Day 20
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Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 400
Day 20
I'm thankful to have reached day 20 but for those 20 days I had holidays from work. Now the holidays are over. I dread returning to work. I always had a bottle of wine to look forward to after work. My housemate will be drinking wine which won't help. I feel a bit down about the situation. It's a miracle I got to day 20 but the hard part is just beginning.
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Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Wisconsin
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Mary, I’m in the same boat (kind of). I took a medical leave from work to deal with this drastic life change. Not sure if you like your job but I despise mine. And I too would look forward to that drink after work.
But if we made it through the holidays without drinking, will that after work drink be that hard to ignore? I had drinking all around me for several days straight and never wanted to pick up. It’s all in our minds of our past patterns. Just think about days 1 through 20 sober when you get off work and how great they were. At least that’s my plan. I’m 16 days in so we are on a similar timeline.
But if we made it through the holidays without drinking, will that after work drink be that hard to ignore? I had drinking all around me for several days straight and never wanted to pick up. It’s all in our minds of our past patterns. Just think about days 1 through 20 sober when you get off work and how great they were. At least that’s my plan. I’m 16 days in so we are on a similar timeline.
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Thanks Vinny. Sorry your in the same situation with your job. It was a good idea to take medical leave. I used to like my job but in the last year things changed. I believe I was treated wrongly and unfairly but I suppose we all have to deal with disappointments in life. Thanks for the encouragement. I hope things at work improve for you too.
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Mary, I found that changing routines really helped me in the early days. Maybe you could plan something else that you would enjoy at the end of the work day. I don't love the gym routine myself, but I began taking long walks. It wasn't long before I was looking forward to that at the end of the day and it helped me to get past my witching hour. 
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Join Date: Dec 2019
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Congratulations on 20 days Mary! Keep reminding yourself that you don’t want to drink no matter what.
Best at of luck for your return to work. I’ve been off for two weeks over the holidays and am on day 7 of sobriety today and return to work on Monday. I do enjoy my job, I just put enormous pressure on myself to be “perfect” at work. That may have been because I was often very hungover at work and was extra cautious to not stuff up. Perhaps things will be changed for the better for us both now that we are approaching work as our sober selves! :-)
Best at of luck for your return to work. I’ve been off for two weeks over the holidays and am on day 7 of sobriety today and return to work on Monday. I do enjoy my job, I just put enormous pressure on myself to be “perfect” at work. That may have been because I was often very hungover at work and was extra cautious to not stuff up. Perhaps things will be changed for the better for us both now that we are approaching work as our sober selves! :-)
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Join Date: Aug 2016
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Congratulations on 20 days
You will be 3 weeks tomorrow. Surely you don't want to throw all of that hard work away?
Can you go for a walk maybe after work? Visit someone? Have a long soak in the bath? Retire to bed early with a book, or read SR on your phone like I do every night. I hope you choose not to drink
You will be 3 weeks tomorrow. Surely you don't want to throw all of that hard work away?
Can you go for a walk maybe after work? Visit someone? Have a long soak in the bath? Retire to bed early with a book, or read SR on your phone like I do every night. I hope you choose not to drink
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No I don't want to drink. It wasn't difficult to stay sober for those 20 days. I was surrounded by sober family. But when I'm living in a house filled with alcohol I know there will be temptations. I pray I'm strong enough to resist.
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Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 743
Good job on reaching 20 days. Now you're getting to a point where it's more of a habbit not to drink then to drink. I think it's actually more work mentally to pick the drink up than not to at this stage.
Take advantage of the sober time. Now its time for a different work day routine. I found it easier to stay sober on work days with much of the day already accounted for.
You can still stay surrounded by us at SR.
Take advantage of the sober time. Now its time for a different work day routine. I found it easier to stay sober on work days with much of the day already accounted for.
You can still stay surrounded by us at SR.
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
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Originally Posted by Mary88 
But when I'm living in a house filled with alcohol I know there will be temptations. I pray I'm strong enough to resist.
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Originally Posted by RecklessDrunk
Good job on reaching 20 days. Now you're getting to a point where it's more of a habbit not to drink then to drink. I think it's actually more work mentally to pick the drink up than not to at this stage.
Take advantage of the sober time. Now its time for a different work day routine. I found it easier to stay sober on work days with much of the day already accounted for.
You can still stay surrounded by us at SR.
Take advantage of the sober time. Now its time for a different work day routine. I found it easier to stay sober on work days with much of the day already accounted for.
You can still stay surrounded by us at SR.
Originally Posted by HeadEast
It will be hard, but not impossible. You can do this. Congratulations on 20 days.
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Join Date: Dec 2019
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Originally Posted by PhoenixJ
Support to you Mary. Keep posting, especially when you do not want to.
Thanks Phoenix. I'm a bit nervous about work this week. It's one of my biggest triggers. I'll do my best to stay calm and not react.
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