Enjoying the simple life

[Sake123]

Someone was joking with me the other day that I was keeping track of how many days sober I have. But when you've been doing something one way for many many years, a change this significant is worth counting. However, it made me start thinking. Is this a permanent change for me? I certainly hope so! But if it is, why am I counting days? Why not just take the approach that this chapter of my life is over and a new one has begun? I guess I lack the confidence to know without a shadow of a doubt that I have had my last drink. I think it's easier to take this one day at a time.

What does this have to do with enjoying the simple life? Everything! Each day I get up...I mess around on facebook, email, this forum etc. Then I do whatever tasks necessary. I go to my daughters swim lessons, staff meetings etc. But what's different is I'm not in a hurry for my "day" to be done. Before it was always about getting through all this stuff so I could stop running and start drinking. Now, I just do what's in front of me. This last weekend my husband and I went to a haunted house/zombie paintball thing. We went out to dinner and stayed up until 3am watching scary movies. While this might be silly...I enjoyed myself. Am I missing drinking? No...not really. Not at all!!

What I am enjoying far outweighs any fantasy or romantic thoughts about alcohol. I am having more fun now and doing things that I haven't done in years. Which doesn't take much considering my life before was just sitting on my butt drinking.

Anyway - my point is this, enjoy each and every day. No matter how exciting or boring it may be. We got through it sober, and that is something to celebrate!!

[Softy]

Enjoying the simple life

You and me really are thinking the same. Will it be forever that we have quit? Who knows, but just take one day at a time and think gratefully that you are free from the worry that drink brought about whether you were drinking too much, whether you could get out of bed and make it to work with a hangover, whether you could get pissed on the sly whilst your partner thought you were enjoying a little social tipple. All that pressure is gone and it is replaced with feelings of self worth, pride and achievement. One drink and all that positive stuff goes out the window and back comes the self loathing and despair.

Stick by me and I'll stick by you (isn't that a song?)

Keep On Keeping On!!! :-)

[Sake123]

Enjoying the simple life

Softy! you hit it on the head!

[Tom321]

Enjoying the simple life

I love this post. Well said, all of it. No longer having to rush to drink has been a huge relief for me. You can actually live life instead of just killing time between drinking sessions.

[Wine-no!]

Enjoying the simple life

Rushing through to drink... Never thought of that but I used to do that too! Especially when I knew I had to drive home at 7pm from a kids swimming lesson (2 hours after my usual kick off!).

With regards to counting. I think I will count until 100 days and then will stop.

[Sake123]

Enjoying the simple life

Tom & Wine-no - Yes...we get to take our time now. Something I'm very much enjoying.

[Guitarista]

Enjoying the simple life

Right on Sake. :h

[MossRose]

Enjoying the simple life

Sake - I am another one who used to rush through my life so I could get home and have a drink or ten. I missed so many precious moments that I can never get back. It's so sad.

But what really struck me about your post was talking about counting the number of sober days. For some reason, I have resisted doing that from the very beginning. I just haven't talked about it publicly. I can't decide if it's because I'm afraid that it's not forever or as you so eloquently put it, "that chapter of my life is over and a new one has begun." I stopped smoking recently, and I haven't counted those days either. I just know that I no longer smoke and I'm good with that. I know how strange this must sound. But one thing is for sure, I can tell you how many times I have drank since committing to getting sober. That's a number I do keep track of. I know, it's a weird way to think. And perhaps not a safe one.

Thanks for the good post. Glad you are doing so well.

[MossRose]

Enjoying the simple life

Sake, great post. I too used to rush through my life to get home so I could drink. How sad. I missed so many precious moments that I can't ever get back again. But that's in the rearview now and I'm trying to live a much more' mindful life now. I thought your comments about counting days to be profound. I can't tell you how many days I haven't drank, but I sure can tell you how many times I have fallen doen since commited to getting sober. Not sure If that makes any sense.. thanks for a great post.

[Sake123]

Enjoying the simple life

Guitarista - Thanks! Rose - Congrats on quitting smoking. That is amazing!!

[NoraC]

Enjoying the simple life

Sake - love this thread. Thank you for sharing. :h:h

[myhappyplace]

Enjoying the simple life

Sake, what a lovely thread. I'm not one for counting either and the days have flown. I still find it amazing how filling our days with good things crowds out the bad.

Its probably a lesson we can take across the boards at the moment, more positive threads like this please.

[Sake123]

Enjoying the simple life

Nora - Thanks! I'm just happy to be in this place right now. Happyplace - You're so right...I like that "filling our days with good thing!"

[DreamThinkDo]

Enjoying the simple life

Sake, thanks so much for this thread. It's an overcast and foggy day out here, and somehow it feels as if the clouds are a blanket of serenity. I want to do simple, small, wholesome things today: pick the sweet peas from my garden for the house, cook a big pot of soup, listen to music.

Softy;1575184 wrote: All that pressure is gone and it is replaced with feelings of self worth, pride and achievement.

Softy - so, so true.

[Queenbug]

Enjoying the simple life

This is a lovely thread...thank you...:thanks: