LadyBlue0527

I had just posted this in a thread but thought it was a good tip to share. The day you come here and you enter that first post is monumental. Or, a few posts later where you give an explanation as to what led you here.

It's always a good thing to focus on the current, sober moment and to be working on recovery. Sometimes though, we need a gentle reminder as to how bad things really were. Tell me you haven't talked yourself into considering that maybe you made something out of nothing? Or that it wasn't as really bad as you stated? You know better, you really do. Sometimes rereading that post is a helpful reminder. It was that bad, it's just the AV trying to reason with you that maybe a drink is still an option. Sometimes revisiting that can be helpful as to why you're here and what you've got to lose.

If you don't know how to do this go to one of your posts. Above your avatar in the upper left is your username. Click on that and you'll get a dropdown and you can choose to find more posts by you or threads started by you. In most cases you'll select threads started by you. Once you do that the list of all the threads you started will come up. Scroll to the bottom and it should show you how many pages there are. If you select "last" it should take you to the earliest posts you started. It should be somewhere within there.

When you do this remember to realize where you are now, today. The good work that you're doing. Find comfort in the fact that you're doing hard work and succeeding. That the entire reason for reading that post is a reinforcement of reminding yourself that you never have to go through that again.

Don't ever give that up!

Arpeggioh

LadyBlue:
I haven't worked up the courage to do that yet, but maybe soon. My first post was in 2006! Most of them over those ten years were drunken, sobbing, pathetic pleas for help...rereading them right now might give me thoughts like, "Look how many times you've tried this sh*t! Why would this time be any different?"

When I'm questioning my current resolve and considering giving up: that's when I'll benefit from revisiting my pain and suffering! It's a very powerful tool for reminding ourselves of our past, and I'm glad my many "false starts" are archived on this website; it makes it impossible to forget where I've been and how I've felt. Thanks! Arp

LadyBlue0527

Thanks Arpeggioh.

Your post made me realize I should state something. If you're comfortable and sitting well with sobriety then it's probably not a good idea to go in search of the whys. Why is not important if you're doing well and working on recovery.

This post was geared towards those who are sitting on the fence considering that maybe things weren't as bad as they thought. Who are seriously considering picking up.

I should have stated that better.

Jillian2563

Thank you! I've often avoided going back too and rereading but in these days that I'm struggling, it would make sense to do so.

Nowsthetime

This is a great tip.

I have made this part of my routine. Every so often I go back and read some of my post. Just a gentle reminder of the crap it was...

It helps me not get complacent.

Delilah1

Hi LadyBlue,

I have reread my earlier posts a few times. I joined in March of 2012 after drinking way too much on a trip to the wineries. I didn't post again until that fall, when I committed to three months sobriety and gradually fell back into my old routine after thinking I could moderate. I spent time on and off SR for the next three years and on NYE I said I was done. I have been sober since January 1st, and SR has been my biggest support.

I am getting close to five months, which isn't a huge amount of time, but it the most I have had as an adult other than during pregnancies.

For anyone just starting out or over you can do this!!!

entropy1964

I've never done this. I also keep a journal that is far more personal...have been since 2012 when I started my 2 year stint. I haven't reread it either. Haven't written in it in a while either. THAT I should do for sure.....I'll do that today.

I'm not sure going back will help me. But I'll try it when I get into a bind. But I think just posting here, real time, when I'm struggling is the first thing I need to learn to do. Thanks for the suggestion.

Behan

Great tip! Thanks!

MythOfSisyphus

I do that occasionally, LadyBlue. Not because I "need" it but just to remind myself how bad things where when I was drinking and how far I would fall if I ever start again.