New Roads to tread for us all Weekenders 20 - 23 March 2020
 

thank you Mags :)

D

Thanks for the thread Mags
:)
Second weekend sober

The coronavirus is very worrying. Our health service and economy are going to struggle. I'm trying not to read so much about it because there's nothing I can do besides handwashing and social distancing. Hopefully it won't be too bad but drinking would certainly make things worse

Hi freedomfries, congratulations on week 2 sober. :scoregood
We’ve all got our part to play, that’s the best we can do. :)

Thanks Mags x

Shotgun :)

Thanks Mags, yes, new sober roads to tread.
Challenging times, but being sober is the best way to face the challenges.
It’s Thursday night here and I’m off to bed soon.
I’m feeling a little less anxious today. Well tonight anyway.
Maybe because it’s bedtime :)
Night night everyone x

Couldn’t resist sharing this one :lmao

https://i.imgur.com/yma0PBrl.jpg

...and it's 3AM.

The long walk. Every day. Rain or shine, it's the one thing that keeps me the most balanced.

One of the things that helped me get past my negative self-image was/is Mirror Work.

Here's what I do: Go to a mirror. Look into your own eyes. Don't wimp out. Say, out loud,

"I love you."
"I am sorry."
"Thank you."
"Forgive me."

I try to do it often - it always always helps.


I read that in, "The Toltec Way," an ancient wisdom book I found at a thrift store in early sobriety. I don't think you need to read the whole book to get it, but it is a very good little book and that is just one of many really helpful exercises passed down over the years. The book discusses a lot of the concepts that Miguel Ruiz teaches in, "The Four Agreements"...it's old wisdom.

We all have our stuff. It needs to be sorted.

While you're in there, wash your hands.

IN. I will not drink this weekend.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/Secondhand...restricted.gif

In!

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
Yogi Berra

Thanks Mags, now is a good time to be sober in all its meanings. Together we can help each other through this.

Manta, re yesterday's posts - I think doing a lot of walking is a great idea. I am not 100% au faith with the science of it but walking and physical tiredness in the evenings played a big part in reducing cravings. It really does help.

For these uncertain times I will not kick off with an obscure or esoteric track, but something to lift the mood that we have all heard of. Turn it up:-

https://youtu.be/SwYN7mTi6HM

Love some VH!

Everyday I am breaking new personal records.
One is consecutive days alive and the other is consecutive sober.

I will be here breaking new records all weekend with you guys. And gals

Thanks for the reminder Bim, I used to do the “say nice things to myself in the mirror” but stopped doing it at about 11 months sober. Think I will write some positive messages to myself again on the bathroom mirror like I used to have.

Spoke to my boss and he didn’t mention anything about yesterday so hoping it seemed worse in my head than it was in reality. Regardless, it’s time to stop fretting about it as what’s done is done.

Plan tomorrow is to get up early, have a good breakfast and then go to the canal in a village near me and start walking. It’s safe for walking along and I’ll be lucky if I see another soul so it’ll tick the social distancing box and I won’t be getting funny looks from people for being outside.

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night weekenders.

A rainy Thursday begins in New England.

https://i.postimg.cc/Gtv2s5pq/Now-what.jpg

I think I will plan out my day.

I just sent a lengthy text to an 88-year-old (healthy) friend, who is very nervous. (In contrast, my 96-year-old friend, also healthy, is taking this health scare in stride -- "We've all gotta go sometime, but meanwhile we gotta live fully, not in fear.")

For us here in SobeRlandia, living "fully" means, first, soberly. Then we can take on each day's challenges as they come, without the fog of a hangover and guilt clouding our perspective.

"I think, therefore I am."

I am what? I think I am ready to live, sober.

Oh Mags, thanks for the wonderful thread and topic. Long time no see on the weekenders!

I am so grateful that we have this forum to stay connected, especially during this weird, weird time in history. And I am so grateful to be able to talk to all of you. I've been here with my cats for the past three days, and things are going okay. Working from home and calling my family members (facetime when possible) to have something to do and check in. Been watching a lot of documentaries and soothing tv shows - Great British Bakeoff is my go to - and just trying to be calm. I think this is going to be a lot longer than we initially thought, but we'll get through it.

I'm for sure not drinking this weekend, even if the liquor stores were still open :P I can't imagine the kind of hell it would be to be actively drinking. Ugh. Extra anxiety I don't need.

Hang in there everyone. :)

Thanks Mags :happyface:

Great thread again.

Thanks for the laugh Willow :lmao

Love the cute chameleon Bim

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
Yogi Berra
"
Ha ha, I love that Saou

Well done on the record breaking fishkiller !

"We've all gotta go sometime, but meanwhile we gotta live fully, not in fear." so true jr, I've lived my life in fear and it's a hard habit to put down. Some folk say the opposite of love isn't hate, it's fear. War, prejudice, hatred, it all comes down to fear.

Isaiah 43:1-5 "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. "

Thanks Mags and hello to all Weekenders :)

It's a birthday weekend for me and one which promises to be something of a strange one due to what is happening everywhere at the moment. My original plan, made several weeks ago, was to go and visit friends in London over this weekend. I'd more or less decided against that anyway as I was worried that this is far too early in my sobriety to be going to places and meeting people I associate with drinking (my drink problem really took hold when I was living and woirking in London). However it's possible that London is going to be "out of bounds" for the forseeable future from this weekend with shops, pubs, restaurants etc closed and public transport severely limited so I think I'll give it a miss.

Good to see you dpac, harriet and jr. :wave:

Happy Birthday for the weekend Robbie :bc4

Thank you, Mags, for another fantastic OP.

Many hugs to you, Manta. I am so relieved to hear that things seem okay with your boss. Walking seems a great idea to me. Not only will it tire you but, if you let yourself escape into nature - the air, the rain, the trees, the sky, the sounds, - you can empty your mind and absorb the goodness of life. It can be a freeing experience. Be sure to take some water along with you.

andyh , Willow and Bim - thank you for the great humor and lightheartedness. We really need that these days.

:hb3, Robbie

Thanks, Mags.

I'm in. It's my man friend's birthday today. All of the normal things he would like to do today are off-limits, so I'm having a nice dinner for him at my house. I went to the store early this morning and found everything I needed for a special meal. Steaks and all the fixings. I'm even going to make him a cake (low-carb chocolate cake, my first try at it, wish me luck!). It will be nice.

We got this, folks. Sorry I can't remember who said it upthread, but we certainly do not need the extra anxiety that drinking causes right now. I know I don't. I need to keep my wits about me and not go into a spiral like I would if I were drinking. Thank goodness for sobriety!!!