Day 54-- overcame a challenge
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 185
Day 54-- overcame a challenge
Day 54.
Annnnnd... I'm feeling glad tonight. It was the first time since quitting drinking that my colleagues planned a group after-work happy hour. The workday promised to be a doozy. and it proved to be even worse than we'd assumed it would be. They were crazy-ready to drink, drink, drink when it was quitting time.
Note that these are "close" colleagues and friends, but I was a secret drinker-- none of them know I am an alcoholic or have a clue about my struggle.
I applied some things I have learned here:
1. Made a plan ahead of time: I made sure to plan an evening activity with my kids so I would have to drive them somewhere
2. Didn't explain, make excuses, or draw attention: I simply asked for a glass for water, and when the questions arose about why I wasn't drinking, just said, "Oh, just abstaining..." and changed the subject
3. Ate something beforehand: I was full when I arrived, and my cravings to drink always and only come when I am super-hungry
4. Left early
... and it was fine.
...and no one really cared what I was doing, so long as they had their drinks and enough guacamole
... and I walked out marveling at this new, freeing feeling of No Shame.
Thanks for listening. My recovery is a private journey, not shared with anyone in my daily life, yet for some reason I wanted to share this day. I am glad SR can be that place.
Annnnnd... I'm feeling glad tonight. It was the first time since quitting drinking that my colleagues planned a group after-work happy hour. The workday promised to be a doozy. and it proved to be even worse than we'd assumed it would be. They were crazy-ready to drink, drink, drink when it was quitting time.
Note that these are "close" colleagues and friends, but I was a secret drinker-- none of them know I am an alcoholic or have a clue about my struggle.
I applied some things I have learned here:
1. Made a plan ahead of time: I made sure to plan an evening activity with my kids so I would have to drive them somewhere
2. Didn't explain, make excuses, or draw attention: I simply asked for a glass for water, and when the questions arose about why I wasn't drinking, just said, "Oh, just abstaining..." and changed the subject
3. Ate something beforehand: I was full when I arrived, and my cravings to drink always and only come when I am super-hungry
4. Left early
... and it was fine.
...and no one really cared what I was doing, so long as they had their drinks and enough guacamole
... and I walked out marveling at this new, freeing feeling of No Shame.
Thanks for listening. My recovery is a private journey, not shared with anyone in my daily life, yet for some reason I wanted to share this day. I am glad SR can be that place.
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 89
This is amazing. Good for you. I'm just starting my path to sobriety and this is the one thing that scares me more than anything. I work in IT sales and it is an industry fueled by alcohol. I know it is possible to be the one that doesn't drink, but it is going to be hard :/
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Lakeside, Arizona
Posts: 1,138
Originally Posted by MNVikes4life 
This is amazing. Good for you. I'm just starting my path to sobriety and this is the one thing that scares me more than anything. I work in IT sales and it is an industry fueled by alcohol. I know it is possible to be the one that doesn't drink, but it is going to be hard :/
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