emme99

Hi & Welcome Chris

Berrybean

Well done on those first days. Its tough getting started.

Plans are as varied as the people who make them. It's worth reading through the links on Dee's thread to get some ideas of what you could try... http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...y-plans-2.html

There are some triggers that are common to all of us, and they can be remembered by HALT (Hunger-Anger-Lonely-Tired ). You can help yourself by planning how best to avoid these things coming up, and making contingency means around what you can do if they pop up unexpectedly. Even now, while I am fairly comfortable in sobriety, when there are 2 or more of the HALT triggers are work, the quality of my sobriety is affected, and those of restless, irritable and discontent feelings start rattling me, and it's difficult not to become a puppet to my emotions.

Most of us need to plan in sober activities, and find other sober people to fill the void left by the removal of our drinking. Again, what you fill it with depends on you and your own interests and talents once you remember or discover what those are.

We all also have 'slippery ' people and places and times, which we need to think about how to avoid, or deal with. This might be part of a general plan, or a one off plan to get us through a function. Sometimes this will involve boundary setting, or planning an exit strategy. Thinking ahead who to talk to, and who to avoid at social functions. Thinking of questions to ask people about themselves to remove any unwelcome focus on the your new sober habits, or whatever.

It's just a case of taking responsibility for our sobriety, and learning new ways to deal with life, people, and our own heads once alcohol has been removed.

It all sounds like hard work, but actually it isn't really. Our sobriety is generally as good and enjoyable as the work and effort we put into our recovery, so whatever you put into it, you get back out. Maybe not immediately or every minute of every day, but generally speaking.

AA and the 12-step program has been a big part of my personal recovery. Tonight I was invited to share at a meeting in a town I'd never been to before, so I asked an AA friend from my home group to come with me. When we got there, due to issues with keys, it turned into an unexpectedly outdoor meeting. The sky was blue, and birds soared overhead as we sat in a walled garden of an old church and shared our experience, strength and hope and some rather excellent cheesecake. I saw people I hadn't seen for years, and others I'd never met before. I could share my experiences with a degree of honesty that would never have been possible for me before, and still wouldn't with 'normies'. It was a wonderful evening with wonderful people, and I felt very blessed. The grace of God is an amazing and powerful thing.

Anyway. Enough of my twittering on for now. I wish you all the best for your recovery. And again, welcome to the forum.