I feel like I chickened out

[Mish]

I feel like I chickened out

Sheri;1037996 wrote: Know thy self, first and foremost! You didn't run away from the problem. To the contrary, you faced it, and recognized that it would not be a good environment for you to be in right now. I would have done the same and felt very proud of myself. You should too!

Sheri

Well said, Sheri. Ditto what she said, magnum.

[jennyneric]

I feel like I chickened out

I agree you did awesome! In time you will be strong enough to be in those types of environments. I faced a bar in day 17 and did not touch a drop but had a horrible time also. You protected what it is that you value, your sobriety! This day is a victory in the since that now you know you are committed to your sobriety! Great job!

[Dewdrop]

I feel like I chickened out

Congratulation on coping with a potentially disasterous situation.

You didn't chicken out at all, this a a bit of a war we are fighting and what you are doing is choosing your battles carefully, right ? In the beginning choose the ones you can win and avoid the ones you will lose that way you will build your defences up and can win the bigger ones when you are better equiped to cope with them. Hope that makes sense.

I am in a work environment where we are encouraged to work hard and play hard, there are always free bars at our meetings and I have a Manager who encourages everyone to drink till the small hours (his idea of teambuilding ) I have used every excuse under the sun to avoid these situation and I will continue to do so. I don't see it as running away and the longer I have sober the more I am questioning his drinking thinking.

You did well in my opinion.

Dewdrop :h

[gyco]

I feel like I chickened out

live and lern

magnum;1037982 wrote: I'm on day 8 of being AF and I belong to one of largest fraternal organizations in the world. Today we had our winter meeting and the first part went by so fast and we were given a 4 hour break.....4 hours to socialize. Socialize with free booze....I lasted 15 minutes and I was thinking of having a drink. I couldn't take it, so I made up a lie that I felt like I was getting a migraine and left. Now, I know I did the right thing by leaving and not drinking but it feels like I'm running away from my problem and not facing it.

:goodjob:welcom to the world of addiction,mick jagger sang a song many times,time time time is on are side,yes it is,running away,No,acknowledging,the problem within You,not them,you chose not to be in uncomfortable situation,and you handled it rite,look at the other side of the coin,you could be waking up wondering why you had the 1st drink,that could of led to you demise ? :thanks:gyco

[Wagoneer]

I feel like I chickened out

Congrats Magnum! You did the right thing!

[magnum]

I feel like I chickened out

Thank you everyone. What a SOBER night's sleep can make! I think yesterday i was I was in a bad place. I was on the treadmill and as I walked I got angrier and angrier at myself for letting AL take over my life like is has. I just couldn't fathom how I got to this point. Today is a new sober day and I'm ready to keep going. Day 9 is going to be a relaxing day at home with the family.:thanks:

[Popeye]

I feel like I chickened out

Hi Magnum.

I don't think you should look at it as running away, rather putting yourself in a better situation. Being comfortable around booze isn't a thing I work at. I'd rather not have it around but I'm not scared of it. I don't mind other people indulging if they choose, but I do find thinking about not drinking wearing on the spirit. I try and look at it from a different perspective. It's something I have chosen not to do rather than from the point of view of a person depriving himself of a pleasure. I find that after a while the importance alcohol plays in my mind has diminished. It used to be priority number one. I still get the odd urge; the occasional feeling that it would be good to have a drink. Not just a drink but a skinful, if I'm honest, but these times get fewer and further between and they pass very soon. It really is all in my mind. It's alarming how easily these thoughts pop up, but reassuring how quickly they fade and turn into other thoughts.
Enjoy your family day.

[allswell]

I feel like I chickened out

Magnum,

On day 8 we need to run, not walk, from temptation. It's too soon to subject yourself to the little voices in your head saying "you've been good for 8 days, go ahead and have that drink - you deserve it". This is a process that takes time and whatever method we choose to avoid a drinking situation doesn't matter, it's the sobriety at the end that matters. Nicely Done!

[Rags]

I feel like I chickened out

Hi Magnum,
I think that was an excellent decision yo made.
I read Popeye's post and couldn't agree more.

We need to turn our thinking around like Popeye says, and stop thinking of it as a deprivation or a huge hurdle.... that just keeps it at the forefront of our minds. And that is not what we want.... I often quote that wonderful sentence from RJ's book.... treat alcohol like butter.... and how often do we think about butter!
I have found so many times in my life that if I continually think something is going to be a huge problem, it will be.... in my mind. But not always in reality.


Our minds are so overwhelmingly powerful and our thoughts influence so much that we do, so we need to try to steer our thoughts in the direction we want to go. And I reckon you're doing just that.