff :)

D