Back to Sober Basics Weekender April 8th
A simple guy making his way
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Maine
Posts: 7,867
Back to Sober Basics Weekender April 8th
You don't know this but I typically write the intro every Thursday morning just before posting. Out of both laziness in preparing and wanting to reflect on how I am feeling each week. Live in the moment kinda thing.
I am writing this on a Monday morning. The carry over of emotions from last weekend is strong. Many cravings here. Some folks I care about struggling. Reading the main board, it's clear many are struggling.
The thud in my heart when I read about someone going back. Or when someone can't get up. Or worse yet won't. It's not a commentary on my sobriety. It's not a judgement of my ability to provide kind support. It's addiction.
It feels like we are all walking around in the dark sometimes. Like we walk until we bump into something that redirects us. SR redirects many. Some bounce off. Some return. Some settle in for the long haul. And still some see the light but other pressures in life take priority.
There is no priority greater than staying sober. I am not perfect and I need that reminder. But I don't need that reminder at my expense or even yours. It's something I have learned. I need not throw it away and learn it again.
If I hold sobriety in one hand and life in the other then how will the two ever meet?
In what hand will I hold joy when I have no more room to hold anything? What makes me think, that as someone struggling with addiction, that I deserve so many good things? I do. You do. I promise.
Get back to basics. Share a small thing you did starting out, or restarting, or reinforcing your sobriety.
For me it has been self kindness. Nothing super heady here. Just insert reminders into my day that I am a good person. I am lovable. I am worth being sober. Words I say out loud. So my AV hears them.
Welcome to your sober weekend.
Ken
I am writing this on a Monday morning. The carry over of emotions from last weekend is strong. Many cravings here. Some folks I care about struggling. Reading the main board, it's clear many are struggling.
The thud in my heart when I read about someone going back. Or when someone can't get up. Or worse yet won't. It's not a commentary on my sobriety. It's not a judgement of my ability to provide kind support. It's addiction.
It feels like we are all walking around in the dark sometimes. Like we walk until we bump into something that redirects us. SR redirects many. Some bounce off. Some return. Some settle in for the long haul. And still some see the light but other pressures in life take priority.
There is no priority greater than staying sober. I am not perfect and I need that reminder. But I don't need that reminder at my expense or even yours. It's something I have learned. I need not throw it away and learn it again.
If I hold sobriety in one hand and life in the other then how will the two ever meet?
In what hand will I hold joy when I have no more room to hold anything? What makes me think, that as someone struggling with addiction, that I deserve so many good things? I do. You do. I promise.
Get back to basics. Share a small thing you did starting out, or restarting, or reinforcing your sobriety.
For me it has been self kindness. Nothing super heady here. Just insert reminders into my day that I am a good person. I am lovable. I am worth being sober. Words I say out loud. So my AV hears them.
Welcome to your sober weekend.
Ken
A simple guy making his way
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Maine
Posts: 7,867
I agree Dean!
Welcome to the weekender thread. Hope you will stick around and join us. We meet every weekend to help each other through. Fun happy bunch here.
How are you doing?
K
Welcome to the weekender thread. Hope you will stick around and join us. We meet every weekend to help each other through. Fun happy bunch here.
How are you doing?
K
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 3,010
Thank you for the lovely post as usual. It really resonated with me as self kindness is something I struggle with and I am always too hard on myself, but I like to think I am getting a bit better.
I hope you all have a lovely day
P.S. Congrats Behan
I hope you all have a lovely day
P.S. Congrats Behan
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,776
Jeez Ken I read your opening and it really hit my heart. Thanks for making me think. You do this so well.
When I start trying to get sober, when I'm really looking after myself, I like my things to be in there rightful place. It makes me feel proud and peaceful as opposed to desperate, vacant and.. and..ya know ..
Anyway, my little house is neat and tidy.
My clothes are folded and not on the floor.
Dishes are clean, benches are wiped.
Teeth are clean. I wear pyjamas to bed.
I sleep in my bed. I sleep alone.
My car is clean, I know where my car is and my letterbox is empty.
I don't have any unexplained bruising. I feel safe.
Day 6
When I start trying to get sober, when I'm really looking after myself, I like my things to be in there rightful place. It makes me feel proud and peaceful as opposed to desperate, vacant and.. and..ya know ..
Anyway, my little house is neat and tidy.
My clothes are folded and not on the floor.
Dishes are clean, benches are wiped.
Teeth are clean. I wear pyjamas to bed.
I sleep in my bed. I sleep alone.
My car is clean, I know where my car is and my letterbox is empty.
I don't have any unexplained bruising. I feel safe.
Day 6
A simple guy making his way
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Maine
Posts: 7,867
Originally Posted by Trees39 
Jeez Ken I read your opening and it really hit my heart. Thanks for making me think. You do this so well.
When I start trying to get sober, when I'm really looking after myself, I like my things to be in there rightful place. It makes me feel proud and peaceful as opposed to desperate, vacant and.. and..ya know ..
Anyway, my little house is neat and tidy.
My clothes are folded and not on the floor.
Dishes are clean, benches are wiped.
Teeth are clean. I wear pyjamas to bed.
I sleep in my bed. I sleep alone.
My car is clean, I know where my car is and my letterbox is empty.
I don't have any unexplained bruising. I feel safe.
Day 6
When I start trying to get sober, when I'm really looking after myself, I like my things to be in there rightful place. It makes me feel proud and peaceful as opposed to desperate, vacant and.. and..ya know ..
Anyway, my little house is neat and tidy.
My clothes are folded and not on the floor.
Dishes are clean, benches are wiped.
Teeth are clean. I wear pyjamas to bed.
I sleep in my bed. I sleep alone.
My car is clean, I know where my car is and my letterbox is empty.
I don't have any unexplained bruising. I feel safe.
Day 6
Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Domhan
Posts: 1,974
LOL - thanks guys, I saw my chance and I took it!!
Great intro K. My last few weekends have been very busy with travelling or visitors coming to the house. As a result, many of the basics of the household have been neglected. Although each task is small, they have built up to create noticeable problems. This weekend, as I catch up on the household basics, I will also pay attention to the living basics: what are the essential things that I need to do to live well and thrive:
1. Don't drink (or take drugs)
2. Eat well (and the other essentials for our biological survival)
3. Connect with humans (or animals)
4. Move your body
5. Remember not to drink.
B
Great intro K. My last few weekends have been very busy with travelling or visitors coming to the house. As a result, many of the basics of the household have been neglected. Although each task is small, they have built up to create noticeable problems. This weekend, as I catch up on the household basics, I will also pay attention to the living basics: what are the essential things that I need to do to live well and thrive:
1. Don't drink (or take drugs)
2. Eat well (and the other essentials for our biological survival)
3. Connect with humans (or animals)
4. Move your body
5. Remember not to drink.
B
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
hello...
I find that sometimes I start getting back to old habits - or emotional type things really. When I find myself becoming impatient or short tempered, I have to remind myself to slow down and practice mindfulness. Along with mindfulness will come tolerance and acceptance. And naturally, peace of mind and well being are byproducts of those feelings.
I have a fresh example...
I started coffee. I got my bag of oats and poured into the bigger small bowl - wow, too many oats but not more than I think I can do. I add water, probably not enough and zap it for a couple minutes. I discover there is only enough buckwheat honey in the jar for about 1/3 of the oats. I add walnuts and since we is out out of fruit this morning I decided to add some cocoa powder. Because I didn't turn on the lights, I am adding cocoa powder in the 'dark'. Hard to tell but it looks like WAY too much cocoa. I stir it all together and I have this dry bitter chocolate flavored bowl of mush with the consistency of play dough. I don't even have the foo-foo stuff for my coffee to counter the bitter chocolate dough. It kinda reminds me of bear scat.
But I'm being a tough sob and eating it. Most people would call it nasty. The thing is, I didn't have a fit when the chocolate powder came dumping into the bowl. I just went with it. Unfortunately I have nothing to counter the bitterness. There might be sugar in the cupboard, but I don't use it. It's for guests.
So anyway, my day started of by what can either be called BAD START, or can be called a test of my ability to laugh at myself. I chose the latter.
I find that sometimes I start getting back to old habits - or emotional type things really. When I find myself becoming impatient or short tempered, I have to remind myself to slow down and practice mindfulness. Along with mindfulness will come tolerance and acceptance. And naturally, peace of mind and well being are byproducts of those feelings.
I have a fresh example...
I started coffee. I got my bag of oats and poured into the bigger small bowl - wow, too many oats but not more than I think I can do. I add water, probably not enough and zap it for a couple minutes. I discover there is only enough buckwheat honey in the jar for about 1/3 of the oats. I add walnuts and since we is out out of fruit this morning I decided to add some cocoa powder. Because I didn't turn on the lights, I am adding cocoa powder in the 'dark'. Hard to tell but it looks like WAY too much cocoa. I stir it all together and I have this dry bitter chocolate flavored bowl of mush with the consistency of play dough. I don't even have the foo-foo stuff for my coffee to counter the bitter chocolate dough. It kinda reminds me of bear scat.
But I'm being a tough sob and eating it. Most people would call it nasty. The thing is, I didn't have a fit when the chocolate powder came dumping into the bowl. I just went with it. Unfortunately I have nothing to counter the bitterness. There might be sugar in the cupboard, but I don't use it. It's for guests.
So anyway, my day started of by what can either be called BAD START, or can be called a test of my ability to laugh at myself. I chose the latter.
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