Be123

Hi, I’m a newcomer to sobriety. I cannot believe I’ve been sober for four weeks and it’s due to various different factors. But one major thing is having a plan. It’s something that the LTS (long term sobers) often raise with newcomers and it’s meant I can stay sober even for this short period (3 days was my limit previously).

Everyone is different but the plan that’s working for me

1) not drinking alcohol
2) commit daily to myself, this forum and the universe (my higher power) that I will not drink alcohol, and if I am tempted for help to let that pass
3) start the day telling the universe everything I am grateful for, and being imaginative to add new things . Free health care...who’d have thought I have so much to be grateful for!
4) being indoors as long as possible between 3-7pm, my old drinking start-time
5) eating well, and if I’m craving, eating a lot. Better fat then drunk for me
6) telling a few trusted others what I am doing, and honestly why
7) not socialising with certain people or certain places (until I feel safe)
8) running away. When I feel weak or tempted or beyond hope I run selfishly away and retreat to my bed. I needed to do this for 10 days and now I don’t feel the need, but I do leave places if I feel wobbly
9) I’m not bothered about weight loss or getting fit but I am doing manual labour daily which makes me feel exhausted (and I sleep well). When this jobs over I’ll look tonjoin a gym or something
10) checking in here daily, taking warning from the struggles people have and acting on advice from the LTS. For me it is DOING things differently that has helped. I check on here in morning and night

It’s not a magic formula but by doing this every day I can not drink, I can sleep, eat well, relate to other human beings and even (whisper it quietly) enjoy normal things

Now I’m off for 24 more. I don’t want to drink today but I know I am weak so please, Universe, if I am too weak please give me a way out so I can go to bed sober

Anna

I'm glad you've worked out a good plan for yourself.

Hawking22

Thank you for these reminders and for sharing your plans!

Baker123

Congrats on having 4 weeks and thanks for sharing. I normally started around 4 PM too and eating instead really does help me stop craving, too. Love your point number 10, too. I am so glad that I found this site. I am have so much in common with what I read here and the struggles and irrationality of addiction that we all face here. Even through I am only 30 and haven't progressed as far into alcoholism as I inevitably would as some of the older LTSs did before quitting, I know for a fact now that I am headed there if I don't quit forever. I feel like this site has helped me more than anything so far (no one can understand us better), and that makes me hopeful. I am thankful for the bottoms I have had that have forced me to realize this, and that those bottoms weren't too life-shattering. All I've been doing so far is arming myself with knowledge about alcoholism and addiction and people's stories. I think, like you said, it's also important to recommit every day, and to take it day by day. I also want to try to make a promise to be kind and healthy towards myself and others. This encourages the right decisions but also to be gentle with yourself (I have a lot of issues with my "inner dialogue").

On The Road

Hi Ben123. Your plan sounds great. Without one, I would have never made it to day 1336 (today). Stick with it because if I can do it, you can too.

Atlast9999

Hi Ben,

Great plan. I 100% agree with #10. That’s gotten me through the cravings on many occasions. So grateful we have SR as a safe place to land and heal. Thank you for sharing.

PhoenixJ

August252015

Great share! Lots of good actionable things to do to be sober, get support when needed and .... I swear by the Send Myself to Bed Early technique, aka Send Myself to Timeout (daytime nap, that is), as a solution to many things that can disturb my peace or sanity or....I find it helpful to use even now that I am a little further along in my rlife covert.

You've definitely got the right idea about the people, places and practices you shouldn't be around now, or worry about. Plenty of time to go and do and be social and probably in some new ways once you get some sobriety under you!

Glad you are here!