THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

[Frequent Traveler]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Have started to read and can't put it down, thank you again.
FT

[FreeFly]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Hi Unwasted,
Big "thanks" from me about the book. I had 2 AF days when I started here - then a little wobble (oops!). Day one for me again today but this time I feel much better prepared as I have Jason as my new companion (and not that bloody bottle of wine). Started reading last night - loving it.

Hi Daisy - I sooo resonate with you on the friends front. I've neglected so many in, as you say, the solitary pathetic lust for wine. No wonder I felt lonely at times! And fabuloso - 8 days and you didn't even realise it! Inspiring me

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

M3, thank you for posting on this thread. It's really heartening to hear from people like you with long-term sobriety saying that it gets better. I don't miss alcohol and am elated to feel this way. Knowing that what we're experiencing now will blossom even more feels amazing. I've fundamentally changed from feeling like I'm missing out when I don't drink to being joyous that I now don't want to drink. Such a difference. And when people like you remind us that it will only get better, that's just icing on the cake. So, thank you!

FT and CB - please keep checking in to let us know how it's going. I hope the book is life-changing for you both. I have a hard copy of the book that I refer to almost daily. He is a wise man who has a way of explaining things that just does it for me -- makes me see drinking in its true light. Some of his points are so simple and straightforward but right on. Like...........drinking is not normal. How simple is that? But for my whole adult life I thought it was the norm and that people who didn't drink were freaks. Absolute craziness that we could think along those lines -- like putting poison in your body is normal! Yikes. Our poor bodies just trying to be healthy - struggling to process and rid ourselves of ethanol (which would kill us if it didn't). I'm babbling, I know. Just so thankful he wrote this book.

Hope you all have a wonderful, healthy and meaningful day today!

Best to you.

[mama bear]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

I keep it hidden in my desk at work and read it during lunch for strength...

[timetochangeforme]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

I am also re-reading during the day. I am still getting the brainwashing creeping in at times, but I really like the expression "Trying not to drink is so different than not having to drink."

I don't have to drink anymore! Yay! I caught myself feeling happy standing out on my deck, where I would usually hide with my wine, a few times in the past couple of days, like, looking forward to things in the future without drinking rather than "getting through them" without drinking.

As far as what to say to people, I like unwasted's reasoning. I have had the same experience where I would wake up after drinking, and couldn't get back to sleep, worrying and tossing and turning. Now if I wake up, I can go back to sleep fairly easily even if I don't think I will at first. I want to research the effects of alcohol on sleep.

I think I will say that I started not drinking because of weight, trying to lose weight, but then like how I felt so much better that I decided I didn't like the way I felt when I was drinking.

[looking for peace]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Timetochange, I was going to use the exact same line... "I need to lose weight for an event" and after some time say "I like how I feel so much better not drinking that I decided to keep it up"

I have about 10 pages left and need advice desperately. It seems like many of you have had "lightbulb moments" earlier on in the book, in fact many stopped drinking by the middle of the book. I think that's why I am reading so slowly... I am so afraid that it won't work for me. I get every single point and agree completely, but the switch has not flipped for me yet. Should it? I am writing today because I intend to finish the book today. Should I have that final drink. Will that flip the switch? Am I overthinking this?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, from those of you who have "seen the light" as well as those of you who may be like me. Thanks, Peace

[lolab]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Hi LFP...in my case the book didn't "create" the lightbulb moment, it just solidified my OWN moment/decision.

I think we all have to flip our own switch based on what were learning from life in general, from this site, and from the book. Remember a few pages back Tipplerette said "we have to stop for a moment and acknowledge that we are at a place in our journey where we are open to hearing what he has to say".

If you truly believe what you've read and you're ready to live your life free of the feelings of needing to drink then I would say continue and flip your own switch! :-) I don't think it's something that just passively "happens"....if that makes any sense...

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Lolab, you're describing what happened with me too. I posted this early on - I had already decided to stop drinking (but of course I had done that before) and the book just cemented that resolve. But, really, if we're reading the book, aren't we ready? If someone was thinking of trying to moderate, they wouldn't be reading a book about quitting completely. Just a thought.

I like his analogy of the abusive relationship. Yes, we might feel wistful at times about a relationship being over. But if it was a bad one and we went back, we know it would be the same, that nothing would change. I was in one of those once so that comparison works for me.

LFP, I don't think there's one magic bullet. I really hope the book works for you but I guess in some sense the timing has to be right. Maybe if we're not ready what he's putting forth doesn't stick?? I'm not sure - can only speak to what it did for me. Fingers crossed.

I am still getting the brainwashing creeping in at times

- Time, that's why I refer to the book (like what Mama Bear is describing). I've read it twice.

[Peacefull]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

I just ordered the book, can't wait to start it.

[looking for peace]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Thank you lolab and Unwasted, You are right, I have to flip my own switch and make my own decision to stop. I do believe if you make the decision to stop completely, the book just makes is so much easier than white knuckling it. I am just so tired of playing the "I can control it" game. This book makes it clear that trying to control it is not possible. I feel like a toddler throwing a tantrum having her favorite toy taken away. It's ridiculous. I want to mentally say once and for all, take it, take this poison away from me! Even though I don't feel like a lightbulb went off, I still feel really good and hopeful... I really don't have the doom and gloom feeling that drinkers using the willpower method do. That's a good thing.

I went to a meeting today and a caterer was giving a presentation about his wine tasting and beer tasting parties and I was just imagining that he was talking about heroin tasting parties "would you like to try the tar heroin now, or can I top off your black heroin?" It really is the same thing. Just because it's normal to drink (90% of the population does it to some degree) doesn't mean it's natural. There was one time in the world that 99% of the population thought the world was flat.... they were wrong, even though they were in the majority. There's so much to this insiduous brainwashing!

I will finish the book tonite and go over notes that I have taken.

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

"would you like to try the tar heroin now, or can I top off your black heroin?"

Now, that's funny. :H

Good thinking LFP!

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Zen, I had read Carr and liked it - this is much better, though.

[Stompy]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Unwasted;1193254 wrote: Zen, I had read Carr and liked it - this is much better, though.

Just finishing the Allen Carr book. Am going to order the J Vale book.

[FreeFly]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Unwasted - you should definitely be on commission

[Unwasted]

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

No such luck there, CB, but it is rewarding helping other people even if it's just with the recommendation of a good book!