Things that make me go Hmmm...
 

Today I was just thinking about the all the strange things that made me think about having a drink before I quit, and I can't help but wonder if these same things would/could give me the impulse again (haven't had to test them yet):

Sunny clear winter days
Jazz music
Christmas
Certain movies
Apres ski
Ever visiting Europe again...

I'm sure there are others for me, what are some of yours?

My first day off after being away from home (at work) for a couple of months.
After a huge snowfall. Something about that just 'does it' for me.
Watching the Northern Lights!
Anytime near the beach.
Guess I'd better stay away from these situations! :)

Darn, I'm sorry but I posted this in the wrong forum and I can't seem to delete or move it.
It was not my intention to put this here where many newcomers are landing....
Apologies :headbange

All it takes some days is being awake.

But the most recurring one is "mowing my lawn"... An ice cold beer was always my reward, so the smell of freshly cut grass is my biggest "trigger ".

Oh well. At least I'm down to one major, I used to have hundreds of majors and as many minors too.

Friday nights and football Sunday. That was a long time ago though. In the end I just drank to get drunk. The reason didn't matter. The day didn't matter. Hoping those days are behind me now.

if you want to let me know where you'd want to move it I can do that drywhistle :)

I've never been to Europe, and I'm not a skier LOL but all those other things?
Even better sober...I promise :)

D

I'm not sure how I will ever visit Scotland again, without drinking local scotches.

I have been to all the places where I used to drink/use. When I got sober, I did the brain rewiring work and completely changed....and so did my perception of all these places/situations. I don't need to avoid them or not enjoy them. The freedom from thinking about drinking/using is indescribable. I mean I used to ruminate about it. I couldn't imagine life without the upstairs committee always chattering that a drink would be nice. ugh. Who can live like that?! Not me.

Scotland was magical when I went there sober. I missed so much before.

Certain situations or places can make the urges or feelings more poignant or 'sharper', but rationally we know that drinking would not enhance anything, and not drinking will actually allow for a fuller enjoyment of the experience.
Getting through those times builds sober muscle, maybe running headlong into them is not the best advice, but ignoring or avoiding them altogether may not be the best advice either.
I'm going to be in those places /situations at times for rest of my life and I can enjoy them too :)

for me when the sun rose or set. I tried to KISS.

BE WELL

Just move it anywhere but here :)
Perhaps the secular group?

Thanks Dee

done :)

D

'Eye-luh'
 

We used to rent for a week a former Church on Islay off the West Coast of the Scottish Mainland proper. It's the 3rd, small, Slate Grey Rooftop visible in the Trees when starting from the Pic right side. 'Lagavulin' was my intensely-Peaty favorite. Got too expensive, even for me. In no small irony, it was the first Single Malt ever served me. Da Wife was getting her Masters Degree, and I was making do for Dinner at some local Happy Hour Fete. After sipping down most of the Pour, I complained about the microscopic Peat Fly in my Glass. That earned me a free Refill. Sort of like the ole Drug Dealer come on: 'The First One's Free'. The rest is my Personal History... Fortunately, I get to write my own Sober ending to that History.

A Lag Tour Guide told me he'd never drank in his 30 years of Employment there, and still did not in semi-Retirement. Laudable discipline for me to emulate. My notation in their Guest Book: 'Ain't no foolin', it's Lagavulin'.

Going back sober would be mighty interesting. Not unlike a Diabetic going to a Chocolate Festival, I suppose. Lots of Standing Stones and amazing history all over ~25,000 Acre Islay.

We'll see... We want to see Iceland and Portugal, so a 6th Trip to Scotland might be a theoretical situation that never happens.

---

I have a cabin in the woods that has been overrun by mice because I have hardly been there for two years.

Finally spending time fixing it up and cleaning it out.

It was my isolation place, and I would sit alone for days drinking there. Couldn't even go there without terrible cravings. I relapsed there many many times too.

Finally I'm starting to make new memories there without the booze. I didn't know if I ever could.

Being awake was the biggest for me. Was self-employed most of my life and liked the beer buzz early in the morning thing for many years til it became mandatory and sleep became almost nil.

Rainy stormy nights practically make my hand curl up for a glass full of ice and booze. But they're mighty fine sober too.

Good question! Some of mine were:

Stress
Friday nights
Crisp autumn days
Gourmet restaurants
Warm evenings

In the end I just liked to drink and had a whole lot of dumb reasons (or non reasons) for it. I think I'm most glad I don't drink when it comes to stress because that is just about the worst solution out there.