Newbies Nest

[Dottie Belle]

Newbies Nest

11:45pm..I survived day/night 1 again...off to bed and looking forward to having a clear head tomorrow.
Found lots of fun things to watch on YouTube so that was a good distraction...
Dottie

[daisy45]

Newbies Nest

Happy to report in on day 6. Will have to get rid of that poxy bottle of wine I bought last night. As much as I shouldn't have bought it, I am proud that when I got home I thought it through and made the right move. I am so grateful today that I did not drink - how sad and pissed off would I have been to be on day 1 again.
The added bonus is getting over a weekend - yay! Gonna get my ass in gear and ring my sister to go for a nice long walk.

[DimensionDrifter]

Newbies Nest

DAY 6 - Rising Force!

I can feel the force growing stronger, and all systems are stabilizing! I would estimate progress at 75%.. I owe this to the fact that I take good liver cleansers and eat good salads with lean meat and work out.. Managed to do push-ups today! I can't emphasize enough how important it is to eat proper and move your a**! I would be in bed another week if not for that! I'm sure!

[Kairos]

Newbies Nest

Hi Guys,
May the force of Good Health be with you all! I agree Dimension drifter. We are built to move not to sit on our behinds.
I am so proud of myself today - real pride as opposed to feeling smug. I could so easily have caved yesterday but somehow didn't. I invited my sister and husband and son and hs wife for Sunday dinner and so was very busy all day cooking and preparing. They brought (what was previously) my favourite wine and everyone except me and my pregnant daughter in law, had quite a lot to drink. Though I felt the pressure it wasn't enough to make me forfeit all my hard work and sobriety for a few hours of altered brain chemistry! I really believe I might be getting somewhere with this sobriety thing! And what's more the dinner was highly complimented (and better than usual) probably due to receiving my sober attention!
It's all good.

Kairos X

[thelaststraw]

Newbies Nest

Good Morning and YEAH for DAISY, DIMENSION, AND KAIROS!!!!!!

Gotta love that progress.
-S-

[Elliesmom]

Newbies Nest

Good morning nesters - another weekend down. I'm at Day 17 and have been tempted a few times, but this weekend was the hardest so far. I've been taking the supplements religiously (Kuzdu, GABA, L-Glut, Calms Forte, etc) and I know they've made a huge difference in minimizing cravings since I stopeed. I've had a few psychological cravings, but not that desert-like thirst, until this weekend.

I work at a college and was on deck Saturday night chaperoning a dance, and the shift doesn't even begin until 10:30 p.m. One of my tools has been going to bed really early, because my routine involved drinking the most after my husband and kids went to bed. And then having a few bumps following my coffee in the a.m. to control the shakes. My routine also would have ordinarly involved drinking before the dance, sneaking a water bottle into the dance with AL in it (lots of the college kids are all drunk, so nobody would notice a smell on me) getting home at 1:00 and staying up until 3:00 drinking more. I had psycho. cravings before I left, just from habit. I did okay until I got home at 1:00, was wide awake and the only one up. And it hit me like a truck - that physical craving for a drink. I didn't do it, but mainly because we didn't have any in the house, and where I live you can't buy it on Sundays, and you can't buy it in grocery stores or gas stations. My husband doesn't drink much at all, so I'd thrown all the booze out so that helped a lot. I'd like to think I wouldn't have had a drink even if my liqour cabinet was fully stocked, or if I could have bought it. but I'm not sure. Which goes to show how important it is to get the AL out of your home. I took a few more calms forte, had a big glass of milk and went to bed. The end. Except for the part when I woke up Sunday morning just totally relieved and happy and still sober and AL-free.

At dinner last night, my husband ordered a glass of wine. Then he ordered a second but didn't finish it (I still don't get how people can leave AL on the table unfinished!) and offered it ot me. He doesn't know I've stopped yet, as our paths dont cross much in the evenings. But unlike Saturday night, "No thanks" came out really easy and I didn't have to think about it.

I've gotta thank whoever posted about the "kindling" effect awhile back (Kuna or Byrd?) as that's been a huge motivator for me, along with all the amazing advice, encouragement, etc. For those who've stumbled, get back on the horse and start over and get the AL the hell out of your homes. That might be easier said than done for me because my spouse hardly drinks at all, so I have an advantage over others I guess in purging it. But I might have been back here at Day 1 or not at all if we'd had any booze Saturday night at home.

With that, Happy Monday to all and stay strong!

Elliesmom
Day 17

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good morning Nesters

It's sunny & chilly this morning, good start to the week!

Good job Elliesmom & Kairos - you are both flexing thos AF muscles - feels great, I know!

I have lots to do today so I'll just wish everyone a terrific AF Monday!
Lav

[lolab]

Newbies Nest

Elliesmom, you did a fantastic job. You've taken the right steps to succeed - getting it out of the house - don't feel dejected that you may have caved if it was there...it's still early in the game, and you're doing what you have to do. It will get easier and you will get stronger. :-) This weekend was huge for you in terms of building your strength to stay alcohol free. :-)

I'm throwing in my two cents - I've said it before that if I had jumped in and started working out - eating perfect - and living the clean life - right in the beginning? I would have crashed and burned. For me, it all had to come in small steps, and right in the beginning, I had to spend lots of time resting and quietly reflecting. For some people the complete 180 turn around does the trick. They stop dead in their tracks, change their life and never look back. For me, I would have gone into a tailspin - gotten overwhelmed and probably gone back to drinking. So write your own story. Do what works for you. And by all means, if something isn't working, don't keep doing it. :-)

[Slaythefear]

Newbies Nest

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE! I climbed out of bed this morning, made my coffee, and let my Chinchilla out of his cage to play. This song popped into my head and I started singing and humming it as I made my way into a new day.

It's a Beautiful Day; don't let it get away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBfqABtOoxI[/video]]U2-Beautiful Day Lyrics - YouTube

The heart is a bloom
Shoots up through the stony ground
There's no room
No space to rent in this town

You're out of luck
And the reason that you had to care
The traffic is stuck
And you're not moving anywhere

You thought you'd found a friend
To take you out of this place
Someone you could lend a hand
In return for grace

It's a beautiful day
Sky falls, you feel like
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away

You're on the road
But you've got no destination
You're in the mud
In the maze of her imagination

You're lovin' this town
Even if that doesn't ring true
You've been all over
And it's been all over you

It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Teach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out

It was a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Reach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case

What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now
Don't need it now
Was a beautiful day

Carpe Diem
(Seize The Day)

I'm almost to my first mile marker, day 30. It's a beautiful day; don't let it get away!

[Hippyman]

Newbies Nest

Happy Monday Nesters! I LOVE MONDAY'S It's another brand new start to another brand new week! I still have a kinda after glow from all the romance of Valentine's day. I am a hopeless romantic but no longer a hopeless drunk. THANK GOD! The red roses fading away, make me sad. I think I shall dry them and make a potpourri. I want to preserve the memories of my healing journey. Try to wear a smile today. People are fragile. :h Do you best to be a kind person...always! Kindness costs nothing but is priceless!!! :l

[DimensionDrifter]

Newbies Nest

"Kindness costs nothing but is priceless" Your a true hippie! And a real man! Great words! Also Slay U2 rocks! Defiantly one of the most (positive) bands out there now! It's always a Beautiful Day when you can charge 300 euro a ticket (and get it) But it's a beautiful day for (you) because you have your health and mind back! Health is TRUE wealth!! And Elliesmom start to carry a (bug out bag) with you.. NO not the same kind survivalist use! The kind Drunks USE!
(This is my own idea) And I started to do it 7 years ago.. I always keep a little bag of melatonin some over the counter painkillers and liver cleaners etc. with me at all times.. If your alone in the middle of the night and that CRAVING starts! KNOCK YOURSELF OUT! Open the bug out bag and pop the pills and eat some good lean meat to break it down.. And your off to Dream World!

[Hippyman]

Newbies Nest

DimensionDrifter;1464937 wrote: "Kindness costs nothing but is priceless" Your a true hippie! And a real man! Great words! Also Slay U2 rocks! Defiantly one of the most (positive) bands out there now! It's always a Beautiful Day when you can charge 300 euro a ticket (and get it) But it's a beautiful day for (you) because you have your health and mind back! Health is TRUE wealth!! And Elliesmom start to carry a (bug out bag) with you.. NO not the same kind survivalist use! The kind Drunks USE!
(This is my own idea) And I started to do it 7 years ago.. I always keep a little bag of melatonin some over the counter painkillers and liver cleaners etc. with me at all times.. If your alone in the middle of the night and that CRAVING starts! KNOCK YOURSELF OUT! Open the bug out bag and pop the pills and eat some good lean meat to break it down.. And your off to Dream World!

I have a basket with things that make me feel good in it. Melatonin is one of the things. Also I have herb teas, peppermint lifesavers, music, movies and even some essential oils. It was my "GO TO BASKET" when I was first sober. If thoughts of drinking started to sneak in I'd put on my favorite music, pop some candy in my mouth and start to dance. If that didn't work I'd pull out a puzzle or put a movie on. Whatever it took to change my thoughts back to staying sober.

[jIMMYDAMA]

Newbies Nest

Good Monday Morning Nesters, a beautiful windy day. I am feeling great, trying to slow down and live in the moment. My counselor said people who live in the past may be depressed, people who live for the future are anxious (Me) and people who live in the moment are Happy. I working on living in the here and now! This weekend was really nice and wonderful.

Spent a lot of time with my 2 favorite girls this weekend. Really feel alive and well. My son has a Baseball game tonight, Whoop Whoop!

Had a few bouts of weakness this weekend, Sat night around 10 pm went to a nearby big box store for ice cream (I know, I know but I'm saving 1000's of calories not drinking)
I am not familiar with the store and ended up in the giant AL section. I was weak and alone and hungry. Saw a really nice bottle of cab on sale(weak for sales too) almost grabbed it out of habit and said no I don't drink what the hell is wrong with you!

I was told by my Priest friend and counselor that AL has a way of "Snaking its way back in"
What a great analogy. I bought my ice cream and cereal went back to appt ate away and went to sleep. Sunday morning felt great, but I was damn close out of habit.

Elliesmom I am so proud of you, Great Job! I so understand the habit part of all this. I was explaining to my wife it's not a craving thing but it's such a habit thing. I've done this for so long it's second nature. I almost didn't even realize what I was doing with the wine.

Hippy: I want to be half as Happy as you always are, A true inspiration as usual!
Thanks again for your enthusiasm, encouragement and dedication. We appreciate you.

Have a Happy, wonderful Monday, lets Kick Arse (love that spelling) and take names. j

[DimensionDrifter]

Newbies Nest

Everyone get a (Bug out Bag) or (Go to Basket) IT WORKS!

Hippyman;1464942 wrote: I have a basket with things that make me feel good in it. Melatonin is one of the things. Also I have herb teas, peppermint lifesavers, music, movies and even some essential oils. It was my "GO TO BASKET" when I was first sober. If thoughts of drinking started to sneak in I'd put on my favorite music, pop some candy in my mouth and start to dance. If that didn't work I'd pull out a puzzle or put a movie on. Whatever it took to change my thoughts back to staying sober.

Yes indeed! Everyone start to carry the (bug out bag) or (go to basket) it really works! And you have it with you always in case of emergency!

[jIMMYDAMA]

Newbies Nest

Hi I forgot to include this little bit of encouragement.

Lord, slow me down.
Ease the pounding of my heart by quieting my mind. Steady my hurried pace. Give me, in the confusion of my day, the calmness of the everlasting hills. Break the tension of my nerves and muscles . Help me to know the magical, restoring power of sleep.
Teach me to take minute vacations by slowing down to look at a flower or a cloud, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, to read a few lines from a good book. Remind me that the race is not always to the swift, that there is more to life than increasing speed.
Let me look upward into the branches of the towering oak and know that it grew great and strong because it grew slowly and well. Lord slow me down. Inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life's enduring values that I may grow toward the stars of my great destiny.