THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Irie - I think the bracelet is a great idea too (except that you can take if off lol). Truly, though, I understand the hesitation about a tattoo. Depends on your lifestyle - work, etc. I'm going to, as Tips says, be a rebel though, and take the plunge.

And, Tips, happy BD and Thanksgiving to you if you're scarce in the upcoming days.

LFP glad the book is clicking for you. Yesterday my husband and I had lunch out -- he had two beers I had none. He was tired and lethargic the rest of the day. I felt great LOL. I think it's even dawning on him that there is merit to not drinking. Really, folks, it's the brainwashing as described by J Vale that tricks us into thinking there's anything good about alcohol.

Crunchy, let us know what you think once you get started on the book.

[Tipplerette]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Thanks for the birthday and Thanksgiving wishes. This year I will give thanks for freedom from having to fight to control my drinking. I have so much more energy since I stopped. I even have started something I have wanted to do in some time. I started a blog.

52 Weeks of Healthy Habits: 52 Weeks of Healthy Habits


Check it out if you are interested in making one lifelong change for better health each week. The accumulation of healthy habits will be tracked on my blog as we journey together towards enhanced health one new habit at a time.

Tips

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Tips, way to go woman! I really believe you are free!

CONGRATULATIONS (there should be a bigger word)!!!

[Tipplerette]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Thanks, Just got back from the doctor's office.

I told my doctor today and he took all the credit. LOL.. Seems the cholesterol is great and the iron is way toooo low. only 12. Not bad for 55. When the monthlies stop coming along regularly, the iron will build itself up by itself.

Tips

[crimsons]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

@Tips, love the blog! Will definitely check regularly. Way to go!

I just walked up to the beach, through the booze gauntlet of bars that open at 8 am. (And I've been there then...) I was expecting to wander into my fave dive, and I'm astonished to report I was not interested at all. No taste for the cheap wine or unbelievably delicious burgers and hot dogs inside. The clientele didn't look too savory either. Boy, I hope this change is permanent.

[Crunchy]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Tip, is your blog here?

I could definitely get on board with a bracelet.

[Tipplerette]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

52 Weeks of Healthy Habits: 52 Weeks of Healthy Habits

No, Crunchy, it's a blog on blogspot. Have a look.

Wow, living within walking distance to the beach must be so wonderful. We always want what we don't have, eh..

[daisy45]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Hey girls, still here. Had a it of a mess-up, but won't dwell on it. Got my book today. On page 75 and intend to get through it in next 2 days. So far, impressed!!! And, definitely still up for tattoo. Still stuck on butterfly - know everyone has one but there has to be a reason - symbolic. Would like mine to be personal; colours. But, what tiny thing can we do to connect us all?
Told my 16 yr old and she wants one as well - what can I say? Told her she can have a tiny one where noone can see. Everyone tells her she should do modelling but she is shy, so just in case.............
But glad to see you all so enthusiastic; have been backing off a bit while I get myself together!
Tipps, a happy birthday to you.

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Daisy, glad to hear the book is clicking for you and that you're still up for the tattoo. I agree that it would be nice to have something that was the same on the tattoos but not sure what it could be aside from the actual initials "MWO." Not sure I want actual writing, though. Thoughts Tips?

Crunchy let us know what kind of bracelet you guys decide on........Crimsons to what do you attribute your success so far?

[crimsons]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

@Daisy, I wonder if you could incorporate the colors in the MWO logo at the top of the page?

@UW, I had sort of been working up to success for a year and finally had built up enough good things that it clicked. Also I went through a 9-month lawsuit 1.5 years ago and the horror of it is finally wearing off. Honestly, I think I had PSTD. Tonight I went to a lovely "home spa" night thru meetup.com. It was relaxing, I smell nice, and I won the raffle for a 1-hour reflexology session! I am making plans to do something with others almost every day, and planning my calendar in advance. That's making a big difference. Also the Vale book was a great missing piece, as was the "clarity coach" and his Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The latter was especially important, as I began learning how to change my thoughts to change my emotions.

What all this adds up to is this: I'm starting to finally feel like I'm building a healthy life, making new friends, and having positive contact with others regularly. Therefore, I'd rather spend x o'clock hanging out with these people, doing something classy and stimulating and fun with smart, interesting people rather than swilling rotgut with the local hippies and surfer dudes. That said, I really have met some fabulous people at the local happy hours as this town attracts so many interesting folks. In the future, I can definitely see going to a couple of these places for the food and not drinking.

Coming home from the spa evening was interesting. In the past, I would have anticipated stopping in at the convenience store to buy cheap mini-wine and opening one in the car coming home. But tonight, I was excited about getting home to get ready for bed and hit my current project bright and early. For real! I realize this may be the booze version of bi-polar disorder, but at the moment I'm not particularly interested in consuming AL -- although I was aware that I usually would have bought some and then probably gone to a bar on the way home. Other things I have scheduled for this week are two teleseminars, a group bike ride followed by lunch at a seaside restaurant, Weight Watchers, a short cooking class on seaweed at Whole Foods, Weight Watchers meeting, a manicure, and a massage.

I think the change really started when I had a session with the psychotherapist Marc Kern, who is an LA alcohol/modding doctor. He runs the local Moderation Management group. He also wrote a good book that inspired me to do all of the above. I hope I continue having success, and think that if I continue building my life like this I should do well. It's truly conscious living tho!

[Crunchy]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

You bring up a good point, crimsons. Getting drunk is very boring once you've done a few thousand times.

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Crimsons,

You are a true inspiration. And, you're lucky to live in a city that has so much to offer. I don't have that kind of stuff available without driving a very long way to and from. I think you sound amazingly sane and like you're really getting it together.

One caveat I would throw in (my two cents) is that if your CBT coach thinks it's okay to mod, I would really question that. I truly believe what Vale has to say about never drinking again because it would re-start the addiction. I've read so much on this site where people try to mod and then get back up to their old levels of drinking. And, for me (two cents) I feel sure I don't ever want to drink alcohol again - ever!!

Now, back to the fun stuff you're doing. How cool is the spa meetup! I check out meetups all the time and I've never seen anything along that line. Sounds wonderful.

Well, I hope that you continue with your successful life even if:

.......this may be the booze version of bi-polar disorder.

:H

[RitaNow]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

I don't get to spend as much time on this site as I'd like - so it takes me awhile to "catch up" once I log on! I found this thread last night and had to read the whole thing through!! I ordered the book today and can't wait to read it. I also read Alan Carr's book and thought it was really good - but can't say it impacted me the way you are describing here so I am so excited to read KICK the DRINK! I loved the reviews and esp. the C-A-N-T.
THAT'S GREAT!

Good luck to everyone - I'll be watching your success!!

[crimsons]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

@UW, the meetup.com spa thing was a thinly veiled excuse for two ladies to sell their pyramid-scheme stuff. Southern California is a mecca for people trying to sell other pyramid-scheme people crunchy-granola s*** they don't need. At first I was annoyed, but it turned into a lovely evening.

One was an RN relexologist who sells Herbalife "fake food" products which were being hawked as having more protein than what you're eating normally. She handed out a chart of the protein drink v. various foods, and what I usually eat (egg whites, fish, chicken) daily has considerably more protein than this chemical stuff. Also I don't like sweets much, and it all consisted of powdered protein-drink mix and protein candy bars. I'm a big fan of real food. What really cracked me up was that she pitched herself as a diet expert who would tailor a diet plan for you and yet was quite zaftig.

The other one was selling a zillion-step beauty regimen, which also cracked me up as she had terrible acne, no makeup, and dressed like she'd just crawled out of a dumpster. She did have a great story -- the job allowed her to visit her stage-4-cancer mom in the midwest often. Of course around here, who knows what's true and what's not? ;-) She kept describing her products in BS terms, and kept using this gross analogy of cornflakes and grapes for your outer and inner layers of skin. I do what my Beverly Hills dermatologist says, and it's 100% inexpensive drugstore products -- Cetaphil cleanser and Oil of Olay Complete! Anyway, we still had two lovely hours of hand and foot massage, facials, lovely warm socks and neck cushions and a guided meditation. I came home and slept like a baby.

I don't know how populated or computer-savvy your area is, but you can always start your own meetup.com group. There are several around here just for ladies who take short walks, for people who cook dinners together, meditation groups that just use recorded guided mediation, hikes, anything.

The CBT guy didn't talk much about modding. His attitude was that if you learn CBT and pursue what you really want, you're simply not going to want AL. And I agree about the modding. Every forum I've seen on it seems filled with people spending a lot of energy on trying not to slip into old habits -- although I'm sure depending on the person, some are successful. But the idea is not that there is "addiction" or AL has some magical hold over you; but that when you're consciously choosing things you really want to do, AL would be at the bottom of the list and you'd never get to it. He has some good online videos; his name is Michael Highstead.

I'm squeezed into my new running tights, ready to go. How did I get so fat?! Oh yeah...

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Crimsons, I can see why you're about to launch a t.v. show - you are a talented writer (my entertainment for the day).

Thanks for the meetup info. I will keep that in mind. Right now I have a big project going at my house which will keep me busy for a while.

I am a fan of real food too and am glad you didn't buy into the fake food. Sounds like you had a nice time -- I'm sure you felt pressured to buy stuff, though. That's what I don't like about things like that - you don't have to buy but you feel compelled to buy.

Good girl on the running - I run too - love it (I call it active meditation)!

Keep up the good work and thanks for the information. Most of all, thanks for the entertaining stories. Really good stuff.