Tool box

[sanchez]

Tool box

As suggested by Byrdie - here is my post after receiving the highly coveted 30 day af hat!

One thing I would add to this post is to also try to stay as active as possible. Whether it be cleaning, exercising, cooking, reading, posting on MWO, giving your animals special attention such as a hiking/bathing/grooming, etc. just stay busy and active. Some of the more sedentary types of activities, at least for me, can trigger cravings, so be aware of what those are for you too.

Hope this helps!
************************************************** *********************

Byrdie - your Duck analogies are hilarious! Thank you for my hat - I will paddle around the pond today wearing it with honor!

As for tips and tricks - this site to me is invaluable:
MWO posts and the continual reminder and theme that runs through this site is that alcohol is in fact a POISON! The disease is progressive and deceiving - it seethes into our lives and eventually ruins just about everything if we can't control it. Recognizing we can't control is the first step. I wish I could moderate. To have ONE glass of cab with a great steak would be so nice. However, I know I cannot do it. Not one sip, not one whiff, nada!

The support and knowledge I've learned from this site is wonderful and helps me more than anything. I have not gone to any more AA meetings and I really don't get much support from hubby, so I truly depend on WMO. If I can't get to the site in the morning to read or post, it's the last thing I do before calling it a night.

Because I hit what I call Rock Bottom, my fear of returning to that spot keeps me sober. It was the most embarassing and most dangerous point in my life that could have truly been the end for me. If I reflect on that moment (using the 15 minute AllanK's idea), I can get through a craving.

I never want to say NEVER though because as soon as I do, you know what happens. So, no big proclamations to folks that I've quit drinking. Little by little people are finding out and some are shocked and others give me kudos. Both reactions keep me going - one for embarassment sake and the other for being proud of myself.

Thanks again for the hat! Off for a swim now! Hugs to all!

Hope everyone has a wonderful AF Friday!

[Unwasted]

Tool box

Rational Recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction, non AA, crank, meth

A FANTASTIC TOOL COMPLIMENTS OF 199, WHO IS COMING UP ON 2 YEARS SOBER,

[Unwasted]

Tool box

Rational Recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction, non AA, crank, meth

A FANTASTIC TOOL COMPLIMENTS OF 199, WHO IS COMING UP ON 2 YEARS SOBER,

[gambler]

Tool box

Requested tool

Hello all

I recieved a request to put this thread here.

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...-al-79800.html

:l

Dave

[gambler]

Tool box

Requested tool

Hello all

I recieved a request to put this thread here.

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...-al-79800.html

:l

Dave

[Byrdlady]

Tool box

What is a Plan?

What is a Plan?
I heard about this thing called a Plan, and I HAD plans, but I wouldn't call it a PLAN, as such....it was more of a HOPE. A GOAL, even. A PLAN sounded way too formal for this thing I was embarking on...after all, what if I failed? Hope is NOT a strategy. Get yourself a PLAN.

#1 Failure is not an option. When you think you are going to fail, guess what? You FAIL! Wrote this book on this one. Get your mind into a mode of THIS WILL BE DONE. Don't be willy-nilly, or your willy will get nillied. Your mind is your best friend and your biggest enemy. Control IT and you will win. Control your thoughts and you will win.

Get all of the AL out of your house/space. Yes...ALL of it. You don't need a safety net because you are not going to fail. I fought this one hard, but I wasn't able to succeed until I did it. No, I was NOT different than everybody else, I could not resist it if it was in the house. GET IT OUT.

Get your story down as to why you're not drinking. This is important. Get a story together you can live with. I actually have ulcerative colitis, so I say that my UC is 1000 times better if I don't drink. If you are a Type A personality, you might enjoy using 'AL kills my ulcers'. If you are a health nuts, "I'm detoxing"....religious nut? "I gave it up for Lent and felt so good I kept going".....you get the idea. Get your story and stick to it.

As Alkies, we aren't used to eating. This is the SILVER BULLET to succeeding. If you have a bad craving and The Voices are knocking, EAT! Eat until you are FULL! Remember those times when you've said, "I can't eat another bite of anything!" That's the full we're talking about. You will not want anything if you EAT!

You are gonna feel like dookey for a few days. I felt flu-like for the first couple weeks, so treat yourself well. Drink plenty of fluids and rest! Your body is changing over from an ethanol burning engine to a food/nutrient burning machine. Have patience as your body makes this transition.

Keep yourself out of temptation. STAY out of the wine aisle at the grocery store. NO, you are not stronger than this thing, protect your young quit with everything you've got. Stay out of bars and avoid booze parties, especially the first 3 or 4 weeks. I don't care how strong you feel, this is a new thing for us and temptation is everywhere. Avoid it at all costs.

Change your mindset from one of deprivation to one of gratitude. Just look at the folks on here who have made C-changes in their lives!!! They are HAPPY and optimistic! Does this sound like someone who considers themselves deprived? It's all a matter of perspective. Thank God, you don't HAVE to drink today!!! Remember, to a worm, digging around in the hard old ground is a lot more relaxing than going fishing! Try not to throw, attend and participate in Pity Parties, they serve no good purpose.

Glue yourself to this site and learn everything you can about this condition we have. Knowledge is power. Nothing we do or think hasn't been done or thought before, so look back on the 7 years of experience here and you will find out what happens if you do such and such.

Let go of the past... don't look back. Let it go. ALL of it. Forgive yourself and move on....nothing to see here. There is NOTHING we can do to change what we've done, but we can start today and make things better for our future.

Did I mention gluing yourself here? Read and Post!!! This is key! Being part of a group is important. Like so many have said recently, we find that we actually don't have a much of a life outside the bottle! So learning to trust others again is part of our emotional growth and healing. Yes, the Nest does move fast, but we are always on point. You just regained about 4-6 hours a day back, so spending 30 minutes catching up here should be no problem. Staying connected here is a real key to STAYING sober. The world out there is telling us to do something totally counter to what we know we must do. Staying connected with like-minded people is vital. We are swimming upstream on this one...it's nice to have fellow fish to make the journey with us.

I feared someone giving me a drink by mistake....if they ever do, I'm spitting it back in the glass. My quit is my foundation. No one can take it from me.

That's my take on The Plan. Byrdie

[Byrdlady]

Tool box

What is a Plan?

What is a Plan?
I heard about this thing called a Plan, and I HAD plans, but I wouldn't call it a PLAN, as such....it was more of a HOPE. A GOAL, even. A PLAN sounded way too formal for this thing I was embarking on...after all, what if I failed? Hope is NOT a strategy. Get yourself a PLAN.

#1 Failure is not an option. When you think you are going to fail, guess what? You FAIL! Wrote this book on this one. Get your mind into a mode of THIS WILL BE DONE. Don't be willy-nilly, or your willy will get nillied. Your mind is your best friend and your biggest enemy. Control IT and you will win. Control your thoughts and you will win.

Get all of the AL out of your house/space. Yes...ALL of it. You don't need a safety net because you are not going to fail. I fought this one hard, but I wasn't able to succeed until I did it. No, I was NOT different than everybody else, I could not resist it if it was in the house. GET IT OUT.

Get your story down as to why you're not drinking. This is important. Get a story together you can live with. I actually have ulcerative colitis, so I say that my UC is 1000 times better if I don't drink. If you are a Type A personality, you might enjoy using 'AL kills my ulcers'. If you are a health nuts, "I'm detoxing"....religious nut? "I gave it up for Lent and felt so good I kept going".....you get the idea. Get your story and stick to it.

As Alkies, we aren't used to eating. This is the SILVER BULLET to succeeding. If you have a bad craving and The Voices are knocking, EAT! Eat until you are FULL! Remember those times when you've said, "I can't eat another bite of anything!" That's the full we're talking about. You will not want anything if you EAT!

You are gonna feel like dookey for a few days. I felt flu-like for the first couple weeks, so treat yourself well. Drink plenty of fluids and rest! Your body is changing over from an ethanol burning engine to a food/nutrient burning machine. Have patience as your body makes this transition.

Keep yourself out of temptation. STAY out of the wine aisle at the grocery store. NO, you are not stronger than this thing, protect your young quit with everything you've got. Stay out of bars and avoid booze parties, especially the first 3 or 4 weeks. I don't care how strong you feel, this is a new thing for us and temptation is everywhere. Avoid it at all costs.

Change your mindset from one of deprivation to one of gratitude. Just look at the folks on here who have made C-changes in their lives!!! They are HAPPY and optimistic! Does this sound like someone who considers themselves deprived? It's all a matter of perspective. Thank God, you don't HAVE to drink today!!! Remember, to a worm, digging around in the hard old ground is a lot more relaxing than going fishing! Try not to throw, attend and participate in Pity Parties, they serve no good purpose.

Glue yourself to this site and learn everything you can about this condition we have. Knowledge is power. Nothing we do or think hasn't been done or thought before, so look back on the 7 years of experience here and you will find out what happens if you do such and such.

Let go of the past... don't look back. Let it go. ALL of it. Forgive yourself and move on....nothing to see here. There is NOTHING we can do to change what we've done, but we can start today and make things better for our future.

Did I mention gluing yourself here? Read and Post!!! This is key! Being part of a group is important. Like so many have said recently, we find that we actually don't have a much of a life outside the bottle! So learning to trust others again is part of our emotional growth and healing. Yes, the Nest does move fast, but we are always on point. You just regained about 4-6 hours a day back, so spending 30 minutes catching up here should be no problem. Staying connected here is a real key to STAYING sober. The world out there is telling us to do something totally counter to what we know we must do. Staying connected with like-minded people is vital. We are swimming upstream on this one...it's nice to have fellow fish to make the journey with us.

I feared someone giving me a drink by mistake....if they ever do, I'm spitting it back in the glass. My quit is my foundation. No one can take it from me.

That's my take on The Plan. Byrdie

[gambler]

Tool box

30 days AF

Hello WMO .. I was asked to put this here at Byrdies request.



Good hour to all Nesters ! I had the boys pleasantly unexpected today so Im late the the party. Lets kick it off

Quote:
Originally Posted by Byrdlady View Post
Gambler, on behalf of everyone in the Newbies' Nest, let me take this opportunity to present you with this major award!!

Thank you Byrdlady, Available, Little Beagle, Lavande, Sanchez, Samstone, Lifechange and all of the Nest as well !


Quote:
Originally Posted by available View Post
Big Congratulations on 30 days Gambler, feels good doesnt it when a whole month without AL is achievable and possible and feels bloody great!
I really didnt expect so much so fast Available .. In fact I thought it was going to take up to 90 days to really start getting the whole Sober clearheaded life. So yea it not only Feels great .. but its feeling Mighty F'in Great !

Quote:
Originally Posted by little beagle View Post
Dave congratulations on 30 days.!! Yeah you Have come a long way. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Little Beagle you little foxyhound you ! I find it amazing How much further I can go too. I will keep on Truckin' !

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lavande View Post
It's a bit late for me but U didn't want to miss saying CONGRATS Dave for 30 AF days.
Remember this great feeling, always protect your quit, not just for you but for your boys as well
OH hell Lavande.. I missed my Own 30 day date LOL ! Yea .. No that really would have hurt my feel bads if I didnt get at least a Boo out of You I have a Triple ply Trojan on my quit Lav..and the boys are always on the front lines. Thank you for their mention..it means alot to me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sanchez View Post
Congratulations Dave on one month af! So great to be clear headed and feeling in control isn't it? Now keep it going ya hear?
You know Sanchez..you Can be blunt with me. I prefer the "Keep it going or I will hunt you down and kick your Gamblin Ass out of that can Man !!" method lol. Seriously .. Im no pus..um wimp..yea .. verbal lightweight I am not. Feels good Sancho real good..

Quote:
Originally Posted by Samstone View Post
Well done there Dave. A big congrats!! Sam
What a ride its been Sam ! Thank you.

Quote:
Originally Posted by lifechange View Post
GAMBLER! Great going on 30 days Good Job. I'm just 2 days late-- I was thinking about you, though!
Saaweeet ! Thanks L.C. .. I just wanted a capitol "G" and you went for the big daddy Title ! Yeessss! I really wanted to ask just what you were thinking.. but can I please leave that to my own scruples .. pretty please . Oh and dont worry..my sex drive still stuck in reverse so...nothing like that..


Quote:
Originally Posted by Byrdlady View Post
Gosh, I can't believe it has been 30 days! You really made it look easy. Do you have any wise words for our NEW Newbie's? What worked, what didn't? Did you ever think in 100 years you'd be giving advice in a forum on how NOT to drink???? Life is funny that way. GREAT JOB! Keep it going and you will NEVER regret it! Hats off to the Gam Man!
Signed,
Gam Fans
Byrdie .. I just cant tell you all how much support I have gotten here .. So for everyone Im sure in hell gonna try *Deep Breath*

It really seems to me like its been longer than 30 days sober. First off I there was one major thing making my Quit a bit different than most of what I have seen in the forums. You see I had the withdraws of AL like anyone else however I was also deep in depression from the Withdraws of my two boys. So for the most part early in my sobriety I could not tell what was AL and what was my boys. Because I was told right from the start to use anything in my power to protect my sobriety no matter what the cost I decided to use my feelings from my separation as a Tool. Everytime there was a "feeling of anxiety" or nervousness I Chose to think it was because of my kids and not the quit and it worked for the majority of the time. So I was unfortunately fortunate in that regard to have such a strong emotion to counterweight for the initial AL Crapshoot. It was not an easy time but it made kicking AL to the curb more tolerable if you can understand.

To our newbies I would say that the first 5 days was an up/down time for me. I was not eating or sleeping at all. I drank lots of water and coffee and that was basically it. So be aware up front to possibly keep some favorite snack foods on hand just in case you have the same affect. Now Day 6 sucked hard. That was the day that I could not focus on Anything! I was an emotional roller coaster from who knows where. It was the hardest time in life that I have had in many years. At that point I had to reach out to a friend..Had too. It worked out that the support that I received got me through not only that day but I believe it to be a major turning point in my journey. So When and If you ever get to a point that you think you need to reach out Do IT. Dont even hesitate guys .. It could save you..

After day 6 at least for me was almost down hill. I was told that if I could make it through that miserable day from hell and reach 7 then things would change. It did. Boy did it. Sure there were times after that...but not as bad. Almost like a day up and then day down..up down up etc. I found after a while that the ups/downs start leveling off. Which is a good thing because the ups were way the heaven up there ( I mean like being on drugs that make you feel like superman/wonderwoman ) .. but the downs where hellishly down compared to my new found pie in the sky day before. Once my body started to equalize the body/brain chemistry then I started seeing things as they were. Then at that point it started to get real interesting..thats when the journey started to Form. So be patient and let your body do its thing and all you can do is just be strong and work with it.

If you really want to know what pulled me through not only the AF gig but my personal life as well..then it would have to be The Nest. Hell the MWO forums put my Quit on the calendar before I was even ready to quit drinking. At 2am I woke up Sept 10th and wanted to know "how to stop drinking". I was just looking for what I would be in for when I was ready to quit kinda thing. So there I lay in bed with my little phone reading and reading..pluggin in the charger and reading some more. I could not stop freaking reading..! At 11 in the morning I Signed up and made my first thread asking if I could just hang out. That was it for me..That was when I quit. Over the next 2 days I was on the forums constantly if I was not eating ( yea right ) or eating ( sure sure ) or taking a shower ( yes I like to keep clean lol ). Then I started posting .. then reading and posting and posting more and more. I think I saw that I was up to something like 20 posts a day average ! That was the Trick for me! Posting is the single most important thing I would suggest for any one new. Not the eating a lot or taking a walk or anything else its Posting and reading when you are not posting. That was my Main Tool in the beginning. I found that putting my thoughts and emotions on a media form helped me to untangle my anxiety or other problems that just sitting there couldn't resolve. Most times I would reach the end of my write up and feel completely fine. Like WTF what the problem again Dave ? It really does work my fellow peeps.

Another Biggie is to Go With The Flow. There is no way in hell I could have had a stringent mind set and remained AF. There were days were hour to hour the emotions changed. I had a tool box going and everything but I was still amazed at how many tools I needed. One tool would work great one day and be almost useless the next. So be versatile and flexible in basically every aspect in your life. It Could be changing hour to hour or day to day .. but it Will be changing so learn to live with what you have at the Moment and nothing else.

One set of advise given to me and I will repost it again and again is to Do Whatever It Takes !! As long as it does not affect anyone else personally then all bets are off. Its a no holds barred kinda deal. Hole yourself up like I did .. go to the thrift store and buy 5 bucks of 10 cent dishes just ready to crash..go buy some bunny rabbits and .. well I should probably leave that one out.. Always have in your mind ready to Call someone if you need it. Another one is to Promise to Post Here if you ever have a that "urge" that you know is going to be a bitch on your back. This place has absolutely NO judgement on you or anyone else. I have written some fairly crazy shit here and never got any kind of negative response. I have written some Very personal things and Never felt distanced from the Nesters ( well once I did but it was brought to my attention that I was cookoo loco crazy for thinking that so it turned out to be one of those "well .. uh ..never mind" moments ). This is a family away from family.. a home away from home if you choose it. I Know that I will never be alone Ever again when I need someone. Make this place a place for YOU. I have my twig perch over there next to the coffee and scones. Its quaint but perfect for me.

And of course .. Relax. You have to relax as much as possible. Smile..joke around and have fun. Laugh at yourself. Chill the fook out once and a while and Enjoy Your Ride while it lasts folks. If your journey is anything like mine then yea you might not want to remember them baddie bitch days but you might not want to forget about the Uber Blast fun days either.

I could go on and on but Im already reserving a whole page for my 60 day double stack Carmen Miranda hat..

OH and to the 100 year question .. no not in a 100 years I would have thought that. But giving someone my story after 30 days sure beats the hell out of waiting another 55 years

Ok.. I guess I should be done with my 30 day commencement speech but I would like to end this with thoughts of communion and friendship. My gratitude and sincere appreciation to you gals and guys would not find its way into words if I even attempted it. It is a great consolation knowing the extent and reach of your love and tenderness that there is no need to even try for it to be understood.

Thank You ~ Dave.

[gambler]

Tool box

30 days AF

Hello WMO .. I was asked to put this here at Byrdies request.



Good hour to all Nesters ! I had the boys pleasantly unexpected today so Im late the the party. Lets kick it off

Quote:
Originally Posted by Byrdlady View Post
Gambler, on behalf of everyone in the Newbies' Nest, let me take this opportunity to present you with this major award!!

Thank you Byrdlady, Available, Little Beagle, Lavande, Sanchez, Samstone, Lifechange and all of the Nest as well !


Quote:
Originally Posted by available View Post
Big Congratulations on 30 days Gambler, feels good doesnt it when a whole month without AL is achievable and possible and feels bloody great!
I really didnt expect so much so fast Available .. In fact I thought it was going to take up to 90 days to really start getting the whole Sober clearheaded life. So yea it not only Feels great .. but its feeling Mighty F'in Great !

Quote:
Originally Posted by little beagle View Post
Dave congratulations on 30 days.!! Yeah you Have come a long way. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Little Beagle you little foxyhound you ! I find it amazing How much further I can go too. I will keep on Truckin' !

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lavande View Post
It's a bit late for me but U didn't want to miss saying CONGRATS Dave for 30 AF days.
Remember this great feeling, always protect your quit, not just for you but for your boys as well
OH hell Lavande.. I missed my Own 30 day date LOL ! Yea .. No that really would have hurt my feel bads if I didnt get at least a Boo out of You I have a Triple ply Trojan on my quit Lav..and the boys are always on the front lines. Thank you for their mention..it means alot to me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sanchez View Post
Congratulations Dave on one month af! So great to be clear headed and feeling in control isn't it? Now keep it going ya hear?
You know Sanchez..you Can be blunt with me. I prefer the "Keep it going or I will hunt you down and kick your Gamblin Ass out of that can Man !!" method lol. Seriously .. Im no pus..um wimp..yea .. verbal lightweight I am not. Feels good Sancho real good..

Quote:
Originally Posted by Samstone View Post
Well done there Dave. A big congrats!! Sam
What a ride its been Sam ! Thank you.

Quote:
Originally Posted by lifechange View Post
GAMBLER! Great going on 30 days Good Job. I'm just 2 days late-- I was thinking about you, though!
Saaweeet ! Thanks L.C. .. I just wanted a capitol "G" and you went for the big daddy Title ! Yeessss! I really wanted to ask just what you were thinking.. but can I please leave that to my own scruples .. pretty please . Oh and dont worry..my sex drive still stuck in reverse so...nothing like that..


Quote:
Originally Posted by Byrdlady View Post
Gosh, I can't believe it has been 30 days! You really made it look easy. Do you have any wise words for our NEW Newbie's? What worked, what didn't? Did you ever think in 100 years you'd be giving advice in a forum on how NOT to drink???? Life is funny that way. GREAT JOB! Keep it going and you will NEVER regret it! Hats off to the Gam Man!
Signed,
Gam Fans
Byrdie .. I just cant tell you all how much support I have gotten here .. So for everyone Im sure in hell gonna try *Deep Breath*

It really seems to me like its been longer than 30 days sober. First off I there was one major thing making my Quit a bit different than most of what I have seen in the forums. You see I had the withdraws of AL like anyone else however I was also deep in depression from the Withdraws of my two boys. So for the most part early in my sobriety I could not tell what was AL and what was my boys. Because I was told right from the start to use anything in my power to protect my sobriety no matter what the cost I decided to use my feelings from my separation as a Tool. Everytime there was a "feeling of anxiety" or nervousness I Chose to think it was because of my kids and not the quit and it worked for the majority of the time. So I was unfortunately fortunate in that regard to have such a strong emotion to counterweight for the initial AL Crapshoot. It was not an easy time but it made kicking AL to the curb more tolerable if you can understand.

To our newbies I would say that the first 5 days was an up/down time for me. I was not eating or sleeping at all. I drank lots of water and coffee and that was basically it. So be aware up front to possibly keep some favorite snack foods on hand just in case you have the same affect. Now Day 6 sucked hard. That was the day that I could not focus on Anything! I was an emotional roller coaster from who knows where. It was the hardest time in life that I have had in many years. At that point I had to reach out to a friend..Had too. It worked out that the support that I received got me through not only that day but I believe it to be a major turning point in my journey. So When and If you ever get to a point that you think you need to reach out Do IT. Dont even hesitate guys .. It could save you..

After day 6 at least for me was almost down hill. I was told that if I could make it through that miserable day from hell and reach 7 then things would change. It did. Boy did it. Sure there were times after that...but not as bad. Almost like a day up and then day down..up down up etc. I found after a while that the ups/downs start leveling off. Which is a good thing because the ups were way the heaven up there ( I mean like being on drugs that make you feel like superman/wonderwoman ) .. but the downs where hellishly down compared to my new found pie in the sky day before. Once my body started to equalize the body/brain chemistry then I started seeing things as they were. Then at that point it started to get real interesting..thats when the journey started to Form. So be patient and let your body do its thing and all you can do is just be strong and work with it.

If you really want to know what pulled me through not only the AF gig but my personal life as well..then it would have to be The Nest. Hell the MWO forums put my Quit on the calendar before I was even ready to quit drinking. At 2am I woke up Sept 10th and wanted to know "how to stop drinking". I was just looking for what I would be in for when I was ready to quit kinda thing. So there I lay in bed with my little phone reading and reading..pluggin in the charger and reading some more. I could not stop freaking reading..! At 11 in the morning I Signed up and made my first thread asking if I could just hang out. That was it for me..That was when I quit. Over the next 2 days I was on the forums constantly if I was not eating ( yea right ) or eating ( sure sure ) or taking a shower ( yes I like to keep clean lol ). Then I started posting .. then reading and posting and posting more and more. I think I saw that I was up to something like 20 posts a day average ! That was the Trick for me! Posting is the single most important thing I would suggest for any one new. Not the eating a lot or taking a walk or anything else its Posting and reading when you are not posting. That was my Main Tool in the beginning. I found that putting my thoughts and emotions on a media form helped me to untangle my anxiety or other problems that just sitting there couldn't resolve. Most times I would reach the end of my write up and feel completely fine. Like WTF what the problem again Dave ? It really does work my fellow peeps.

Another Biggie is to Go With The Flow. There is no way in hell I could have had a stringent mind set and remained AF. There were days were hour to hour the emotions changed. I had a tool box going and everything but I was still amazed at how many tools I needed. One tool would work great one day and be almost useless the next. So be versatile and flexible in basically every aspect in your life. It Could be changing hour to hour or day to day .. but it Will be changing so learn to live with what you have at the Moment and nothing else.

One set of advise given to me and I will repost it again and again is to Do Whatever It Takes !! As long as it does not affect anyone else personally then all bets are off. Its a no holds barred kinda deal. Hole yourself up like I did .. go to the thrift store and buy 5 bucks of 10 cent dishes just ready to crash..go buy some bunny rabbits and .. well I should probably leave that one out.. Always have in your mind ready to Call someone if you need it. Another one is to Promise to Post Here if you ever have a that "urge" that you know is going to be a bitch on your back. This place has absolutely NO judgement on you or anyone else. I have written some fairly crazy shit here and never got any kind of negative response. I have written some Very personal things and Never felt distanced from the Nesters ( well once I did but it was brought to my attention that I was cookoo loco crazy for thinking that so it turned out to be one of those "well .. uh ..never mind" moments ). This is a family away from family.. a home away from home if you choose it. I Know that I will never be alone Ever again when I need someone. Make this place a place for YOU. I have my twig perch over there next to the coffee and scones. Its quaint but perfect for me.

And of course .. Relax. You have to relax as much as possible. Smile..joke around and have fun. Laugh at yourself. Chill the fook out once and a while and Enjoy Your Ride while it lasts folks. If your journey is anything like mine then yea you might not want to remember them baddie bitch days but you might not want to forget about the Uber Blast fun days either.

I could go on and on but Im already reserving a whole page for my 60 day double stack Carmen Miranda hat..

OH and to the 100 year question .. no not in a 100 years I would have thought that. But giving someone my story after 30 days sure beats the hell out of waiting another 55 years

Ok.. I guess I should be done with my 30 day commencement speech but I would like to end this with thoughts of communion and friendship. My gratitude and sincere appreciation to you gals and guys would not find its way into words if I even attempted it. It is a great consolation knowing the extent and reach of your love and tenderness that there is no need to even try for it to be understood.

Thank You ~ Dave.

[rooniferd]

Tool box

Adding spirtuality into the equation

Hi all - the wonderful folks in the Newbie's Nest asked me to repost my 30-day speech here. I hope it helps....

******************
Hi Nest buddies!

I just want to thank Byrdie and eveyone for the wonderful hat! As many of you know, this is not my first 30-day celebration. I have collected four hats to wear on different occasions now! Sometimes it takes falling off and getting back up many times before we finally get it - before we finally say enough is enough. I really hope and pray that I'm finally at this point.

31 days ago, I knelt down in my living room and had a long heart-to-heart talk with God and my mother (she passed away almost eight years ago). I asked forgiveness, and I also asked for a sign to show me how to stay sober - not stay sober in spurts, but FOR GOOD. I cried and prayed harder. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a terribly religious person, but I felt something that day.

The definition of insanity kept coming into my head. I am doing the same things over and over again and expecting the same results. I'm doing the same things over and over again and expecting to get sober.

That's it! I have to change my plan. It's not working!

So, I started pouring over my memories of all the posts and books I've read about getting sober. And then it hit me....

Spirituality. It's missing from my life. I'm missing that fundamental connection to nature. I'm so busy worried about work and school that I'm not taking the time to explore the beauty around me. Without spirituality, I've just been a shell of a person. And even worse, I've replaced it with drinking for many years.

I know that only time will tell, but I'm really hoping this is the missing piece. There might be other missing pieces (I imagine there are), but I think spirituality is a huge one. I've started going to the Universalist Unitarian church here (it's very liberal), and I'm making more time for walks and hikes. I am waking up with the sunrise and thanking God for another day of sobriety. I am spending more time with my dogs. I spent an amazing weekend in the mountains last weekend, and it was so good for my soul.

OK folks, enough rambling from me.....

My next goal is 48 days. That will be the longest I've been sober in my entire adult life!

[rooniferd]

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Adding spirtuality into the equation

Hi all - the wonderful folks in the Newbie's Nest asked me to repost my 30-day speech here. I hope it helps....

******************
Hi Nest buddies!

I just want to thank Byrdie and eveyone for the wonderful hat! As many of you know, this is not my first 30-day celebration. I have collected four hats to wear on different occasions now! Sometimes it takes falling off and getting back up many times before we finally get it - before we finally say enough is enough. I really hope and pray that I'm finally at this point.

31 days ago, I knelt down in my living room and had a long heart-to-heart talk with God and my mother (she passed away almost eight years ago). I asked forgiveness, and I also asked for a sign to show me how to stay sober - not stay sober in spurts, but FOR GOOD. I cried and prayed harder. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a terribly religious person, but I felt something that day.

The definition of insanity kept coming into my head. I am doing the same things over and over again and expecting the same results. I'm doing the same things over and over again and expecting to get sober.

That's it! I have to change my plan. It's not working!

So, I started pouring over my memories of all the posts and books I've read about getting sober. And then it hit me....

Spirituality. It's missing from my life. I'm missing that fundamental connection to nature. I'm so busy worried about work and school that I'm not taking the time to explore the beauty around me. Without spirituality, I've just been a shell of a person. And even worse, I've replaced it with drinking for many years.

I know that only time will tell, but I'm really hoping this is the missing piece. There might be other missing pieces (I imagine there are), but I think spirituality is a huge one. I've started going to the Universalist Unitarian church here (it's very liberal), and I'm making more time for walks and hikes. I am waking up with the sunrise and thanking God for another day of sobriety. I am spending more time with my dogs. I spent an amazing weekend in the mountains last weekend, and it was so good for my soul.

OK folks, enough rambling from me.....

My next goal is 48 days. That will be the longest I've been sober in my entire adult life!

[Sunbeam]

Tool box

Some people drink to reduce anxiety. Here's a helpful link: 3 Tips to Lower Anxiety | Higher Mind Health

I like Bella, the person at Higher Mind Health. I follow her on Facebook.

[Sunbeam]

Tool box

Some people drink to reduce anxiety. Here's a helpful link: 3 Tips to Lower Anxiety | Higher Mind Health

I like Bella, the person at Higher Mind Health. I follow her on Facebook.

[Kairos]

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It's probably a question that's been asked a thousand times but does anyone else have difficulty with their sleep pattern when they give up? I'm, only day 11 and find that I can usually get off to sleep without much bother but I am waking up at 4:30 and 5 am. This doesn't give me a head start on energy the next day. The energy is not such a problem but I find sleep loss affects my mood which in turn affects my resolve to stay stopped. Any suggestions anyone?
Kairos

[Kairos]

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It's probably a question that's been asked a thousand times but does anyone else have difficulty with their sleep pattern when they give up? I'm, only day 11 and find that I can usually get off to sleep without much bother but I am waking up at 4:30 and 5 am. This doesn't give me a head start on energy the next day. The energy is not such a problem but I find sleep loss affects my mood which in turn affects my resolve to stay stopped. Any suggestions anyone?
Kairos