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Happy to have found SR on day 12, this forum in particular is very helpful. Concept of AV very helpful. :c011: |
I mean I am on day 12, found this site on day 1. I :thanks like the secular buddhist information. |
Hello and welcome kuebiko! |
Originally Posted by brynn
(Post 5736191)
Good to see you, jazz! I'm in a place today that I never dreamed possible a year ago and I owe it all to a single decision I made in December 2014. Of course, that decision was to quit drinking forever but I was only able to make that decision after finding my way to SR and the Secular Forum. I finally heard the message that I didn't have to fix all the crud in my life in order to get sober! I could get sober and THEN a lot of the crud in my life would naturally work itself out! Brilliant! A big thanks to everyone who contributes to this outstanding little corner of SR! :hug: This year I've been able to reclaim my life in all sorts of ways...both big and small. Sometimes I think it's the little things that make the biggest mental impact. Stuff like going to the dentist regularly, taking car of the car, doing laundry regularly, just doing the basics and taking care of yourself. I neglected SO much when I was drinking, including my health, finances, relationships, etc... The big changes this year....I quit a job I couldn't stand and I ended a long term relationship with an alcoholic/addict that was bringing me nothing but grief. I took big steps to take car of myself. Something I hadn't done in a very long time and it was really empowering! Quitting has had a snowball effect in that the very act of CHOOSING to quit drinking has given me the confidence I needed to enact other positive changes in my life. It's given me momentum and a life I honestly had stopped hoping for. It's good to see everyone checking in! :) Happy New Year! Xo |
Good to read all the updates. I took a break from here for a spell, but I'm still sober and enjoying life. Best decision I made was to just stop drinking (and never starting again). Take care friends! |
(My second post in this thread ~ ~) Joined SR 1/1/16. Day 21 though I've had up to 13 months sober over the past 4 years - I guess the average length of time sober over the past 3 years has been about 5-6 months. Did this alone, tried ZZ but it made me worse, to be honest. (My worst drinking times were 90s and early 2000s - rock bottomsville...) During this latter time, since about 2007, I've been exercising (running, cycling a lot), done a couple of ultra-marathons as well as trail runs and continued to study 2 university degrees, as well as work and raise my son (11y/o). Coming here after a more than groan worthy drinking session NYE 2015, I have learned some tools to see me just cast off the burden of alcohol for good. As much as counting days frustrates me because it COULD have been a longer 'day count' to announce, I have to count the good bits of the past few years as well as the bad 'slips' ---- (ugh; slips is an understatement, you probably know how bad even one session is and how many things can be ruined in one night). The important thing is I am not listening to AV anymore (I've labelled you now, you bastard!) and as well as saying no to the AV I am going to start saying no to other little things - like no to depression, laziness, mess, crowding of my personal space by a lazy BF, for example. (Lift your game darling). Hardcore aggression and assertiveness against the identified AV, as well as sensible assertiveness toward things I want and against what is holding me back ~ ONWARD. Thanks to all the group, all you guys, I relate to your posts. Thanks Jazzfish for starting the thread. |
This really is a great thread to read! Thank you for posting it Jazz. I am still going strong. I found the secular connection section when I first got sober. However, it took me a few months to realize it was right for me. It's amazing to read everyone's posts here. Many of you were posting when I first got here. Reading your words has had an amazing effect on me. Entering this year with just over a year sober. What a year it has been. Quit bar tending and job hopped for awhile. Finally found one that I think is the right fit, for a bit. Back in school taking a few classes and working on getting my degree. Regaining a mental clarity I hadn't even realized I lost. Eating better, quit smoking and exercising regularly. Getting sober has giving me so much. I agree that it's the little things adding up that makes the huge difference and that the main gift is potential. Along side that is the confidence I've gained. I know I can handle whatever this life throws at me because, well, this was hard. Blizzard in my area has me couped up for a few days. Watching too much tv and eating too much junk. Still I am happy that it's not drinking and fretting. Thank all of you who have posted. It's great to read about people doing well today. |
jazzfish: I love this post of yours. I also love that you're doing so well. The last sentence of your main paragraph made me chuckle. God speed! |
I've rarely posted on this forum but it might be fitting to use this thread to say thank you to all who have indeed posted here through the years - as this site and especially this forum has been tremendously helpful for me. 5 years sober now. I've got a good job and am 3 courses shy of finishing a degree in Computer Science. I have gotten joint custody and am raising my son. I'm in great shape, exercise a lot, eat healthy and sleep well. I haven't got much of a social life but it does not bother me much. I'm proud of myself. And I feel like I'm finally in control of my own mind. It's not a chaotic madhouse any more. I can now step back and "watch" my own thoughts and not take them too seriously. I can relax and enjoy the moment. I've started to appreciate this recovery journey as a precious gift. I'm in a place now where I'm so comfortable and so at ease. I doubt that I would ever have gotten there if not for all the bad stuff that started this journey. |
Thanks, Artoro, and glad things are doing so well for you. I always love to hear these inspiring posts. I am sitting at home with my daughters watching basketball now. It wasn't much of a day, but I was there to go for a run, make breakfast, clean the house, make dinner, and take them shopping for a fun project tomorrow. That was a lot better than sitting in my chair drinking myself in to oblivion. |
Yes, thanks Artoro, I am always glad to hear the success stories out there. Sounds like you are really doing well! |
Congrats on 5 years Artoro :) D |
Congratulations Artoro! :) Xo |
Congratulations, Artoro. It's good to hear of your success, it inspires others. I too am enjoying many of the quiet pleasures that come with sobriety. I had a peaceful easter sunday with my family of origin, and didn't let their quirks get to me. A client had given me a nice bottle of wine which I re-gifted to my brother, without a thought of wanting to drink it myself. I wake up feeling healthy and grateful most days. It is good to be sober. :grouphug: |
artoro Congrats on 5 yrs (and nearly 3 billion miles around the sun :) ). I'll be three years this summer and also loving/living with much less mind chatter. The ability to 'see' one's thoughts and rationally observe them instead of being a slave to the emotional response/ panic driven mindset is a near daily recognizable blessing. Still a few bats freely roaming the bellfrey ,lol, but a managable flock :) |
42 months with the same ATM card.:)) 5 YEARS...OUTSTANDING.. very, very nice!!!! |
Congrats. I hit five years three days ago. I did it with SMART and still use those tools in my day to day life. |
Congratulations shockozulu :) D |
Well Done shockozulu!! :) Xo |
Nice goin there, Shockozulu. Congratulations to you. |
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