Five and a half days sober...
Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Right here, right now
Posts: 3,972
Congrats, Rusty! Just FYI, I’m secular also and also had a hard time with 12steps. I did recently read Russell Brandt’s book Freedon From Our Addictions which is very secular and talks about the 12 steps working for everyone not just recovering alcoholics. I liked it. There’s another book I’m starting now called One Breath at a Time:Buddha and the Twelve Steps. Lots of good resources and support out there
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 20
Hello, my friends,
Ten days sober!
I reread my posts and all the encouragement is life-saving. Please keep cheering me on!
My cousin called me the other night and if that didn't send me back to the booze, I don't think anything will. Basically he is fighting for more parental rights with his three beautiful daughters, and is going about it all wrong. The two parents are still at odds and he is basically broke because of child support and court costs. I feel that it is a classic situation where Mom has rules and Dad doesn't. But it must be resolved by the child support worker, not me. I am a computer analyst and that doesn't qualify in this case. Computers are easy, people are not. He asked me for five thousand dollars and I gave it to him, along with the benefit of the doubt. Where did I ever get the naive idea that a peaceful life is something you get because you deserve it, after working 42 years, no criminal record, no welfare, paid my my bills and my taxes, no stress leave, no medical leave, no bankruptcies.
Great athlete, great chef, look after my charities, and friends and family want handouts? Loaned a dear friend 12 k for her teeth, and got back 2k. Is it any wonder that I am disillusioned more with them and less with myself? I will check in tomorrow and I will stll be sober and will be anticipating your insights and encouragement. 🤓
Ten days sober!
I reread my posts and all the encouragement is life-saving. Please keep cheering me on!
My cousin called me the other night and if that didn't send me back to the booze, I don't think anything will. Basically he is fighting for more parental rights with his three beautiful daughters, and is going about it all wrong. The two parents are still at odds and he is basically broke because of child support and court costs. I feel that it is a classic situation where Mom has rules and Dad doesn't. But it must be resolved by the child support worker, not me. I am a computer analyst and that doesn't qualify in this case. Computers are easy, people are not. He asked me for five thousand dollars and I gave it to him, along with the benefit of the doubt. Where did I ever get the naive idea that a peaceful life is something you get because you deserve it, after working 42 years, no criminal record, no welfare, paid my my bills and my taxes, no stress leave, no medical leave, no bankruptcies.
Great athlete, great chef, look after my charities, and friends and family want handouts? Loaned a dear friend 12 k for her teeth, and got back 2k. Is it any wonder that I am disillusioned more with them and less with myself? I will check in tomorrow and I will stll be sober and will be anticipating your insights and encouragement. 🤓
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 20
Day 11, still sober :-).
Looking forward to my day. I truly enjoy waking up without a hangover.
In order to keep busy and active, my dog, Rusty, my partner, Sheldon and I enjoy long walks in the woods, which are really beautiful with their autumn foliage.
Cooking, which I love, also helps, and my five rescued cats are a great distraction.
I hope y'all are doing well and enjoying every sober moment.
Looking forward to my day. I truly enjoy waking up without a hangover.
In order to keep busy and active, my dog, Rusty, my partner, Sheldon and I enjoy long walks in the woods, which are really beautiful with their autumn foliage.
Cooking, which I love, also helps, and my five rescued cats are a great distraction.
I hope y'all are doing well and enjoying every sober moment.
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,564
11 days - something to be so proud of. Yes, it's great to wake up clear headed & not worry about what happened the night before.
Smart of you to keep busy - you're doing a fine job.
Smart of you to keep busy - you're doing a fine job.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 20
No Plan to maintain yet...
Hi, it's day 12 and other than determination to succeed I have not formulated a plan to maintain. I am secular so AA is probably not for me.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. Oh, this plan-in-the-making must involve hiking with my dog, Rusty, and winter sports :-). Even though I am sixty-five, there are also work offers pending.
I realize that this sounds like I am less than serious, but I can assure you that I want to succeed more than anything. You know what I mean.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. Oh, this plan-in-the-making must involve hiking with my dog, Rusty, and winter sports :-). Even though I am sixty-five, there are also work offers pending.
I realize that this sounds like I am less than serious, but I can assure you that I want to succeed more than anything. You know what I mean.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 20
[QUOTE=Rustoleum;7038714]Hi, it's day 12 and other than determination to succeed I have not formulated a plan to maintain. I am secular so AA is probably not for me.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. Oh, this plan-in-the-making must involve hiking with my dog, Rusty, and winter sports :-). Even though I am sixty-five, there are also work offers pending.
I realize that this sounds like I am less than serious, but I can assure you that I want to succeed more than anything. You know what I mean.
"There is no problem so terrible that having a drink can't make it worse".]
Any suggestions would be very welcome. Oh, this plan-in-the-making must involve hiking with my dog, Rusty, and winter sports :-). Even though I am sixty-five, there are also work offers pending.
I realize that this sounds like I am less than serious, but I can assure you that I want to succeed more than anything. You know what I mean.
"There is no problem so terrible that having a drink can't make it worse".]
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Where I’ve longed to be all my life…..here, now.
Posts: 7,337
Slept a lot. Cried some. Got angry with myself. Slowly forgiving myself. Took showers. Gardened. Walked. Worked out. Isolated myself.
LOTS of reading and some posting on SR
reading and googling about about liver disease. Alcohol abuse. Alcohol interventions on you tube. TED talks about alcoholism.
Im not one for meetings.
LOTS of reading and some posting on SR
reading and googling about about liver disease. Alcohol abuse. Alcohol interventions on you tube. TED talks about alcoholism.
Im not one for meetings.
sober style
Join Date: May 2016
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 2,384
I'm also not one for meetings or programs. Not a team player, so to speak. SR helped me more than anything, the example of all the happy sober people here leading rich lives without the poison, many of whom did it with just SR or other non-program means. I would log onto SR first thing every day. If I was sober, I'd add to my day count. If I was drinking, I sometimes posted about the trouble i was having. And early on I was very active in the monthly thread, mine was May 2016. I would spend hours every day reading posts here, sometimes I'd try to read every single Newcomers thread on the front page.
And then later meditation helped me deal with a lot of the non-stop anxiety that was making everything difficult. The book 10% Happier by Steve Harris was a real game-changer for me, the way he talked about meditation as a non-weird, incredibly simple thing anyone could do to make their lives better.
And then later meditation helped me deal with a lot of the non-stop anxiety that was making everything difficult. The book 10% Happier by Steve Harris was a real game-changer for me, the way he talked about meditation as a non-weird, incredibly simple thing anyone could do to make their lives better.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 20
SR is really helping me so much. I just heard from one of my government clients that they have a contract opportunity for me that sounds really perfect for my skills and isn't too much of a commute. So,that should keep me out of the bars.
Actually, I haven't been to a bar in about thirty five years. They never interested me, so that's a good thing. My preference was always a good bottle of prosecco, then when I got my PArkinsons diagnosis, it became two, and that went on pretty much daily, for twenty three months. So now my PD is so very well controlled that I have virtually no symptoms, and the possibilities are endless. It's all within my control, and I hope I have what it takes. Thanks so much to SnazzyDresser and Free2BeMe888 for the kindness you have shown to me and countless others
Actually, I haven't been to a bar in about thirty five years. They never interested me, so that's a good thing. My preference was always a good bottle of prosecco, then when I got my PArkinsons diagnosis, it became two, and that went on pretty much daily, for twenty three months. So now my PD is so very well controlled that I have virtually no symptoms, and the possibilities are endless. It's all within my control, and I hope I have what it takes. Thanks so much to SnazzyDresser and Free2BeMe888 for the kindness you have shown to me and countless others
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 20
Day thirteen! Coming out of semi-retirement to go back to IT consulting. Start date October 29th, and it's such a relief to be sober. Had a long walk with Rusty and Sheldon yesterday (six km) and it's another beautiful sunny fall day, so we are heading out shortly to another hiking venue. One day at a time.
A little background. I drank daily from the age of twenty-five, but not to excess. All my adult life, I was an energetic sporty person, and it was only the last two years that I went too far. However, I always knew I was an alcoholic. That's what daily drinking is, isn't it?
A little background. I drank daily from the age of twenty-five, but not to excess. All my adult life, I was an energetic sporty person, and it was only the last two years that I went too far. However, I always knew I was an alcoholic. That's what daily drinking is, isn't it?
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Where I’ve longed to be all my life…..here, now.
Posts: 7,337
Yes. It creeps up. None of us wanted to end up needing it. Or stop what we loved to do, to drink. Or break promises to our loved ones or ourselves. Or self loathe for our selfish indulgence.
Less than 24h shy of two weeks!!
half a month!!
woot woot!
you go rusty!
Less than 24h shy of two weeks!!
half a month!!
woot woot!
you go rusty!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 20
Yes, even in the bloom of youth and downhill ski racing and riding from France to Spain on my bicycle at age fifty,I knew that alcohol was a daily treat. Finally, I am going to try to break the hold. Thirteen days!
I never lied about how much I drank; not once! Sure there are alcoholics who lie, and then lie about lying, but that has never been me. I just never thought that I had to stop because my life was the best!
Time to get an even better life, right? And I have SR when I need to express how TOUGH it is to go for total abstinence In a world full of alcohol and drugs (which I have NEVER been interested in)
A few years ago, there was a message on TV and it showed a once-beautiful woman in a filthy public washroom, shooting up while cringing on the floor. As the drug took hold the following caption flashed across the screen "Welcome to the Glamorous World of Drugs"
I am not suggesting AT ALL that an alcohol addiction is less serious than other addictions like drugs or gambling. This is just me saying that a glass of prosecco or champagne in a fie crystal flute beats smoking or injections any day. However, the lost soul lying on the filthy washroom floor could just as easily be an alcoholic. Thankfully, I never went that far down.
Please, please keep the encouragement coming, and if any of you play scrabble online, I would like to challenge you.
Another beautiful day in the woods has come and gone and I'm still sober. YESSSS
I never lied about how much I drank; not once! Sure there are alcoholics who lie, and then lie about lying, but that has never been me. I just never thought that I had to stop because my life was the best!
Time to get an even better life, right? And I have SR when I need to express how TOUGH it is to go for total abstinence In a world full of alcohol and drugs (which I have NEVER been interested in)
A few years ago, there was a message on TV and it showed a once-beautiful woman in a filthy public washroom, shooting up while cringing on the floor. As the drug took hold the following caption flashed across the screen "Welcome to the Glamorous World of Drugs"
I am not suggesting AT ALL that an alcohol addiction is less serious than other addictions like drugs or gambling. This is just me saying that a glass of prosecco or champagne in a fie crystal flute beats smoking or injections any day. However, the lost soul lying on the filthy washroom floor could just as easily be an alcoholic. Thankfully, I never went that far down.
Please, please keep the encouragement coming, and if any of you play scrabble online, I would like to challenge you.
Another beautiful day in the woods has come and gone and I'm still sober. YESSSS
Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 850
Reading this thread today really made me grateful I didn’t drink last night - I really wanted to!
Your positivity is contageous and I am so happy you keep checking in to update with your
progress. We are similar in the time we’ve been sober so I’m definitely rooting for you!
I dont do well with AA either but I found that exercise, changing your schedule, coming here and reading and posting has done wonders so far. I also have a huge backlog of memoirs about alcoholism to read that I’m really enjoying. I try to really hang onto the positive days to remember when I have bad ones. Keep going Rusty! We’re all with you.
Your positivity is contageous and I am so happy you keep checking in to update with your
progress. We are similar in the time we’ve been sober so I’m definitely rooting for you!
I dont do well with AA either but I found that exercise, changing your schedule, coming here and reading and posting has done wonders so far. I also have a huge backlog of memoirs about alcoholism to read that I’m really enjoying. I try to really hang onto the positive days to remember when I have bad ones. Keep going Rusty! We’re all with you.
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