3rd Christmas sober - check
 

Picking up a drink didn't really cross my thoughts this past christmas season. I look back to Christmas 2013, Didn't want to leave the house, attend any neighbourhood or company parties, have friends in. It was a struggle. I stuck to my plan and soldiered on, day after day after week after month. I am now 25.5 months into my recovery.
I read some of the current posts and new folks that have just joined us here on SR. I got this advice from a wise old owl when I first came here.
You have to have a plan to deal with everything that will come your way.
A plan for your health, a plan for your family, a plan to reevaluate your friendships, a plan to deal with the inevitable triggers, a plan to get your finances in order, a plan to get your career in order, a plan to deal with any legal problems you may have.
No plan? You must have a plan, it will make your chances of success much greater.
My sincere best wishes to you. This horrendous disease can be beaten, It is far from easy and at times it will test your resilience and best intentions to a level that you never thought possible. Stick to your plan, Everyday..
Much to lose and everything to regain.

Rick

Fantastic post Rick . . . reminds me of that phrase "fail to prepare, prepare to fail"!! :)

Merry Christmas!! :Xmasmca

Hey, Rick! And thank you!

We joined SR at nearly the same time. I'm at 28.5 months now and I can say with full conviction that everything you wrote is spot-on true.

Thank God for those wise owls who helped us in the early days. And continue doing so. :)

I hope that others who are just beginning this journey can look forward -- perhaps a Dickens-like "Christmas/holiday Future" -- and envision yourselves at a place where life is not governed by alcohol. Because it's all within your reach, just as it was for those of us who've been around a bit longer now.

This was my first sober Xmas and it was awesome. What you said about having a plan is so so true!!! I wish all new folks to the site could read that. A plan can help you stay accountable to your goal of recovery.

Thank you for sharing your insight. :)

Congratulations Rick and everyone else. I had another sober Christmas as well and it was fantastic. I quit drinking on January 9th 2015 I had one slip up the night of December 8th, I know I can't skip over that when counting days so I am back on day 17. Have you all managed to put the time together with no slip ups? Next Christmas I will be looking forward to celebrating one year I feel awful as it could be almost two.

Just got past my 3rd sober christmas major congrats Rickh excellent post

You have exactly nothing to feel awful about. Congratulations for realizing it was one slip on your journey. You should be damn proud of yourself.
Everyone on SR is travelling on the same train. Some get on and get off at the first stop, others get off and then decided to get back on, others ride this bugger for the rest of their days and never get off. Everyone is different but everyone is the same. We all have an addiction problem with alcohol and or drugs. How we all got here is really irrelevant. How we are going to recover together is what is important.
I spend a great deal of time in the early few months on SR, reading, listening, crying, laughing. As I stopped counting days and began to count my blessings, focus on the great family in my life and the great future I have, I spent less and less time on SR. Always manage to check in with my group on a milestone, just to get a pat on the back and give some words of encouragement to others. I try to stop in to the newbie section as well and help our where I can.
I spent 40 years binge drinking and sitting on bar stools talking nonsense to the other drunks. "ain't nobody got time for dat"
2+ years later at almost 62 years old and getting somewhat sick of soda water and lemon, life is good. Health is good, future is good.
The one thing I do know and that is I will not be cracking a 24 pack today.
Tomorrow is tomorrow.
Best of everything to you my new friend. Hold that head up high and don't be concerned if you get off on the wrong stop. Be proud you got back on the train.
Rick
(better known as Papa to my 3 wonderful, happy, exhausting little grandsons)

Well done Rickh

Mr. Wolf, your words of encouragement to me over the last two years are most appreciated. Thank you. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Great post. I just enjoyed my second sober Christmas. It was better than my first sober Christmas, and MUCH MUCH MUCH better than my last hungover/drunk one.

Rick, well said in your post. Thanks for that.

Your welcome my friend

Awesome! Congratulations. I spent my first Christmas sober and not hungover in a long time. Thank you for the inspiration.