Change is possible! Weekender Jan 8th My addictions put me on a path. They changed my world from innocence and naïveté to a gritty version of hope. I once thought that if I only changed where I lived I could change my desire and thirst for drugs and drinking. Getting high. I have come to accept that my addictions are where I am and nowhere else. I am not saying that a change of venue does not lend a role in recovery. It can and did for me. What I am trying to highlight is a deep lesson I learned here on SR. There is no change too big or too small when it comes to our addictions. There is no single thing I did to help myself. It was the accumulation of actions, lessons, thoughts, leaving friends and finding new ones, leaving where I lived and resettling... along with desire, fear, and self love that made change something real. What that translates into is "Keep trying!" I think every person's own sober formula is personal. As unique as each of us. I can tell you I stopped trying to change my addictions. They aren't going to change. So I changed everything around them and left them bare and alone. They still travel with me but not me with them. Change is possible. Share this weekend what changes you made in recovery. What lengths have you gone to save yourself? Ken Welcome to your sober weekend!! :bus:bus:bus:bus:bus |
1 Attachment(s) Shotgun! |
Congrats on shotgun, Lunar! I am in) |
M a n f l u ! :(:(:( koff... koff... I will survive! (I hope) I need to drag into work for a few hours then home and calling out tomorrow. My brothers visit is to important. K Congrats Lunar! I saw everyone's name down below and thought this should be good! :) |
feel better, ken! |
Take good care of that manflu, Ken! |
Thanks! And the lottery here has hit $675,000,000. This is going to be crazy times until next drawing on Saturday. Bet it gets too $800,000,000 for sure! I buy 1 ticket. That's all it takes so why spend more. My people will start the weekender for me when I win. And I will fly each of you to maine for a personal weekender. :D:D:D:D:D |
Originally Posted by Weasel1966
(Post 5727886)
And I will fly each of you to maine for a personal weekender. :D:D:D:D:D |
Ok, now I'm awake. |
Don't believe Ken when he says he'll start a Weekender thread later... :whoop Ken, so exciting about your brother visiting, I hope it goes very well and I hope you feel better soon! You need to rest and drink a lot hot tea with lemon. I also recommend my new obsession - fresh ground ginger. I swear it cures everything and if it doesn't I don't want to know because it still does because I believe it does. :blah lunar, congrats on the shotgun! I'm in. |
Cheers Ken, great post and food for thought as always. Personally the biggest and most important change was finally accepting there was a problem. Only in early sobriety but this is a keeper of that I am certain - changes I made initially were seeking the relevant help off my own back because I genuinely wanted & needed too / plenty of reading and listening to others experiences / sticking close to SR / attending sessions & appointments / distancing myself from drinking & drugging friends / cancelling all planned trips and parties . I've also been working hard at showing I am serious about this with those closest to me & trying my best to mend my marriage thro my mistakes / listening more and not being so judgmental / - channelling my obsessions into more productive areas and practising an all round healthy lifestyle / eating & exercise - also looking for new interests and hobbies. Trying to be an all round better person . One thing is for sure this place has been a fantastic help. |
Hopping aboard!!! Change is indeed possible, as I witness every day in this thread and on this site. Over the Christmas, a family member proclaimed to me: "You can never drink again" A simple refrain, the new constant. B |
Originally Posted by RedAndy
(Post 5727904)
Personally the biggest and most important change was finally accepting there was a problem. |
I'm in :) Hope you feel better Ken! I second lemon and ginger. |
I'm in! Will have coffee and think about the topic. |
Here and raising my cup of coffee to all of you :) |
Originally Posted by melki
(Post 5727921)
In my case, I knew for years there was a problem. And I tried to mitigate it for years. What finally prompted a life-altering decision was admitting I will never be able to moderate alcohol. Never. So "I will never drink again and I will never change my mind". That was my mantra in the early days. This forum and all your stories and support helped tremendously. Thank you, SR. :tyou In hindsight the last episode / binge whilst far from acceptable on so many levels I'm relieved it happened as it was the wake up call I really needed, something clicked and made me realise what an idiot I was in the out of control states I was continually getting in, not to mention the amounts consumed - just never considered the dangers or long term effects until the lights came on. The question of moderation was and never can be an option - it just wont ever happen, that's why finding SR was so crucial for me, it was this place that put that to bed for me instantly - grateful for that as without it I reckon the door would have been left open for many further problems. |
Originally Posted by melki
(Post 5727921)
In my case, I knew for years there was a problem. And I tried to mitigate it for years. What finally prompted a life-altering decision was admitting I will never be able to moderate alcohol. Never. So "I will never drink again and I will never change my mind". That was my mantra in the early days. This forum and all your stories and support helped tremendously. Thank you, SR. :tyou Has this much change been easy? No. Has it been fun? Not much. Did it result in all of the things I was afraid of? NO! I still have friends. I still socialize. I'm not all alone and miserable. I'm still working on changes. I want to meet some new sober friends. I want to get out and do more fun activities that don't involve any drinking, by anyone. I want to have adventures. I want to get a job. I want to get out of debt. I want to feel more comfortable in my own skin. I want to stop feeling bad about the past. It's a lot. Is it too much? Hello no. In sobriety, these changes are not only possible, they are already happening. I know a lot of you don't do AA, but my very favorite thing in the Big Book is the Promises. Google it. If you never read another word of the big book, this is worth reading. It's a hopeful message, and something I go back to often. |
Climbing aboard!!! :) |
Originally Posted by Weasel1966
(Post 5727886)
And I will fly each of you to maine for a personal weekender. D:D:D Cannot wait! ;) |
Change is possible Therefore, hope is reasonable. One of my favorite themes. :) |
Good morning everyone. Thank you Ken for getting us started on this weekend of hope and change. We read the AA passage regarding the promises after most meetings I attend. It does resonate. Ken is right. My addiction goes where I go but I don't go with it. Change is possible. |
Still feeling like crap after yesterday's intoxication (no worries, no alcohol involved). I posted on the previous thread the story - apparently some cleaning stuff was very toxic and I inhaled enough to get myself all the symptoms and I was really scared yesterday - it was that bad. Reminds me partially some hangover days. Brrrrrr. |
I am in! Son appears to be suffering manflu, I have cold symptoms! Going to send him to school anyway, as already had two letters about his attendance (oral surgery, followed by smashing his front tooth the VERY next day led to me spending more time at the dental hospital than home!). We shall see how he does! |
Originally Posted by MidnightBlue
(Post 5728050)
Still feeling like crap after yesterday's intoxication (no worries, no alcohol involved). I posted on the previous thread the story - apparently some cleaning stuff was very toxic and I inhaled enough to get myself all the symptoms and I was really scared yesterday - it was that bad. Reminds me partially some hangover days. Brrrrrr. |
In thanks Ken My unlimited internet runs out at midnight & if I'm not around tomorrow I should be back online soon enough just want a internet deal that doesn't rip me off lol Spk soon guys :grouphug: |
1 Attachment(s) I'm in! Happy Birthday Jsbodhi - I posted this at the tail end of last week's thread so in case you missed it:- |
Originally Posted by RedAndy
(Post 5728079)
Blimey that reminds me of a job I had many years ago - apart from being permanently stoned whilst working there we used to have to clean the moulds with trichloroethylene, small enclosed space and supposed to wear breathing apparatus etc when using it but we used to ditch that to get high off it - we ended up in some states ??!! |
Originally Posted by soberwolf
(Post 5728093)
In thanks Ken My unlimited internet runs out at midnight & if I'm not around tomorrow I should be back online soon enough just want a internet deal that doesn't rip me off lol Spk soon guys :grouphug: |
Originally Posted by Weasel1966
(Post 5727886)
Thanks! And the lottery here has hit $675,000,000. This is going to be crazy times until next drawing on Saturday. Bet it gets too $800,000,000 for sure! I buy 1 ticket. That's all it takes so why spend more. My people will start the weekender for me when I win. And I will fly each of you to maine for a personal weekender. :D:D:D:D:D |
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