Reflecting on 100 days
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 782
Reflecting on 100 days
Well, there it is in front of me. Day 100 has just begun.
Many aspects of my life have improved over this time. My anxiety is gradually lifting, my mind is clearing of mental fog and I am physically stronger and healthier. I am trying to expand my emotional and spiritual outlook, though this is still slow progress.
My mental health team have commented that I seem to be doing much better. I am though still cautious though and can't help feeling that there must be a few hidden bumps ahead on the road to recovery. I read others' thoughts here on self sabotage and ruefulness looking back and I relate entirely. There are still worries there.
I have been sticking to SR like glue and working with my various counsellors at frequent intervals. This latter support is becoming less intensive so I will be looking for additional strategies going forwards. Beyond all this however I am grateful to be sober and present and able to work on all these areas. I must not forget that a year ago I was on the point of drinking myself to death.
Thank you all for your support in this shared adventure. I wish you all well in your own recoveries.
Forwards.
Many aspects of my life have improved over this time. My anxiety is gradually lifting, my mind is clearing of mental fog and I am physically stronger and healthier. I am trying to expand my emotional and spiritual outlook, though this is still slow progress.
My mental health team have commented that I seem to be doing much better. I am though still cautious though and can't help feeling that there must be a few hidden bumps ahead on the road to recovery. I read others' thoughts here on self sabotage and ruefulness looking back and I relate entirely. There are still worries there.
I have been sticking to SR like glue and working with my various counsellors at frequent intervals. This latter support is becoming less intensive so I will be looking for additional strategies going forwards. Beyond all this however I am grateful to be sober and present and able to work on all these areas. I must not forget that a year ago I was on the point of drinking myself to death.
Thank you all for your support in this shared adventure. I wish you all well in your own recoveries.
Forwards.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 2,872
Congratulations on what is now 101 days!
It kind of sounds like you're doing well but waiting for the other shoe to drop. There doesn't have to be bumps in the road to recovery.
Sure, we all face challenges but I didn't wait for or expect them to happen. I just played it as it came along.
Do the right things, like you're doing, and I bet things will work out fine.
There's no use worrying about what may go wrong.
You're doing great. Keep it up one day at a time.
It kind of sounds like you're doing well but waiting for the other shoe to drop. There doesn't have to be bumps in the road to recovery.
Sure, we all face challenges but I didn't wait for or expect them to happen. I just played it as it came along.
Do the right things, like you're doing, and I bet things will work out fine.
There's no use worrying about what may go wrong.
You're doing great. Keep it up one day at a time.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 782
Thanks guys - much appreciated.
I'm moving beyond just 'not drinking' now and trying to set myself regular small challenges to overcome. Theses include work projects and meetings, seeing old friends, family occasions and so on. With each (successful) event I take time to reflect and consolidate. I'm learning as I go.
I'm lucky to be here and intend to carry on taking things ODAAT. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude with just a hint of healthy trepidation...
Onwards. Forwards.
I'm moving beyond just 'not drinking' now and trying to set myself regular small challenges to overcome. Theses include work projects and meetings, seeing old friends, family occasions and so on. With each (successful) event I take time to reflect and consolidate. I'm learning as I go.
I'm lucky to be here and intend to carry on taking things ODAAT. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude with just a hint of healthy trepidation...
Onwards. Forwards.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Love this, Forwards! I recall the 100 day mark seeing a good shift forward for me in a lot of areas. I did similar stuff to you as far as my therapy, and improvement and frequency downshift and all that!
Life has bumps and all that, for everyone, and yeah, they'll come. Worrying about the future ones I think will happen never seems to be a good idea for me, though - and a lot of the time the ones I actually get aren't the ones that I stressed about in the first place
Great going! Keep it up.
Life has bumps and all that, for everyone, and yeah, they'll come. Worrying about the future ones I think will happen never seems to be a good idea for me, though - and a lot of the time the ones I actually get aren't the ones that I stressed about in the first place
Great going! Keep it up.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 782
Hi Guys,
Checking in on Day 114 and still going strong. The AV gave me a nudge yesterday but I caught it and took evasive action...
I met with my mental health care coordinator today and revised my six month care plan. Every aspect of life now seems better and this was reflected in her notes. As she says though, the progress is all contingent on my continued abstinence.
I'm still trying to set myself small goals and challenges. Easter weekend with the family was a successful one thank goodness. Tomorrow I am going to a conference to network for the first time in several years. I'm getting anxious already though and am starting to find scenarios to worry about... oh well... There will be an after party in a local bar which I will make very sure to avoid!
Anyway, thank you for reading. Onwards...
Forwards.
Checking in on Day 114 and still going strong. The AV gave me a nudge yesterday but I caught it and took evasive action...
I met with my mental health care coordinator today and revised my six month care plan. Every aspect of life now seems better and this was reflected in her notes. As she says though, the progress is all contingent on my continued abstinence.
I'm still trying to set myself small goals and challenges. Easter weekend with the family was a successful one thank goodness. Tomorrow I am going to a conference to network for the first time in several years. I'm getting anxious already though and am starting to find scenarios to worry about... oh well... There will be an after party in a local bar which I will make very sure to avoid!
Anyway, thank you for reading. Onwards...
Forwards.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Just popping in to see how it is going and saw a post from today!
Love that 6 mo plan- it helped me to have goals, and set targets (keeping a more active schedule, and writing in my meetings, my exercise, etc).
There are ups and downs for all of us, and you are early but in a great "next phase" as far as it was for me - I loved getting started on "the 100s" as I thought of them. Keep going!
Love that 6 mo plan- it helped me to have goals, and set targets (keeping a more active schedule, and writing in my meetings, my exercise, etc).
There are ups and downs for all of us, and you are early but in a great "next phase" as far as it was for me - I loved getting started on "the 100s" as I thought of them. Keep going!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 782
Another quick check in - Day 120 has arrived!
As I mentioned previously, the latest challenge I set myself was to attend a tech conference to gauge work opportunities and start to network again. This went well despite my prior anxieties and nervousness on the day. There was an after-event in the evening with free alcohol and a gathering in the pub which I ardently avoided...
Anyway, the keynote speaker had the theme 'joining the dots' and it got me thinking. In software engineering and the tech industry in general, amongst all the disparate languages and approaches there begin to emerge common themes and 'right' ways of doing things. You only start to notice this over time and with the effort of studying a diversity of fields. If you can 'join the dots' you can apply these principles and will get ahead and succeed.
Recovery, I am starting to find, is broadly similar. I have now had a lot of hugely valuable input from SR, AA, my alcohol counsellor, my care coordinator, my psychotherapist and my psychiatrist. All of these input streams are starting to coalesce into some idea of the 'right' way to do recovery. I am joining the dots here as well. Only today for example, my therapist was commenting on how helpful some of the ideas of AA are (particularly gratitude and taking daily inventory) in psychotherapy and in maintaining good mental health in general. There are many other synergies to be explored here.
I'm by no means complacent though. It's still early days and I'm sure there will be challenges ahead, but for now things are going well ODAAT and I'm grateful.
Thanks for reading. Onwards...
Forwards.
As I mentioned previously, the latest challenge I set myself was to attend a tech conference to gauge work opportunities and start to network again. This went well despite my prior anxieties and nervousness on the day. There was an after-event in the evening with free alcohol and a gathering in the pub which I ardently avoided...
Anyway, the keynote speaker had the theme 'joining the dots' and it got me thinking. In software engineering and the tech industry in general, amongst all the disparate languages and approaches there begin to emerge common themes and 'right' ways of doing things. You only start to notice this over time and with the effort of studying a diversity of fields. If you can 'join the dots' you can apply these principles and will get ahead and succeed.
Recovery, I am starting to find, is broadly similar. I have now had a lot of hugely valuable input from SR, AA, my alcohol counsellor, my care coordinator, my psychotherapist and my psychiatrist. All of these input streams are starting to coalesce into some idea of the 'right' way to do recovery. I am joining the dots here as well. Only today for example, my therapist was commenting on how helpful some of the ideas of AA are (particularly gratitude and taking daily inventory) in psychotherapy and in maintaining good mental health in general. There are many other synergies to be explored here.
I'm by no means complacent though. It's still early days and I'm sure there will be challenges ahead, but for now things are going well ODAAT and I'm grateful.
Thanks for reading. Onwards...
Forwards.
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