Three Years Today
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 83
Three Years Today
Today marks three years that I am alcohol free! It's wild how much time has passed, my non-alcohol life feels so normal now. This past year I opened up more to some close friends about my choice to stop drinking, something I'd been afraid to do for a while. Of course, everyone was supportive, no one made it into a bigger deal than it needed to be, and now I don't have to worry about them offering me drinks and me having to turn them down. So that has been a big win in my sober journey!
Life is not perfect, of course, but it's way better. I feel and look better than when I was drinking. I have more energy, more time to do what I want. I'm more comfortable in my own skin. But I also overcompensate in some ways, feeling like I need to constantly be productive and that's something I'm working on. I overextend myself and have trouble following through on things. I have areas of my life that need more attention than I'm giving them. I can get stressed and overwhelmed and sad and all the things that I got while drinking... but WAY less and with way more manageable causes/solutions.
To those early on in recovery, just keep at it. Tools that have helped me have been checking in here, A LOT in the beginning especially, and playing the tape forward when I was tempted for a drink. Remembering those hazy nights and awful days that followed. It hurts to think about that sometimes, but it's helped me remember that there are a million good reasons why even if I think I'll enjoy a drink, I really, really actually won't, not in the long run. And it could put me in danger, my relationships in danger, all the good in my life in danger. Although my need to do that is less frequent now, it still comes up and I still check in here and read your stories. Thank you all for sharing and good luck! You got this and life is better on the other side.
Life is not perfect, of course, but it's way better. I feel and look better than when I was drinking. I have more energy, more time to do what I want. I'm more comfortable in my own skin. But I also overcompensate in some ways, feeling like I need to constantly be productive and that's something I'm working on. I overextend myself and have trouble following through on things. I have areas of my life that need more attention than I'm giving them. I can get stressed and overwhelmed and sad and all the things that I got while drinking... but WAY less and with way more manageable causes/solutions.
To those early on in recovery, just keep at it. Tools that have helped me have been checking in here, A LOT in the beginning especially, and playing the tape forward when I was tempted for a drink. Remembering those hazy nights and awful days that followed. It hurts to think about that sometimes, but it's helped me remember that there are a million good reasons why even if I think I'll enjoy a drink, I really, really actually won't, not in the long run. And it could put me in danger, my relationships in danger, all the good in my life in danger. Although my need to do that is less frequent now, it still comes up and I still check in here and read your stories. Thank you all for sharing and good luck! You got this and life is better on the other side.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,153
3 years is awesome good work! I too feel like I'm overcompensating all the time trying to make up for all the wasted time I spent drinking. That is my next project slowing myself down and enjoying this new life more than I already am.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: NSW - Australia
Posts: 14,540
Congratulations on 3 years KeepingUp!
Your post really helped. I've just clocked up 2 years, and sometimes think I should be doing much better. I am doing much better, but sometimes think I should be achieving more. In saying you feel the need to always be productive, I felt a sigh of relief. This is how I feel. Thanks.
I'm working on giving myself permission to just smell the roses, not necessarily achieve world peace overnight.
And maybe if everyone did just stop to smell the roses world peace would be achieved more readily.
Thanks for your post KeepingUp. You helped make it more real for me. Honest.
Your post really helped. I've just clocked up 2 years, and sometimes think I should be doing much better. I am doing much better, but sometimes think I should be achieving more. In saying you feel the need to always be productive, I felt a sigh of relief. This is how I feel. Thanks.
I'm working on giving myself permission to just smell the roses, not necessarily achieve world peace overnight.
And maybe if everyone did just stop to smell the roses world peace would be achieved more readily.
Thanks for your post KeepingUp. You helped make it more real for me. Honest.
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,926
Hi KU, we quit in the same week 👍
You made an interesting point about overexerting yourself. It’s something I never realised before. I’m sure the likes of us take on more. We’re more ambitious in projects. I reckon I get more tired and sometimes even anxious, but maybe that because I (like you) take on too much at times. Turning that around, though, if we’d been drinking every night, we wouldn’t do half the stuff we do. I reckon we need to chill more, but we’re doing OK.
I liked the part about your supportive friends too. Proper friends will accept us whatever.
Well done on 3 years!
You made an interesting point about overexerting yourself. It’s something I never realised before. I’m sure the likes of us take on more. We’re more ambitious in projects. I reckon I get more tired and sometimes even anxious, but maybe that because I (like you) take on too much at times. Turning that around, though, if we’d been drinking every night, we wouldn’t do half the stuff we do. I reckon we need to chill more, but we’re doing OK.
I liked the part about your supportive friends too. Proper friends will accept us whatever.
Well done on 3 years!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,597
Huge congrats on three years, @KeepingUp
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,926
Back to this overexerting stuff, KU. This afternoon I was moving stuff into storage (my house is being renovated) whilst talking to my plumber in the kitchen, taking a phone call about a job and answering an e-Mail about another job. Of course, it means I’m doing none of these things well 🤣 but at least I’ll try. We do attempt too much as sober people. As a drinker, I wouldn’t do half as much.
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