i said no!
 

So I'm now on day 5, last night, Friday night being a hard ingrained habit to think its acceptable to buy a drink. I obviously heard that little voice telling me its ok 'everyone does it', I went to the shop for some things for dinner and I walked straight past the alcohol, didn't look, just wanted the hell out. My close friend, someone who when we got together, the night always got very messy! It also doesn't help she is my neighbour, so often times if she was having a few drinks she would ask me to come over and if my bf was home I would go over and always come back in a state in the early hours.

Last night she was having a few drinks, and she asked me if I wanted to come over. And even though I could have gone (not wise, but hasn't stopped me before), I said no. I stopped and played out the next 12 hrs in my head.... the drinking, and its all fun at first, then it turns not so fun, then I wake up ill, the anxiety starts(what did I do, did I send messages I shouldn't, did I start and argument, did the kids see me), and then guilt etc etc. I knew I did not want that. And I said thanks, but no thanks. Woke up today so grateful for that decision, as I woke up with energy and a clear head. So I head into Saturday night, and although I admit, I want a drink, I wont. I'm using the same technique everytime I think of it.

That's brilliant!

Can you explain to your neighbour that you are not drinking?

Well done.

In the old pre-digital days, that technique was called "Playing the tape through." :)

It's a good, useful tool for anyone's sobriety toolkit!

Great!!! Doesn't it feel good to be in control! Don't let your AV speak a word...just say 'Stop'!
Really wonderful to hear how you handled that situation! Keep it going strong.

Hold on this thought, over and over again! It will light the lamp when the fog rolls in.

Well done

I love that, the purposeful action choosing not to drink. Well played, kel08,

Nice job, Kel! A good tool to keep!

kel08 :c011:

THAT is how it's done! Also, it gets easier to do the more you do it until it actually almost becomes a non issue. It's just a way of life.

Aren't you so glad you followed through? So happy to see this post!

thanks everyone. Its built up my esteem a little, because I CAN say no, I proved it. Yes, Its early days, but ive never said no to an invite over there as long as I had the opportunity to go. Its a good day!

It really IS a good day!

Fantastic Kel!! Keep pushing through!! :scoregood

Good for you!

Your subject line "I said no!" made me think of a mother with a grabby kid in a store.

And that's how we have to talk to our AV, too!

really pleased for you Kel =- great stuff! :)

D

:c011:

Nancy Reagan said to
"just say no to booze and drugs"

So simple but, so true.

M-Bob

Nicely done!!

Agreed, and I see hints of another useful tool in Kel's post: "urge surfing"!

Way to go!

ABW1

Nice!!!

This is exactly what I did in the early days, and even still. It's a useful tool for life, to assess if what we are about to do is really and truly a good idea.

We all might have slightly different boundaries about it and that's ok, but the underlying full stop common denominator is protecting your sobriety over all else. There is absolutely nothing that can go wrong from that, in the long run.

Well done!

B