Currently reading RR.
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Location: "I'm not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost ..."
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Originally Posted by received
You know what IS different, soberlicious? The 5 percent of the time I'm out and about and/or with others, I ROCK IT!
And, the 95 percent of the time I'm alone, I am ME, not IT. I've got more projects going on right now than I have had in 5 years.
And, the 95 percent of the time I'm alone, I am ME, not IT. I've got more projects going on right now than I have had in 5 years.
Again, none of these changes I'm going through have any bearing on my abstinence...oh, but they could if I hadn't decided on permanent abstinence.
Originally Posted by jkb
Not sure I was ever bored
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You do not need to understand all your fears in order to quit. The AV will have you to think that...that until you learn to deal with those fears you must stay drunk in order to cope. The irony is, one can never really learn to deal with fear by continually avoiding it. So round and round I go chasing my tail.
The fact of the matter is that YOU are not "comfortable and numb"...IT is. YOU are rather uncomfortable with being numb at this point.
Seperate.
The fact of the matter is that YOU are not "comfortable and numb"...IT is. YOU are rather uncomfortable with being numb at this point.
Seperate.
I've never managed or even thought of seperating the 2 before.
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Originally Posted by MyTimeNow
I'm only making it comfortable and not only am I making myself uncomfortable I'm also making myself quite ill with it.
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Originally Posted by Fallow
The day I woke up with my final hangover I internalized my addiction. The sincere desire to quit was present. It had appeared to be present in the past externally. I never knew there was a difference. Sounds silly but I had to feel it for myself. And I did. My Big Plan was made at that moment without argument.
I made the decision. Drinking is no longer an option. This is a relief like I never felt before. It happened way faster than I ever would have believed.
I made the decision. Drinking is no longer an option. This is a relief like I never felt before. It happened way faster than I ever would have believed.
Absolutely. So obvious when I read it like this and simplified too. I thought I was making myself comfortable by stopping the constant AV battle. I'm only making it comfortable and not only am I making myself uncomfortable I'm also making myself quite ill with it.
I've never managed or even thought of seperating the 2 before.
I've never managed or even thought of seperating the 2 before.
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The beast is never going to say hey, you've got time on your hands why not do some decorating or bake a cake...
Thanks jkb.
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Great thread here I got lots out of this. Thanks MTN. The above quote is my whole reality. I forever externalized my 'desire' to quit whether for a finite period of time or on occasions I would consider quitting forever.
I read RR and enjoyed it but read it as a novel. I could not at that time believe my Big Plan. I didnt believe it because i was still in fear of my AV. All of my being still wanted and accepted the desire to drink sometime in the future. I noticed this at the time and should have continued to explore but I got complacent, and drank again.
France was it for me too. I said to myself, what if you are in Bordeaux... You're not going to taste the wine?! Impossible!
So I kept on drinking in the here and now.
The day I woke up with my final hangover I internalized my addiction. The sincere desire to quit was present. It had appeared to be present in the past externally. I never knew there was a difference. Sounds silly but I had to feel it for myself. And I did. My Big Plan was made at that moment without argument.
I made the decision. Drinking is no longer an option. This is a relief like I never felt before. It happened way faster than I ever would have believed.
Now that Ive walked out of that prison I have the chance to work on how I choose to live.
I read RR and enjoyed it but read it as a novel. I could not at that time believe my Big Plan. I didnt believe it because i was still in fear of my AV. All of my being still wanted and accepted the desire to drink sometime in the future. I noticed this at the time and should have continued to explore but I got complacent, and drank again.
France was it for me too. I said to myself, what if you are in Bordeaux... You're not going to taste the wine?! Impossible!
So I kept on drinking in the here and now.
The day I woke up with my final hangover I internalized my addiction. The sincere desire to quit was present. It had appeared to be present in the past externally. I never knew there was a difference. Sounds silly but I had to feel it for myself. And I did. My Big Plan was made at that moment without argument.
I made the decision. Drinking is no longer an option. This is a relief like I never felt before. It happened way faster than I ever would have believed.
Now that Ive walked out of that prison I have the chance to work on how I choose to live.
The bolded part gives me a lot of inspiration. Thank you.
Do you have any recommendations meditation wise. I've never meditated or really taken time out to think about my thinking. I wouldn't really know where to start.
I used to have huge conversations with myself arguments examining ideas, i had the equivalent of other peoples attitudes in my head like a judging pannel, frightening lot of warped charecters they were.... before i learned to ignore them or replace them with people i felt would love and cherish me , some of it i solved, some of it i've learned to let go of .
When i examine a thought and say is this useful to me ? more often than not it was'nt so i just let it go... like a no entry sign on a road you just don't go there ...
I've shifted my focus onto learning how my body feels , staying sober makes you feel nice, over eating good things makes you feel yucky ..
My head is pritty much empty now, no chatter, no worries, no big highs, no big lows .
When i realized i need never drink again if i did'nt want to it was a big part in me moving towards the life i'd like to live .
Bestwishes, M
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Originally Posted by mecanix
To meditate I just sit quitely or go about my business of the day. for me it's a state of mind, quite and contemplative . I do find it hard to tell when i've looked at people going to meditation groups do they know the difference between meditation and people just sitting round in a room being quiet ?
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To meditate I just sit quitely or go about my business of the day. for me it's a state of mind, quite and contemplative . I do find it hard to tell when i've looked at people going to meditation groups do they know the difference between meditation and people just sitting round in a room being quiet ?
I used to have huge conversations with myself arguments examining ideas, i had the equivalent of other peoples attitudes in my head like a judging pannel, frightening lot of warped charecters they were.... before i learned to ignore them or replace them with people i felt would love and cherish me , some of it i solved, some of it i've learned to let go of .
When i examine a thought and say is this useful to me ? more often than not it was'nt so i just let it go... like a no entry sign on a road you just don't go there ...
I've shifted my focus onto learning how my body feels , staying sober makes you feel nice, over eating good things makes you feel yucky ..
My head is pritty much empty now, no chatter, no worries, no big highs, no big lows .
When i realized i need never drink again if i did'nt want to it was a big part in me moving towards the life i'd like to live .
Bestwishes, M
I used to have huge conversations with myself arguments examining ideas, i had the equivalent of other peoples attitudes in my head like a judging pannel, frightening lot of warped charecters they were.... before i learned to ignore them or replace them with people i felt would love and cherish me , some of it i solved, some of it i've learned to let go of .
When i examine a thought and say is this useful to me ? more often than not it was'nt so i just let it go... like a no entry sign on a road you just don't go there ...
I've shifted my focus onto learning how my body feels , staying sober makes you feel nice, over eating good things makes you feel yucky ..
My head is pritty much empty now, no chatter, no worries, no big highs, no big lows .
When i realized i need never drink again if i did'nt want to it was a big part in me moving towards the life i'd like to live .
Bestwishes, M
I did have visions of getting a mat out, sitting cross legged and ohmmmm-ing!
It is something I will look into. I'm often complaining to anybody that will listen is that the only peace I get is when I am asleep (and not even then all the time) yes there are external things like the kids arguing and sniping but other than that most of it is in my own head, whether it be the AV or general anxiety about something else or having thoughts about other thoughts and arguing with myself in my mind. I'm very good at doing my own head in!
What an enlightening thread this is turning out to be for me. I've always read the posts in here and thought about starting my own thread, but then worried as, well, basically I thought I'd look like an idiot
I did have visions of getting a mat out, sitting cross legged and ohmmmm-ing!
M
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Join Date: Aug 2011
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Originally Posted by MyTimeNow
I'm often complaining to anybody that will listen is that the only peace I get is when I am asleep (and not even then all the time) yes there are external things like the kids arguing and sniping but other than that most of it is in my own head
The concept of equanimity is super intriguing to me. The Buddhist definition is subtly different than what the western world might define it as, but generally it is the ability to maintain balance, to be centered, despite what is going on around us. Meditating is a great way to build this emotion. I get glimpses of it the more I practice. xo
I started an excellent book on mindfulness. It talks about meditation being a constant part of the day. Its by Burleson and it is a workbook. I really enjoy the exercises in it and I love the concept. It is a recovery based book: Reason, the Moment and Recovery is the title. Right now I can only focus on the RR book but, I keep it by my nightstand.
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I hear ya! I have 15 year old triplet boys, and they usually have several friends over...madhouse at times...I keep looking around for the camera to see if I'm getting "punk'd".
The concept of equanimity is super intriguing to me. The Buddhist definition is subtly different than what the western world might define it as, but generally it is the ability to maintain balance, to be centered, despite what is going on around us. Meditating is a great way to build this emotion. I get glimpses of it the more I practice. xo
The concept of equanimity is super intriguing to me. The Buddhist definition is subtly different than what the western world might define it as, but generally it is the ability to maintain balance, to be centered, despite what is going on around us. Meditating is a great way to build this emotion. I get glimpses of it the more I practice. xo
Thanks for the tip. Next Google search equanimity
I started an excellent book on mindfulness. It talks about meditation being a constant part of the day. Its by Burleson and it is a workbook. I really enjoy the exercises in it and I love the concept. It is a recovery based book: Reason, the Moment and Recovery is the title. Right now I can only focus on the RR book but, I keep it by my nightstand.
What an absolutely brilliant thread - thanks for starting it MTN.
And just reading through the last few posts (since yesterday over here in Aus), everything that people have said is timely for me.
As some of you may know, I'd been drinking every day (i.e. 'relapsed' in traditional parlance) for nearly two weeks. This morning, before turning on the computer, I said - and wrote in my journal, in CAPITALS (sort of shouting at 'It' :-)) - my Big Plan.
This was after ar*&sing about, to and from the fridge, wherein lay one and a bit bottles of wine left from yesterday evening. I mean, FFS, I'd driven drunk - again - to get them, having finished the rest of the previous day's wine.
And all of this, very much 'driven' by things like intense loneliness and boredom so eloquently described by MTN, soberlicious and others on this thread.
No more, baby, I'm DONE. You wanna bring it on, AV? I'm ready n waiting for ya, heheh. And - if my ailing computer holds up (need to buy a new one) - I'll be on these threads just to fortify my castle of True and Healthy Self.
And just reading through the last few posts (since yesterday over here in Aus), everything that people have said is timely for me.
As some of you may know, I'd been drinking every day (i.e. 'relapsed' in traditional parlance) for nearly two weeks. This morning, before turning on the computer, I said - and wrote in my journal, in CAPITALS (sort of shouting at 'It' :-)) - my Big Plan.
This was after ar*&sing about, to and from the fridge, wherein lay one and a bit bottles of wine left from yesterday evening. I mean, FFS, I'd driven drunk - again - to get them, having finished the rest of the previous day's wine.
And all of this, very much 'driven' by things like intense loneliness and boredom so eloquently described by MTN, soberlicious and others on this thread.
No more, baby, I'm DONE. You wanna bring it on, AV? I'm ready n waiting for ya, heheh. And - if my ailing computer holds up (need to buy a new one) - I'll be on these threads just to fortify my castle of True and Healthy Self.
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What an absolutely brilliant thread - thanks for starting it MTN.
And just reading through the last few posts (since yesterday over here in Aus), everything that people have said is timely for me.
As some of you may know, I'd been drinking every day (i.e. 'relapsed' in traditional parlance) for nearly two weeks. This morning, before turning on the computer, I said - and wrote in my journal, in CAPITALS (sort of shouting at 'It' :-)) - my Big Plan.
This was after ar*&sing about, to and from the fridge, wherein lay one and a bit bottles of wine left from yesterday evening. I mean, FFS, I'd driven drunk - again - to get them, having finished the rest of the previous day's wine.
And all of this, very much 'driven' by things like intense loneliness and boredom so eloquently described by MTN, soberlicious and others on this thread.
No more, baby, I'm DONE. You wanna bring it on, AV? I'm ready n waiting for ya, heheh. And - if my ailing computer holds up (need to buy a new one) - I'll be on these threads just to fortify my castle of True and Healthy Self.
And just reading through the last few posts (since yesterday over here in Aus), everything that people have said is timely for me.
As some of you may know, I'd been drinking every day (i.e. 'relapsed' in traditional parlance) for nearly two weeks. This morning, before turning on the computer, I said - and wrote in my journal, in CAPITALS (sort of shouting at 'It' :-)) - my Big Plan.
This was after ar*&sing about, to and from the fridge, wherein lay one and a bit bottles of wine left from yesterday evening. I mean, FFS, I'd driven drunk - again - to get them, having finished the rest of the previous day's wine.
And all of this, very much 'driven' by things like intense loneliness and boredom so eloquently described by MTN, soberlicious and others on this thread.
No more, baby, I'm DONE. You wanna bring it on, AV? I'm ready n waiting for ya, heheh. And - if my ailing computer holds up (need to buy a new one) - I'll be on these threads just to fortify my castle of True and Healthy Self.
Congratulations bemyself, I'm so glad it had it has all clicked for you (and from my thread too *puffs chest feels proud* lol
I had an early night last night with intentions of reading more RR. Hmmm promptly fell asleep... will save that for later then.
I've been really wanting exercise to be part of my life for some time now so I've snuck downstairs to have an hour (ok maybe half an hour) on the cross trainer that's in my front room that has been doubling as a clothes horse for far too long. I actually really fancy going for a walk but 1) I can't leave the house and 2) it's still dark and I'd probably get mugged!
So happy to read your post bemyself. Kettle's on, tea all round
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