Newbies Nest

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Thank you for the kind words, Halo!
Cravings get less and less, but every now and again one can catch you off guard. It's like they start out as a mad swarm of bees, but after a while, more like a biting fly...and then after 9 months or so, more like a dang gnat. I sometimes (even now) get a thought, but that's it...it's far from a craving. You will get MindPeace! I promise! XO, Byrdie

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters!

Winding down after a busy day of everything

Halo, if you stop & take notice at this point what you are experiencing are 'thoughts', not so much cravings. Get into the habit of pushing those thoughts right out of your head, don't let them linger. Retraining our brains is all part of the process - you are getting there

Hello & welcome Mayzay! Make yourself comfortable & stick around as long as you like, the nest is a great place!

Wishing everyone a safe & comfy night in the nest!
Lav

[kreeves]

Newbies Nest

Byrdlady;1494040 wrote: Hey Nesters!
I was trying to find something in my desk drawer this morning, and I came across a sticky note I'd made......
Stop
Observe
Breathe
Experience
Respond

I must have seen this somewhere about what to do when a craving hits. I tell you, what's old is new again....this is so true. Life happens, it's how we respond to it that makes or breaks us. There will ALWAYS be an excuse to drink....even when times are good...there just isn't any reason good enough anymore. AL will not take one more day of my life.
Stay strong everyone! If I can do it, I know you can, too! Byrdie

This is an awesome little tool! BL thank you for sharing. I have another party tomorrow night. I know from getting through last Saturday that I can socialize while other people are drinking without drinking myself. However, I will be glad when this one is behind me too. I planned these events before I made a commitment to be AF. Nevertheless, getting through them and staying sober will help my confidence.

A warm welcome to all the new members. You have found a wonderful resource from which I know you will all draw strength to stay the course. Congratulations on making the decision to live your life without AL. What a time/energy/money/health/relationship drain AL is. Life without AL dependence is a beautiful place. Not to say that it is always easy but it is so worth surfing through those cravings and thoughts to stay sober. Good luck to all!

[jenniech]

Newbies Nest

my hours of craving during the day (between about 4 and 8pm) have turned into my hours of irritability. I haven't been craving alcohol but I have been craving a way to get out of my funk. So, I just ride it out. Now it is 10pm here and I am tucked in and cozy in bed. My second favorite time of day...the first being the morning when I can drink my cup of coffee!!

[thelaststraw]

Newbies Nest

Jenni,
I am so glad you rode it out and comfy cozy. I am like you...I love my bed (water bed) and I love my one cup of coffee in the morning. I recently started Cafe` Au Lait with cinnamon which lets me have 2.

Put the cinnamon in before heating the milk and coffee, or after the milk and coffee are combined (it might be leftover coffee) but if you put cold milk into fresh coffee, that's good too, but if you want cinnamon floating on top or mixed in.....depends on when you put the cinnamon in.

-S-

[jenniech]

Newbies Nest

missing my daily encouragements from Slay. Anyone hear from here lately? I haven't seen a post since 4/2

[thelaststraw]

Newbies Nest

I haven't heard from Slay. Not thinking I would personally, but I was thinking about Slay today, actually. It was a fleeting thought..."I wonder where Slay is?"

-S-

[thelaststraw]

Newbies Nest

I just posted to you Jenni and it didn't post.

-S-

[jenniech]

Newbies Nest

your coffee concoction sounds scrumptous laststraw
I will give that a try in the morning!!!!
:thanks:

[thelaststraw]

Newbies Nest

Yummy Jenni!!!!

-S-

[Snapdragon]

Newbies Nest

Morning all - and wishing you all strength to overcome gruesome cravings today.

I had a very interesting evening - hubby and I were invited to an ex-colleague of mine's evening wedding reception last night. It was about an hour and a half drive away and we were invited from 7.30pm.

Good old me offered to drive :H (I have my uses!) I naturally assumed that there would be a buffet or some type of food (don't people generally lay food on for evening guests at weddings? I've only been to the whole day in recent years?) so I had told hubby that we wouldn't eat beforehand (it was all going to be a bit of a rush with the drive anyway).

I had spent the whole day worrying about 'not drinking' how I would cope (these were friends who know me as a hardened drinker - life and soul of the party etc) - but spent the day thinking about all the lovely food I would eat instead - and didn't have lunch in anticipation of the lovely spread ahead! Anyway - there was no food laid on at all for the evening guests - not even a peanut or crisp in sight. It was in a converted barn miles from anywhere - and you couldn't even buy crisps at the bar!

Well everyone at the wedding was absolutely smashed and slurring (a combination of those who had been there all day drinking - and all the evening guests who had arrived thinking they would be eating so were drinking on empty stomachs!)

Even my hubby (who hardly drinks and only had two beers and a Baileys) was feeling a bit light headed. I was soooo relieved that I wasn't drinking - I would have been an absolute mess if I had been indulging to my usual extent on an empty stomach.

The bonus too is that as I was the only one sober - I was told some incredibly juicy gossip by a few people who's tongues were very loose with information that should not have been divulged - oops, if they remember this morning once they've got over their hangovers, they will certainly be cringing!!

For those of you who are worried that I might waste away from lack of food - we stopped at a drive through McDonalds at 1am and had Big Macs and Fries!! Haven't done that in years.

Happy sober Friday everyone!

[jenniech]

Newbies Nest

Snap
I am SO RELIEVED you made it through!!! Your story sounds absolutely terrifying to me!! Being around drunks on an empty stomach.....yikes!
I think, based on this story, I will store a few granola bars in my car in the event I find myself in a similar situation. I turn into an AL craving BEAST if I am hungry and tired.....
As for the gossip, well, that is an added bonus! I would bet that they have no recollection of telling you. At least that keeps things interesting....

Happy Friday all!!

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good morning Nesters!

Snap, so glad to hear you survived that booze fest/reception. Wonder why they thought is was OK to fill people with AL & no food

Watching the news about what's going on in Boston, incredible.
I hope everyone has a great AF & safe Friday.

Lav

[NoSugar]

Newbies Nest

Snapdragon;1494266 wrote:

I had spent the whole day worrying about 'not drinking' how I would cope (these were friends who know me as a hardened drinker - life and soul of the party etc) - but spent the day thinking about all the lovely food I would eat instead - and didn't have lunch in anticipation of the lovely spread ahead! Anyway - there was no food laid on at all for the evening guests - not even a peanut or crisp in sight. It was in a converted barn miles from anywhere - and you couldn't even buy crisps at the bar!

Happy sober Friday everyone!

Once again, I just love waking up to your posts, Snapdragon! You know how to tell a story.

I am on a business trip and like you found at your weird food-free wedding reception, I have not found it difficult not to drink at all! I just don't want any so it hasn't been an issue. I'm starting to have more confidence in myself, which means these challenges are a good thing once we are ready.

Hope you are having a wonderful day!

Love, NS :h

[halo]

Newbies Nest

Another weekend coming up and two social functions to attend and you know what, I'm feeling stronger! Thanks to reading some successful posts (nice wedding reception story snapdragon!) of those who managed to persevere, I feel like I can most certainly do it as well, no matter what is thrown at me! I love feeling this positive..Hope everyone has a wonderful AF weekend! :h