|
6 years sober Tomorrow, the 15th, is my sixth anniversary of sobriety. It feels as though the ground underneath me has shifted many times—some for better, some not. With sobriety as my constant, I have been able to withstand what I must, flourish when I can and live a mostly content life. Though I don’t come by as often as I used to, I remain so very grateful to SR. I’m writing this eve of my anniversary because tomorrow night, I’ll be out meeting with others who share my interest in environmental advocacy. I wouldn’t have done that in the bad old days. My web site, which also focuses on an environmental issue, is 1 1/2 years old now and though I’ve not got what you’d call a huge following — not even close! — it’s plugging along. It feels good to be writing more. My job is going well; this year, I’ve been able to take on some new challenges, which has been cool. I continue to enjoy photography and travel. This summer, I enjoyed taking my niece on vacation. My sobriety has been an anchor. In the last five years, there’s been a lot of loss in my life—my dear parents, after long, fulfilling lives, and my beloved nephew. Some things are very hard. Maybe if you’re new here, or struggling, the life I’m describing seems very far away from yours. I know the feeling. When I limped onto SR, I’d read posts from people celebrating sober anniversaries and wondered if I had even the remotest chance of walking a mile in their shoes. It’s all possible. Live in the solution. |
Beautifully said and CONGRATULATIONS! |
fantastic, Venecia. and i love the anchor image. |
Happy 5th my Sober Sister - I'm so proud of you. I'll have 5 Years tomorrow. So grateful to be on this journey with you. |
Awesome, Congratulations! |
Thank you for sharing your journey. :hug: And big congrats on 6 yrs sober! :scoregood |
What an inspirational post and how nice of you to continue posting. I often ask this to those with many years of sobriety, do you ever get the urge to drink still? Clearly you’re strong enough not to do so, but I’m wondering if that old urge ever creeps back? I’m asking as I’m over 7 months sober and whilst my urge is 99% gone, it still comes back. I know one drink will undo my work so it’s easier to say no, and I’d be happy if it was always this way as it’s controllable and not unpleasant. So whilst I’m not complacent, I’m curious if you still get any urges to drink. |
Congrats on your milestone Venecia - and thank you for your advocacy :) D |
Congratulations!!!!!!! |
So beautifully written. And such a success story and inspiration to us all. It sounds like things are going great for you, and I sincerely hope they are. Thank you for your wonderful post. And, oh, congratulations!! |
1 Attachment(s) Inspiring post Venecia, many congratulations on reaching the 6 year point. Truly a success story.
Originally Posted by Hodd
(Post 7247524)
[left]I often ask this to those with many years of sobriety, do you ever get the urge to drink still? Clearly you’re strong enough not to do so, but I’m wondering if that old urge ever creeps back? |
What a lovely post. Huge congratulations from someone who is a long, long way from your stunning anniversary but optimistic for the future. |
Originally Posted by saoutchik
(Post 7247565)
Inspiring post Venecia, many congratulations on reaching the 6 year point. Truly a success story. I have been sober for roughly 4 years and 8 months and I would say that although alcoholism is the beast you cannot slay the "urge" to drink is just not there after a time, I no longer get the craving to drink when I first quit (or my prior failed attempts) Nowadays I just get the occasional fleeting thought of drinking which is really easy and painless to dismiss. It is best to stay vigilant which is why I am still on SR but I no longer require any willpower to not drink. I hope that helps. For anyone reading who’s recently quit, though. The urge during the first month or two seems stronger than ever. It’s a very unpleasant time. I can’t sugar coat that unfortunately, but certainly after 3 or 4 months my urge had all but gone. It only comes back when in certain situations. I was on a long-haul flight recently and everyone seemed to be drinking, for example. But as I said above, that one glass of wine would reawaken that urge and send me back to those unpleasant first few weeks feeling. Well done on 4 years and thanks again |
Congratulations on 6 years Venecia, great post!:You_Rock_ |
Congratulations. A beautiful post, honoring a beautiful life. |
Originally Posted by HeartsAfire
(Post 7247506)
Happy 5th my Sober Sister - I'm so proud of you. I'll have 5 Years tomorrow. So grateful to be on this journey with you. |
Venecia, Wonderful to hear and thanks for your work for us all. I am so sorry about the loss of your parents and your nephew; they would be proud of you! |
Originally Posted by HeartsAfire
(Post 7247506)
Happy 5th my Sober Sister - I'm so proud of you. I'll have 5 Years tomorrow. So grateful to be on this journey with you. We've come a long way. I look forward to celebrating the next anniversaries with you, Sober Sister. |
Originally Posted by Hodd
(Post 7247524)
What an inspirational post and how nice of you to continue posting. I often ask this to those with many years of sobriety, do you ever get the urge to drink still? Clearly you’re strong enough not to do so, but I’m wondering if that old urge ever creeps back? I’m asking as I’m over 7 months sober and whilst my urge is 99% gone, it still comes back. I know one drink will undo my work so it’s easier to say no, and I’d be happy if it was always this way as it’s controllable and not unpleasant. So whilst I’m not complacent, I’m curious if you still get any urges to drink. The urge is gone, but I remain vigilant. I know that as a person in recovery, there is a wolf out there somewhere and it's my job to keep that wolf far from my door. I did have an unsettling experience two years ago. I was at a family gathering where there was a keg of beer and a fair amount of wine. After a while, out of left field, I had the thought that "I could probably have one." That really shocked me. I didn't, of course, but I did step away from the festivities for a while. Later, I spoke with my counselor (and I think a counselor is a good thing for anyone who has been through what we have) and he pinpointed something for me. We underestimate smell. I had been surrounded by the smell for a protracted period. Sure enough, it played with my head. After all, if you were to smell a delicious apple pie baking in the oven, something deep in your brain would tell you to have a piece. Another reason to avoid places that serve alcohol, especially in early sobriety. All the best to you. Seven months is a terrific accomplishment and I am happy for you. Life is so much better for us. |
Wonderful inspiring post and congratulations on your sober time! |
| All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:12 PM. |