Vision Board

[brightlite]

Hello to all and Happy, Healthy Holidays! I have not really posted in awhile although I come on the board occasionally to read. One of my biggest problems is that I think that I am functioning, however the past few months AL has really gotten a grip on me. I am devising my plan and have geared myself up for setting specific goals. 7 days, then 30 days etc. I cannot moderate even though I let myself think that I can. It has gotten to the point where it is all or nothing! Just don't take that first drink!

One of my tools will be to create a vision board for the new me. How I want my life to look and how I would like to live. Better health, exercise, eating good food, spend time with my adult children, support a cause, travel...etc etc. I want to wake up (hangover free) everyday and look at it and make the decision thats how my day, week, life will be lived.

Also, I will try to check in here and post more often. I will choose happiness over unhappiness! Best to all!

[Wagoneer]

Vision Board

Vision boards are awesome. I need to re-do mine. I made one a few years back, but I was drinking and everything I put up there got "washed away" by all the wine I was drinking. I gave up on it and put the cork board in my daughter's room. Now I am 56 days sober I am thinking it will be a good idea to put another one up.

I'm glad you're back - and you're right about moderating. How I wish I could drink only one or two glasses of wine, but I can't and most likely never ever will. I have found that waking up hangover free and remembering everything from the night before is awesome. Promises are kept, things are completed. Life is not perfect, but so much better I can't believe it.

Choosing happiness over unhappiness - that is wonderful. Best of luck to you. We are all here for you. Post often and read alot - we are all in this fight together. Happy Happy Holidays to you!

[Lavande]

Vision Board

Good to see you back brightlite

I can't moderate either - honestly! After my first 30 AF days I just knew that I had to remain AF. I'm so glad I made that decision too.

Your plan sounds good. Stay close to MWO for support & encouragement, it really helped me. Don't forget to check in to the Newbies Nest.

Wishing you the best!
Lav

[KateH1]

Vision Board

Hi Bright,
Sometimes it takes a while to understand that moderating is not possible. My experience is similar to Lavende's. I started 30 days AF here at mwo thinking that at the end of 30 Days, with my "system detoxed" and "my heard clear"....I could take charge of the "Beast" and moderate......Wow! I was so wrong.....by day 28 I felt great! So great, that decided it was time to happily moderate. Well, one glass lead to downing nearly 2 bottles of wine, I acted horribly, felt horrible for days and finally accepted that I cannot and will not drink.....that was three years ago! I love living alcohol free....it continues to get better and better all the time! I wish you great success in your new plan and determination!

The vision board is a great idea! Thank you for reminding me! I will be making one for myself today!

Best Wishes!
Kate

[janka]

Vision Board

A vision board ... what a great idea!!! So very worthwhile to fill the brain and see the awesome, fruitful possibilities in life and well-being! BTW, AL kicked my butt for sure, even when I "moderated" -- i.e., didn't get drunk -- I became so very sick and ultra-depressed, and I mean ultra. It's really too bad that it took so very much pain for me to force myself to put AL aside ... AL really had no "positive" benefits for me, except initially to quell anxiety and put me to sleep (eventually pass out really), and I actually forced myself to drink, despite gagging and distaste, to alleviate my anxiety, so I thought ... but as I progressed so purposefully and with "control," the black hole became so unbearable, I forced myself to stop, forced, sweating, hoping and praying that "this too shall pass." It did. BTW, I have been abstinent for over two months and so very, very grateful. But I know too that abstinence is but the first step in correcting some very faulty thinking habits, j

[medic]

Vision Board

I love vision boards - I started them when I was 20 and sort of dropped them because I saw them as idol worship or something which signified inner weakness. I know now that I was so cynically wrong. These things are life savers. To envision a life we actually want is a profound thing as opposed to shirking what we don't.

I especially like putting together picture scrapbooks of "beautiful people" as an aspiration of what I'd like to look like. Hit the gymn, look good, feel good... Maybe sounds F'Up to some (even me, like I said at one point) , but whatever makes you feel better is fundamental.

Life is aspiration... that's it. To be better. To feel better. To look better. Such things are the only things conducive to inner happiness. Our purpose in life is to feel good about ourselves. Drinking alcohol is not the way to feel good about ourselves.

"You either get busy living, or get busy dying."

Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption.

med+c

[allswell]

Vision Board

Good luck Brightlite,

I'll be fighting the good fight with you. It simply has to get done and now is the time to do it!

[brightlite]

Vision Board

Hi All,

Lav, Kate...thanks for the welcome back.

Wagoneer, Janka, Medic, Allswell thanks for the words of inspiration. Love the quote.

"You either get busy living, or get busy dying".......made my day!

Let's do it Allswell! Keep posting!