SoberRican

Good morning fam again. Just want to share a few things with you. When I gave up drinking I gave up my attachments to certain friends and family members. I also gave up my system for rewarding myself. Gone where the celebratory cocktails. I also lost my ability to be with some people. I lost a sense of who I am. Who am I if I am no longer the life of the drunken party? This does not make me special. Most people give up alcohol they gave up a lot more. Sometimes it's bad habits that come along with drinking that go by the wayside, like smoking and late-night junk food. Unfortunately you also lose friendships social networks and opportunities to be with other people. And sometimes quitting drinking mean saying goodbye to our only coping mechanism. It's almost like cleaning the Clutter out of your closet get rid of all the old and you make room for new things that Express the person I am now. Beauty of this kind of giving up is that no one is taking anything from you against your will you are cheerfully sometimes willingly and peacefully releasing yourself from the habits cravings and behavior that keep you locked into an unhappy life. This kind of letting go comes from maturity intelligence and hope. I'm praying this new beginning can unfold with infinite possibilities. So yes fam my life will not look the same I might not have the same job or friends. I will spend less time with certain family members have a new home or new hobbies. And that's good that I'm letting go of of things that were having me locked into an unhappy life. So in a nutshell I'm giving up the old and it's time to welcome the new. ✌

Cityboy

I know exactly what you are saying. Drinking has long been a means of coping for me. The stresses are still going to be there. So not sure how I'll deal with them now.

biminiblue

Beautiful. True.

DaisyBelle7

I love this!

That identity crisis of not being the “life of the party” is what caused me to relapse quite a few times. When I sat down and really thought about it, the “life of the party” was never who I was. I was drinking to fit in, to be funnier, to be more extroverted.

You wrote, “This kind of letting go comes from maturity intelligence and hope”. I’ll remember this during my rough days. Thank you for your post!

Derringer

Nice one Soberican

I couldn't bare the thought of not being the life of the party, the centre of attention etc.

Ultimately though, that was just an unwillingness to accept who I really am.

I envied the natural extrovert and alcohol gave me a way to make out like I was one.

But I'm not and I can now accept that.

Now I'm just a balding, grey stubbled, middle age guy with 4 kids, a loving wife, a regular job and I'm very proud to be that.

I have lost all need to be hip slick and cool.

Yeah ... We grow up 😎

Callas

Oh yes, everything changes. That is a fact.