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To Brian, Ryan, Dragonfly, Badger, Casey, Marianna all of you that are getting sober congrats. It feels good and it will keep getting better if you don't drink. No matter what don't drink this week end. Patrick said if you dont drink on the week end just imagine how good you will feel come Monday morning. That is so true. :-)
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I was up at 6 this morning and walked to a coffee shop with my wife. This was, for lack of a better word, empowering. I have not felt this clear headed on a Saturday morning in a long, long time. I will have a week, 7 big days, with no poison when my head hits the pillow tonight. Hang in there tonight everyone, WE can do it.
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That's awesome, badger. I LOVE early, early mornings ... but had only experienced them within the context of late, late nights. I'm looking forward to one of these weekend days getting up THAT early and strolling to the coffee shop myself!
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Just checking in. It's 7:30 in the Central time zone, so I am on the downhill side of my weekend escape. Phone off the hook, I'm going to watch some sports on ESPN3.com to kill about two more hours. Hope all of you are enjoying a sober Saturday night!
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Great job everyone. I didn't drink tonight either! It feels great. I love this. I hope it lasts. I was so tempted. It's hard when I am alone but I knew if I could get through a night alone, I was off to a great start. You have all inspired me. Thank you so, so much!!!
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I just got back from a wedding. The beer was flowing, that's for sure. None for me. I drank tons of water and a bit of soda, but was never truly even tempted tonight. I know I have a long way to go and tonight was only one small victory, but it sure feels good to have a clear head as I sit in my hotel room and watch a bit of baseball on TV. In the past it would have been drink at the wedding AND drink some more back at the hotel room. I hope everyone is hanging in there and get through the evening OK. Kim, way to go on getting through the night alone, that can indeed be tough.
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Way to go Ryan and Kim. And Badger, only 1 week into this and you made it through one of the toughest functions to get through. I have a wedding in Detroit next weekend to get through, but I'm 43 days into it now and I'm not going to give in to the poison there.
Dragonfly-isn't it wonderful to go out and enjoy a nice dinner and remember what you were eating and actually savor it. I remember going out to dinner with my best friends and family one time and actually made an *ss out of myself. If only i could go back, but it's done and over so, onward I go.
As Brian said, we are non drinkers now.
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I second Christy's comments. Congrats to all of you. Its a great way to spend a wedding, a saturday nite, to be sober and in recovery. Its much more enjoyable being aware of whats going on rather then medicating my way through it. I feel so grateful to not be drinking. I had a birthday party for a friend tonight and had no desire to drink at all which felt good. I was very aware of the alcohol around me but no desire to drink and get into the addiction cycle again.
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Quick question: I know there have been sobriety books recommended, including "First-Year Sobriety." Well, I just about have that one knocked out -- what else should I be reading? Thanks to all of you for helping me get through my first weekend sober!
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Day 6, got through my first Saturday in 8 years without a drink! My husband's still drinking but we were both out working in the garden last night, which is unheard of. I'm actually going to church today. I have in the past gone to the Salvation Army and just happened to meet the Captain in the supermarket yesterday and kind of feel I should go. Haven't been since the drinking really took hold as Sundays lately I've started early due to work on Monday. Here goes.
Well done everyone. Will let you know how it went.
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Great job everyone!!! So far, I survived the weekend, too!! It is great to wake up feeling wonderful!!!!
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Dragonfly15 -- I am a Texas Rangers fan all the way!
Day 8 for me this Sunday, a first weekend under my belt -- and immediately thoughts go to next weekend. I think I'll do the same thing next week that I did this week, and that's "make a plan on Thursday night."
In the interim, I'm going to get the house in order, try to get ahead some with work and enjoy a beautiful (but tortuously hot) Sunday.
Ryan
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I went to church, was fine, didn't get much from it but may go again next week, the best thing was driving there sober on a lovely sunny day. Car doesn't usually move from the drive until Mondays. Feeling really on edge today not so happy but I've come on here to have a look at some information and your posts which has helped.
Ryan - not sure I could recommend another book for you but I've ordered First Year Sobriety today. I have tried a few self-help books over the years which didn't help me much. I do find reading articles and books about real life experiences with alcohol helped more.
Keep going everyone
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Hi DragonFly and all - I don't think taking a sip of the toast sets you back at all on your "day count". You didn't finish it and the most important part is you didn't feel the continued yearning to drink! Great news.
Great job to all - even if you had a set back, keep trying. You can do it!
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Well, I gave in during my beach day, had a couple beers. My trigger is that when I am at the beach(or anywhere) with all the kids wanting and needing everything in the world and me not being able to sit down and relax for any length of time then I want to drink and get a buzz at least to deal with it. I was handed a beer by my husbands cousin and she said have one for her birthday, might as well. So I ended up having maybe 4 beers at the beach. Oh well, it is a learning experience. I have been feeling good not drinking but the constant battle with the urge and giving in to the old habit is there and is trying to beat me down! I have been realizing that it is OK to have that urge, just don't give in to it. The urge is there(and will be there for a long time most likely), good for it, but I have to push it down and not act on it! Luckily I didn't drink enough to have a hangover, but anxiety attack all night and into the morning, couldn't sleep well, probably because of time of the month hormones. We all had too much sun yesterday though, my 9 year old daughter seems to have sun poisoning and is fighting a cold on top of it 
Been reading Diaries of an alcoholic housewife, I like it, seems to help me. And life continues...Have a good Sunday peeps
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Don't feel bad, nicolelee -- I have amassed 22 years worth of triggers and have come to realize that it seems I can't go anywhere without being tempted. I speak from a position of weakness not strength! Total weakness.
One of the things I've taken to heart in "First-Year Sobriety" is the concept of PEOPLE, PLACES and THINGS. What I gather from this concept is that as I plan my days and my weeks, I am going to have to be aware -- BEFOREHAND -- of potential temptations.
Will there be alcohol here? How heavy will the temptation be? Have I succumbed in the past?
And my first option will need to be avoidance. For me. Not everybody has that option, especially as it pertains to family. Heck, I have avoided situations within the depths of alcoholism for 20 years, why not some avoidance in the name of sobriety for a few months!? While I know that people who have lots of sobriety under their belts are faced with temptations just like me with my 8 days, my understanding is that newly sober people talk about "the miracle." Waiting for the miracle. Something that happens at some point within the life of one's sobriety that allows them to be OK with it in the face of temptation. Perhaps the miracle is discovering something one loves more than getting wasted.
I have some ideas what those things might be for me, but I'm happy right now just figuring out how to handle free time for a few weeks. Nevertheless, I figure I'm probably going to want to create specific "game plans" for all sorts of different situations. This weekend's game plan was one that worked. I knew that I had to figure out Friday night and Saturday afternoon. I did it for one weekend and plan to rinse and repeat over and over.
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Ryan thats wonderful! Congrats on 8 days. I like your comment that the miracle is discovering something one loves more then getting wasted. I figured that out this time... and its life. I got sick of being held hostage to alcohol, it wasnt fun to drink it was a chore, sort of a requirement to survive. And I got ticked off that an addiction to a liquid substance was all this was and I just wanted to get off the stuff for good because nothing was changing for the better when drinking... I am close to 90 days which is a miracle for me. And I have no desire to drink, but I have thoughts about alcohol every day. They have not gone away yet but the physical cravings have for the most part. So if you can just give it some time it will get better for all of you that are new and you will get stronger. I found every day I didnt put alcohol into my body I put the alcoholic in me on notice that I scored a point that day, alcoholic lost.
Dragonfly and Nicolelee I would encourage you to avoid that one sip. It will seem innocent enough. I can only tell you my situation and one sip would never work. That would fire up my brain to say time to drink and as I was telling Ryan I can't handle that addiction cycle any more. It made me feel so bad about myself. And I'm sick of it. Nicolelee don't beat yourself up its a process to get sober and you will. You have been doing great and as Ryan said identifying your triggers is a big step forward.
Congrats to Kim, Millie and Marianna too for your sobriety. Ryan, the books that Kjbp and Sally recommended to me are the Zen of Recovery by Mel Ash and 12 step buddha. I'd like to tell you something about them but my brain is still fried and I cant focus for too long at a time yet....
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Came home from a long trip away from home last night.
My wife made a roast dinner and we had the first family meal in 5 weeks.
I went to the old 'beer fridge' to look for some sparkling water. None there but 3 bottles of wine were; leftovers from a Mother's Group luncheon.
My friends those bottles of wine represented pain, self-loathing, regret and loss. I couldn't even look at them; where was my beautiful sparkling water?
I got a glass of water from the tap....I looked at the clock, it was 5 o'clock.
To anyone struggling with quitting drinking and losing out the battle to countless relapses, please take note. For many years 5 o'clock was drinking time and I would NOT STOP until I had a drink. The drink of choice would be wine and any wine in my fridge WOULD BE DRANK.
Last night was a victory for normalcy.
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JPVD -- Love the phrase "victory for normalcy."
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Someone please help me!!!! I was at day 79 and fell off the wagon with a bottle of vodka..help please!!
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