Newbies Nest

[lifechange]

Newbies Nest

i know this is a really dumb question--but i'm not very good with anything tech-like.
how do you all write your goals down below??
i thought it was "editing signature" but that didn't seem to work.

[LillyE]

Newbies Nest

And welcome Ellen - tell us more about you :welcome: You'll find lots of good support here.

[lifechange]

Newbies Nest

hey it's there!!
just took a few minutes.
yay!!!!

[LillyE]

Newbies Nest

You got it right Lifechange! It is in the 'edit signature' ? Did you hit upload once you changed your text in the white box?

[Ellen_h]

Newbies Nest

I just thought of a way to be happier, healthier, richer, slimmer, wittier and a better Mum. - Stop Drinking! So why is it so hard?

[lifechange]

Newbies Nest

i'm with you LillyE-- i think focussing on a "small" (actually seems big, but in relation to 30 million old fossils!!) goal is good. i am trying to trick my brain at this point into seeing this as a huge challenge-- not allowing myself to worry about the future. i just want the opportunity to let myself feel what it's like to be in what must be a very different state of mind. i'm trusting that when i reach that point i'll be stronger in my resolve.

[lifechange]

Newbies Nest

it is hard, Ellen-- do you know how to go back a few pages in the nest? to read some of the posts from Byrdlady, lolab, lavande etc? and can you get to the toolbox? could someone post the link?
could you tell us a little more about yourself and your situation?

[MWOLady]

Newbies Nest

Hi Ellen_h, I'm new too. Today is my Day 3 and I feel pretty good about that. And Boot Camp (30 days) sounds pretty daunting but it's really a one-day-at-a-time for 30 days camp, and that's certainly not as bad!!

Don't know anything about you so hard to make suggestions but keep busy would be a general one. I find if I let myself get lonely (which I am, terribly) I get resentful. Also try to stay away from others who drink. Hard for me as my DH drinks every day and has no intention of stopping just to help me!

Don't let yourself get hungry, or thirsty or too tired. Check out the Tool Box here. Others can direct you to where it is. Please stick around and comment/post often so we can get to know a new friend!!!

[Ellen_h]

Newbies Nest

Wow! Thanks MWOlady and lifechange! How awesome to actually talk to someone (albeit in a virtual way!) Having never admitted to anyone that the old drinking was getting to be a problem it feels really good to come clean. Sick of fooling myself and others. Desperate to make a change. Starting to feel that maybe I can.

[teezah]

Newbies Nest

I'm In!!

Well I've two weeks under my belt so I'm ready to commit to 30 days!!

Are we picking a start date?

[lifechange]

Newbies Nest

hi Ellen! you definately can do it. i saw that you have hungover as a mood-- i don't know your story, but in my case, getting past that first hungover day without giving into another drink is a great start! i think reading through as many posts as possible and making a plan for the next days can be really helpful.
i'm glad you're here!
Teez, i think each person is making their own start date.--you're either already 2 weeks into it (AWESOME!) or are starting today with 30 days? quite a few have the 18th as the first day and some on each day after that.
soo cool you're joining in--
i feel such strength here--

[Fin]

Newbies Nest

Ellen, I am exactly like you...no one knew...at least I think. I've never admitted anything around AL. Anyway, with the aid of the group I just accomplished something I'm very proud of - went to a big potluck / bluegrass jam yesterday and late into Sat night. Whiskey was flowing, a keg of fine micro brew was flowing, the music was ripping and the bottle passed me multiple times. Was I tempted? Oh yea and being a beer drinker, I even gave myself permission to hit the whiskey, but then remembered a simple method posted by another member of this site that was to say to ones self, "I don't drink". It worked.

Anyway, I've really never done this before...made it though an entire party w/o a whisper of AL. I can't tell you how great it feels, so jump on with us newbies and let's all keep plowing ahead day by day.

Thanks all,
Fin

[LibraryGirl]

Newbies Nest

Good Morning! So nice to see everyone back in the Nest.

Great Jobs Whisper and Fin!!!! Pat yourselves on the back for me!!:goodjob: I believe the two of you are stronger than I am. I still haven't been around drinking in 42 days, because I don't trust myself. I do believe, however, that if you continue to do the same thing, i.e. go to pubs/drinking parties, it's more likely you will eventually give in. Time to find other activities to replace your "old" drinking life, IMHO.

Welcome back Rooni!! You sound so much like me, hun. At heart I am an introvert, and when I craved human interaction, nighttime socializing was always so much easier with a cocktail of some sort. And so much more fun, lol. I too would sometimes just go to bars alone when I was desperate to talk to someone, after I separated from my husband. I met a lot of interesting people that way too. However, I would not have had the courage without the beer or wine. This is something we have to work through, all of us, and believe that we CAN do things differently in the future AF. For now, focus on being AF, and give yourself a break. You will meet people when the time is right, and they will be people who are not always centered around AL.:l

:welcome: Ellen! I look forward to seeing more of you. Take the advice some have given you already and visit the tool box on this site. It's at the top of the Monthly Abstinence section. Also read around the site for pointers, and to see that you are definitely not alone. We're in this boat together!

Lily, good to see your cheery face! Nicelife and others I missed, (((hugs)))!!!

LG

[Fin]

Newbies Nest

WhispertoaScream;1339914 wrote: Good morning all = I MADE IT!!!!

La la la!!!

The evening started out with dinner at a friends. I told everyone I was on a cleanse, made a big deal about my pill organizer being too damn small for all my supplements (I took an extra Glutamine and Kudzu with dinner) and they really didn't care. I drank an entire bottle of sparkling water with dinner and felt FULL. I noticed that none of them drank any booze with dinner - not even the Italian sparkling wine that was brought over. Normally I would have brought at least 1 bottle of wine and would have kept it flowing the entire time. Instead I kept my sparkling water over flowing! When I'm new in social situations, I need something physical to do and I think drinking has played a role in keeping my hands busy. What I discovered tonight is that I can still keep my hands busy but with a non-alcoholic drink.

The first bar charged me $2 for a club soda (LAME!) and I kept smelling everyone's drinks and I took a taste (not even a full sip) of some awful cocktail with ginger beer and St. Germaine (how I

[Fin]

Newbies Nest

lifechange;1339527 wrote: good going on friday night, Fin.
i've read all your posts the past few days and am sending mighty waves of strength and determination your way. sounds like you have a lot already!!!

Thank you. I am feeling strong at the moment. The true test is keeping it going, so kudos like this that we can share with each other definitely help. Thank you, thank you!