Anyone in the First Week of Their Unpteenth Quit?

[Lizann]

Ginger, what needed to hear today. Thank you. Do you still think about drinking?
MinStar wish my son would cuddle with me. He's 21, he did come food shopping with me today. Right now we are watching jeopardy together. Loving our newly redone family room. A lot of changes going on around our house.
Have a good night. Thanks for being here and helping me!

[Chief]

Hi All, just checking in. Watched the game last night and got to bed around 11:00 and then had to get up at 4:00 to get ready for work so it's going to be an early night tonight.

I'm glad to see everyone working through the cravings and thinking about your thinking. One of the things I've noticed is you have to get to the point where you are no longer fighting it or internally debating whether to drink or not or whether you're strong enough to make it through the craving. At some point that has to stop. At some point you have to own your quit and then it becomes much easier because when the thought of drinking comes into your mind you immediately dismiss it as nonsense and not even an option. Ginger is very good at this. I can't tell you exactly when it happened with me, but it did. I hope that makes sense and at least gives you something to think about....

Have a great evening everyone, and enjoy your AFness......

I'm off to my nest....


Don

[Ginger999]

Lizann, I have a very rare thought of a glass of wine but it is fleeting. I remember in my early days of my quit long-timers would say it would get easier the more days you rack up. I remember thinking it would never get easy but it does! The more days you rack up the easier it gets. I promise!! Stay close and see for yourself!

[Lizann]

Thanks ginger, I have good days and bad days. Today happens to be a good day. Wish I didn't have to think about it all the time, it's exhausting.

[open halo]

Lizann, I am right where you are more than not, thanks for the posts Chief and Ginger, after two months I still struggle with fighting against having a drink. I hate to use that word but I do feel it is a battle against AL, however right now it is one I am determined not to lose. Although I know it can't feel like a fight or a battle for too long. I hope to transition to the state where Chief and Ginger are, I just don't know right now when that is going to happen for me. But we are here, and we are present and we are protecting our QUIT! Still feeling crappy, going to bed once again before 8pm... Wishing everyone well!!

[Lizann]

Yes open halo, I will go to bed by nine. I feel safe in my bed, so if that's what it takes, so be it. Sweet dreams!

[abcowboy]

Howdy everyone! Tuesday evening, chicken and spuds in the oven, turnips boiling, gravy ready to turn on to heat up. I love to eat lol.

Liz and halo, Bubba, Hank, and I are usually in bed around 8:30, 9 at the latest, every night. We both like to read, so we'll spend a 1/2 - 1 hour reading, then lights out. But we are morning people, usually up at 5:30, get Hank's "morning business" attended to, his breakfast c/w daily banana, then a rawhide chewbone. We sit and enjoy coffee, both reading on our IPads, discussing with each other what we are reading. I love our morning ritual!

Normally, tonight would be my weekly AA meeting, but since I started with private counselling, I no longer attend. Bubba still goes to her Al-Anon, leaving Hank and I for a bit of "boy" time together. To be perfectly honest, I don't miss AA. Maybe I wasn't giving it my all, didn't look for a sponsor to help me with the steps, did them on my own. Our group is a small group, 10 - 12, and it got depressing after a while. I attended weekly for over a year, it really helped to stop my daily one or two beer, but didn't seem to help my binging every so often. After hearing the same stories and complaints over and over again, I wondered if people ever did recover! Things are much better for me now, dealing one on one with a counsellor. I "feel" better, about myself and how to cope day by day. I wish I could share that feeling with all of you!

As Ginger and Don said, it does take time, wishing it didn't take as long sometimes, but such is life. We need to learn to get through the bad times as easy as we savour the good times, but I believe them, that day will come for all of us eventually.

I too am suffering through a cold, along with a nasty cough, can't seem to shake either of them. But it will pass, eventually. And remember, when you start to struggle, get on the phone or MWO, talk about your day, week, the weather, whatever.... just don't keep thinking about your struggle...give your brain the 7 minutes it need to get back on balance. Have a great evening everyone!

[MinStar]

Morning. Sorry MiA yesterday. The days are running away with me.

Some lovely posts. I'm just feeding then off to docs. Wee one has his immunisations. 😓

Still strong on quit. Yesterday wasn't as bad for me. I had dinner ready to go after picking daughter up so wasn't in a tize. Lunch with a fellow friend who is expecting her second anytime soon. It was nice to have an adult conversation and I made lunch in calm and peace. Rather than rushing as I always seem to be.

Also managed a spot of internet shopping for myself. Went on to get stuff for daughter and ended up shopping for myself. Ha ha ha. Haven't done that in years.

My first baby turns 4 this weekend. Off to collect Her birthday cupcakes and then my shopping! Busy day ahead.

I agree with previous posts from Ginger and Cowboy. Having had over a year quits and two pregnancies in the last 5 yr I've spent a lot of mini quits inbetween- it does get easier. During my biggest quit I rememeber telling/ thinking how poisoning AL is and how relieved I was it no longer controlled me. My initial fear was so big for when I want to social events I was sure if fail. One or two events AF behind me and I realised it was a doddle. It's all in our heads. No one else is looking at us saying- why are they not drinking. We may have an odd comment but as long as you had a reply it was fine. I even hated the taste of it!

Unfortunately my quits lapsed when I became complacent thinking I had cracked it and a drink here or there would be ok. BAM the devil got me. I kept thinking oh it's ok I've quit before I can do it again.... I just have to be ready. It then took another year and to get pregnant before I stopped long term.

Anyway. This "quick" check in has digressed. Off to shower and prepare for the day.

Sorry I've not managed personal replies. But congrats to all for keeping strong. Every day is one day closer to forever.

Stay strong folks. And thank you for being here ❤️❤️

[abcowboy]

Morning everyone, just a quick check-in this morning to share a thought with you.... A while back at an AA meeting, one of the guys got his 9 month coin, an old timer went on to explain that it takes 9 months to develop a new life in the beginning, and after 9 months of sobriety, you have developed yet another new life, things have hit the point of being much easier... Ginger and Don are showing us the way, but today

Ginger on your 9 month milestone!

[Ginger999]

Awwww thanks, ABC! I'm so glad I'm here with all of you on this thread. I wouldn't have 9 monrhs without all of you and mwo.

Stay close and stay strong!

[BeachGirly]

Ya Ginger - I am so happy for you!!!!

( and so happy I have met you ��)

[SoberSoul]

Ginger, my hero, my inspiration ! Congratulations!! Nine months!! Fantastic work and you make it look so easy.
Nine months is as long as it takes for an embryo to turn into a beautiful bouncing baby and you've carried this abstinence right to full term. Don't know why I thought of that analogy but it works for me.

Somewhere in the mid-twenties in days sober now and finding it easier and easier so I have to be vigilant.

Bedtimes: I used to stay up til 11 but since I've been meditating in the a.m.'s and am up at 5:45, I have to hit the sack before ten and I love this ritual.

I wish I could add some more good habits to my day but it's not working out. As long as I'm sober everything will happen in it's own good time.

A shout out to all you faithful posters!! Happy to see you all here.

[crockettaa]

Me too, umpteenth time, wine drinker, in my 50's. Probably drink too much 2-3 times a week. The other days I abstain. Good for you SoberSoul, almost a month! I would love to do a month! I see you're meditating, any other advice? From you or anyone would be appreciated. I have been taking Glutamine but don't think it's working, I might not be taking enough. I live with my husband who is a big weekend drinker and my 18 year old son who doesn't drink. He took my wine glass away from me last night. Pretty humiliating!

I do like to exercise and in the past that has helped me, knowing I wanted to go for a long walk the next morning. I hate being hungover and not being able to do the things I had planned!

[Ginger999]

Welcome Crockettaa, we are happy you found our thread. Thanks to Sobersoul for starting it! First thing you need to do is make a plan for when a craving hits. Go to the toolbox(the link is in my signature below) and find some things that would work for you in a craving situation. Also try and identify your triggers and have a plan for them too. Early in my quit we went on a lot of camping trips that equal drinking too much around the old campfire. I had a plan and started my thread called "Into the Abyss". It gave me a place to post what I was feeling about the triggers and get personal support. Make sure to go shopping and get some sparkling water or whatever else non AL that you enjoy to have instead of wine. Buy yourself a treat to have at night. I always drank so didn't want any desert. Now I enjoy a dish of coconut milk ice cream and love it! Most importantly, stay close and read, post, read as much as you can. I'm convinced quitting AL was the hardest thing I've ever done but without a doubt the best gift I've ever given myself. Join us and enjoy!

[Lizann]

Ginger, congratulations! I appreciate so much the support and advice you give here. You have helped me personally so much.
SS thanks so much for starting this thread. Let's keep up the good work