How often should I go to meetings?
 

I go to meetings everyday because someone in the rooms told me to. I don't know who it was that said it and they didn't say it directly to me. All I know is that I was listening.

"Newcomers will ask me how often they should go to meetings. I tell them they should go to meetings as often as you drank", said this random sober person. "HA!" I thought. "How simple!" I accepted that suggestion.

I do know that I heard and accepted that suggestion within my first 90 days of sobriety. How do I know? Because I was told in rehab to go to 90 meetings in 90 days. I don't remember who said it, or when they said it. All know is that I was listening.

I've been sober for 708 days. I accepted that suggestion.

Another suggestion I heard in rehab was to get a sponsor and to work the steps. So, after a speaker discussion meeting in rehab, I walked up to the speaker and asked him to be my sponsor. I was listening. I accepted that suggestion.

Today I've been sober 708 days.
How does a guy that drank daily for 21 years stay sober 708 days?
I listened. I accepted the suggestions.

I didn't do 90 in 90, but for the first 2 months, I was in IOP and went to meetings on the days I didn't have that. Then I went to at least 4 meetings a week after that, too. Now I go at least twice a week. I also had a sponsor within a couple of weeks. I listened, too. I knew I had to do something different than I had done my other attempts at quitting. So I listened to the people who were successfully sober and did what they said. 90 in 90 is a great place to start.

I have 644 days.

Congratulations on your sober time

There are lots of ways to stay sober, and they all have one simple thing in common. Congrats on finding one that works for you.

I love your message that a few bad chapters does not mean your story is over. I keep a few quotes near me at all times:
"Your past is just a story. And once you realize this, it has no power over you."
"Your life is your story. Write well. Edit often."

A guy at a meeting many years ago said that his wife was complaining that he was going to so many meetings, and asked how many meetings he needed to go to. He said, "I go to as many meetings as I need to go to, but I never know which one I need to go to until I get there."