Day one
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Location: Sterling Heights
Posts: 39
Originally Posted by Dee74 
sounds like you're doing great Daniel - have some faith in your ability to keep doing this - keep making healthy decisions and you'll be fine 
D
D
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Sterling Heights
Posts: 39
Originally Posted by SoberLeigh
What a great day, Daniel. It is very uplifting to read your posts.
Sobriety is so very rewarding. I'm very glad to hear that you are enjoying it.
Onward to Day 19, daniel.
Sobriety is so very rewarding. I'm very glad to hear that you are enjoying it.
Onward to Day 19, daniel.
Have a wonderful night!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Sterling Heights
Posts: 39
If by Rudyard Kipling
I came across this poem by Rudyard Kipling today, while not about Sobriety I found it motivating and inspiring, the parallels are definitely there.
'if' by rudyard kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
'if' by rudyard kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,959
Originally Posted by daniel1974
I came across this poem by Rudyard Kipling today, while not about Sobriety I found it motivating and inspiring, the parallels are definitely there.
'if' by rudyard kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
'if' by rudyard kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
Thank you for bringing it back to my memory.
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Sterling Heights
Posts: 39
Originally Posted by SoberLeigh
How's it going, daniel?
Had a very good couple of days. The cravings are mostly gone, once in awhile I have a quick little flash of temptation, usually on my way home from work, but nothing like the first week and a half.
I had our wine guy at work bring me a taste from a big expensive bottle of wine from a guest tonight which is customary, I graciously took it and gave it to one of the other managers, without wanting to engage the conversation. It honestly was not even tempting to me. My poisonous time was when I was alone. I have pretty decent control of my thoughts right now, I can see the forest for the trees, as they say.
I am in a very "this is the way things are now" frame of mind these days. I'm honestly in a really good place at the moment. The fact that I included my wife in quitting this time makes it real. If I hadn't shared it with anyone else like I did in the past, I probably would have faltered again. I know now that if I did drink again it would be devastating to me, the thought of that and starting all over again makes it a very ugly scenario for me which really helps keep me focused.
I keep plugging along, one day at a time.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,959
It's great to hear that things are going so well, daniel.
Being in control of your thoughts is great. I found a good and healthy mind-set was an integral part of my recovery. The mere thought of ever drinking again is frightening to me.
Handing the wine sample to a manager was a fantastic move, daniel.
Being in control of your thoughts is great. I found a good and healthy mind-set was an integral part of my recovery. The mere thought of ever drinking again is frightening to me.
Handing the wine sample to a manager was a fantastic move, daniel.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Sterling Heights
Posts: 39
Had a very good day today! Thursdays after work used to be my time alone to get drunk and pass out on a pizza night. Tonight I took the kids out for a nice dinner, walked around the outdoor mall to check out the x-mas lights, then to my daughter's swimming class.
After the kids went to bed I headed out and got a membership at a different gym ($10/month as opposed to the $60 I'm paying now) and had a really great workout (I will be in pain tomorrow, I overdid it a bit I believe, but it's ok). It's cheaper, less busy, and closer to home, also nice to have a change of scenery. After that workout, I'm fired up to get at it everyday, feeling super motivated about it.
The gym is open 24/7 so I can turn my former after work sloppy mess time into my workout time, or to quote Dodgeball...I'm going to turn that Frankenstein I used to see in the mirror everyday, into a FrankenFINE!
Zero cravings or temptation today. My AV is getting to be a fainter and fainter whisper. Every new day is a small victory, but a victory none the less.
Goodnight all, I'm still in love with my sober sleep, it's one of my favorite things about my new sober life, I still can't get over it. I hope yours is as restful as mine has been!
After the kids went to bed I headed out and got a membership at a different gym ($10/month as opposed to the $60 I'm paying now) and had a really great workout (I will be in pain tomorrow, I overdid it a bit I believe, but it's ok). It's cheaper, less busy, and closer to home, also nice to have a change of scenery. After that workout, I'm fired up to get at it everyday, feeling super motivated about it.
The gym is open 24/7 so I can turn my former after work sloppy mess time into my workout time, or to quote Dodgeball...I'm going to turn that Frankenstein I used to see in the mirror everyday, into a FrankenFINE!
Zero cravings or temptation today. My AV is getting to be a fainter and fainter whisper. Every new day is a small victory, but a victory none the less.
Goodnight all, I'm still in love with my sober sleep, it's one of my favorite things about my new sober life, I still can't get over it. I hope yours is as restful as mine has been!
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
Originally Posted by daniel1974
Had a very good day today! Thursdays after work used to be my time alone to get drunk and pass out on a pizza night. Tonight I took the kids out for a nice dinner, walked around the outdoor mall to check out the x-mas lights, then to my daughter's swimming class.
After the kids went to bed I headed out and got a membership at a different gym ($10/month as opposed to the $60 I'm paying now) and had a really great workout (I will be in pain tomorrow, I overdid it a bit I believe, but it's ok). It's cheaper, less busy, and closer to home, also nice to have a change of scenery. After that workout, I'm fired up to get at it everyday, feeling super motivated about it.
The gym is open 24/7 so I can turn my former after work sloppy mess time into my workout time, or to quote Dodgeball...I'm going to turn that Frankenstein I used to see in the mirror everyday, into a FrankenFINE!
Zero cravings or temptation today. My AV is getting to be a fainter and fainter whisper. Every new day is a small victory, but a victory none the less.
Goodnight all, I'm still in love with my sober sleep, it's one of my favorite things about my new sober life, I still can't get over it. I hope yours is as restful as mine has been!
After the kids went to bed I headed out and got a membership at a different gym ($10/month as opposed to the $60 I'm paying now) and had a really great workout (I will be in pain tomorrow, I overdid it a bit I believe, but it's ok). It's cheaper, less busy, and closer to home, also nice to have a change of scenery. After that workout, I'm fired up to get at it everyday, feeling super motivated about it.
The gym is open 24/7 so I can turn my former after work sloppy mess time into my workout time, or to quote Dodgeball...I'm going to turn that Frankenstein I used to see in the mirror everyday, into a FrankenFINE!
Zero cravings or temptation today. My AV is getting to be a fainter and fainter whisper. Every new day is a small victory, but a victory none the less.
Goodnight all, I'm still in love with my sober sleep, it's one of my favorite things about my new sober life, I still can't get over it. I hope yours is as restful as mine has been!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Sterling Heights
Posts: 39
Originally Posted by SoberLeigh
Hope you are doing well, daniel.
Enjoying being sober, spending real quality time with my kids, more focused at work, more focused in general. Calmer, more patient, less anxious, more well rested.
I really feel I can do it this time. I've simply accepted that this is how things are now, it's not even hard for me anymore actually. It just is. I finally have my head screwed on straight. My AV is almost non-existent now. Each day gets a little easier and I still have not tired of the awesome sleep, I live for it.
I shared with some of my co workers that I quit and in a way they almost seemed a little dumbfounded either by why I quit or how. I don't think anyone would believe me at work if I told them how bad of an alcoholic I am, I kept it pretty well under wraps while I was drinking.
Why did you quit? They ask. I tell them because it wasn't fun anymore, I had to leave it behind, drinking way too much. I shared some stories about how great it is being on the other side, and it really, truly is.
I'm very proud of how far I've come in this short amount of time and most importantly, I have no delusions that I could have a drink and be ok. I know with every fiber of my being that one drink would bring everything crashing down around me. I'm not going to let that happen.
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,959
I am proud of you, too, daniel. It's really great to hear how well you are doing and how much you are enjoying sobriety.
I don't think that sobriety will ever grow old for me. I love my life; I love going to bed sober and waking up hangover-free is almost exhilarating.
Keep on, daniel!!!!!
I don't think that sobriety will ever grow old for me. I love my life; I love going to bed sober and waking up hangover-free is almost exhilarating.
Keep on, daniel!!!!!
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