Newbies Nest

[Petrelhead]

Newbies Nest

MAE everyone. A rainy day here in what's normally sunny Queensland. We badly need it.
Thanks again to everyone for the support yesterday. And it's great to see several others on the roll call just about at 30 days as well. Mammoth effort.

Byrdlady;1641529 wrote:

Petrel, I was struck by one thing you said about "if I get addicted again". I know you said it in passing, but it's worth pointing out, addiction is like riding a bicycle...you never unlearn it. I do not ever fool myself into thinking I'm no longer addicted to AL...I am as much today as I was 1161 days ago. I am one drink away from going right back down the hole. So don't ever think there is a vacation from the fun! This is a lifelong party and we got an invitation! Always be vigilant! Not one, not ever!!! So as I climb down from the soap box, here's wishing everyone a bright and beautiful day. Don't let AL take ONE more day of your precious life! Hugs all, XO, Byrdie

Thanks BL. Your wisdom won't be missed on me. I guess it's the reaffirmation that makes this forum so effective. Shared experiences from genuine and real people in real time, that you don't get from a text book. :thanks:

[Rahulthesweet]

Newbies Nest

peppersnow;1641399 wrote: Hello folks...thank you for the friendly welcomes. Day 2 down for me. I've been eating but don't have much of an appetite. I've been taking the supplements like clockwork and think they are helping. No jitters, spiders on my skin or snakes on the walls, but my head feels really weird. Not dizzy, just kind of like it's being squeezed. And I'm incredibly tired. I slept okay last night, despite the bizarre dreams. It was nice not to wake up every half hour after 3:00 needing water for dry mouth. Off to bed again - I don't dare stay up, as that's when I used to drink the most (after my husband and kids went to bed). Take care all, and sweet dreams.

Pepper snow, you are doing great. First few days are hard. In fact you might have trouble sleeping as brain which is used to have AL (a depressant) that suddenly when it does not it becomes super active. But I promise you that after a while you will discover the sleep which you must have forgotten the way it is supposed to.

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Rahul, congratulations on your 30 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wooootie Hooot!

The Prize Patrol is pleased as punch for your performance!! We've waited, well, 30 days to present this award! Please step forward and receive your hat!! (applause erupts)
:goodtime:

As we all know, these days don't just happen. Sometimes it takes getting the stew knocked out of you a few times, but when that person steps back into the ring and gives it his all, we are all very proud. Thank you for the wonderful contributions you make to this site. You are generous with your thoughts and your time. We are very proud of you and wish you a lifetime of sobriety! If you have a few words as to how you did it, we are all ears! VERY WELL DONE!!!

The Prize Patrol

[Dottie Belle]

Newbies Nest

:goodjob::yougo::applaud: Rahul - Day 30

[Rahulthesweet]

Newbies Nest

Day 30 : A man was trapped in a Magic Dungeon along with several others sick people. They all could see light and blue sky only for few hours in a day for rest of time there were in misery and darkness. They all felt sick, depressed, guilty, half un conscious. Trapped the only way out was a wall steep high and difficult to climb. Everyone said you can't climb the wall. It's impossible to escape. He tried first time to climb the wall reached a point from where he could see the world ... It took him 30 days ... Enjoying fresh air, feel the sunset. Instead of climbing up he stood there for a while enjoying the freshness and forgot that he was still holding on to the wall he was climbing. He lost the grip and fell back to dungeon ! Hurt and he felt hopeless, depressed and more and more in capable.

But he tried again claimed the wall reach the same point only at this point he realised something which he didn't the last time ... He didn't have to climb so up and so hard and high to reach the point of feeling freshness. It was as easy as climbing steps. The freshness we could feel in air just with in 7 days ... Was he less determined he was this time ? No .... Rather he was lot less hopeful. Soon had realised that this Dungeon is his own creation. Creation of his mind. He earlier CHOSE to stay in dungeon, he chose to believe that he is trapped, he chose to believe that there is no way out. He chose to believe that it's hard to climb up and utterly impossible to escape. He chose to believe that it will need a lot of effort.

All he had to do was to change his thought process and imagine he is not in dungeon and he can choose to be free. He chose not to believe he is trapped or it will take a LOT of willpower to come out.

Then he realised that this "Dungeon" is magical ... If he believed he wanted to be in a garden with lots of flowers he found himself in that place. He was not in a bad place at all ....

The man is me ... The place where I have always been was not a Dungeon but LIFE .... We cannot ESCAPE from it but we can SHAPE it .... Just the way WE WANT !
We choose to feel miserable,
choose to feel helpless,
choose not to feel in control
Choose to feel sad, unhappy,
Choose to stay addicted,
Or we can make life
beautiful
Be grateful to each and everything that comes along EVERYDAY
Colour this life which was a blank canvas with bright colors
At the same time choose not get affected by all bad things that happen in life
Choose to learn from experiences and wrong decisions and improve
Choose to stay sober
Choose to view AL as poison
Choose to Post everyday on MWO or waste time on face book showing off (ok ... I feel that way )
---------------------------------------

Thanks for wishes and hat byrdlady ... But I am not satisfied, I want to embrace long term sobriety, I was not prepared first time but am now ... Please suggest and guide .... As you may have noticed. I am not adopting strategy of "controlling", "restricting" , "rationing" ... When event I have tried that I have always felt more deprived, MORE thirsty, more guilty, more miserable, unhappy, I have been working on attitude of gratitude, celebration (for being sober) etc.

So far working on my Attitude has been the key for staying sober ...

Tell me how can I be long term sober ?

[Living Life]

Newbies Nest

Hi everyone! I'm new, just starting out on this long road to sobriety I'm a mixture of nervous, scared and excited. I no longer want alcohol in my life :new:

[Living Life]

Newbies Nest

Hi everyone! I'm new, just starting out on this long road to sobriety I'm a mixture of nervous, scared and excited. I no longer want alcohol in my life :new:

[Dottie Belle]

Newbies Nest

Welcome Living. You have found a great group. Also check out the tool box, link below my name. Read, post and read more...glad u found us!!

[Just A Gal]

Newbies Nest

Welcome, Living! I'm just starting out, as well! And I feel the same emotions you do! We'll get through this!

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

CONGRATS on 30 AF days Rahul

Hello & welcome Living Life!
Glad you decided to join us. Kicking AL out of my life was the best decision I ever made, you'll have absolutely nothing to regret

Well, it's snowing in my portion of the nest - again!!!!!
All I really want is Spring but apparently it's not happening this week.

I am sitting here thinking it was 5 years ago tonight that I decided to pour the last of the wine down the drain & take back control of my life. Turns out that was the best possible decision for me, certainly one I have never regretted

Wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[NoSugar]

Newbies Nest

What led you to that decision on that particular night, Lav? And, by the way, CONGRATULATIONS and thanks for staying involved. :h NS

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Great to see you, JAG! You are doing great! Welcome, Living, so glad you found us!

Rahul, what a wonderful speech! I hope you and Petrel will put those in the Tool Box! Those things are so powerful. So proud of both of you!!!

Lav, that decision you made 5 years ago was not only the best decision of your life, but mine too! I do not know where I would be without you. Thank you for seeing something in me and for offering your strong, and not always so gentle kick in the pants. I was a very resistant case! Thank you for believing in me when I didnt believe in myself. Thank you for being you. How do you thank someone who gave life back to you? I will do my best to pay it forward and by staying sober. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Much love and admiration, Byrdie

[Guitarista]

Newbies Nest

Hiya Nesters.

Congratulations on 5 years AF Lav! You raawk sister! Thanks for being here.

SPEECH!

Bravo! G bloke.

[KENSHO]

Newbies Nest

Quote from Jane27: One sip turned into 2 years for me. You're a strong person with lots to offer the rest of us. I can relate to your posts and get the sense that we might be similar. I experience an extremely high volume of thoughts & feelings. As the result of the last 78 days on MWO, I have seen how much healthier I feel when I put some of it out there. I had no idea how much I needed people to care about me and support me. I wish I had done it sooner. Thank you for fighting. You're not the only one that's gaining a benefit for your hard work. I am too.

Jane, 78 days is incredible. Thank you for your words of advice and wisdom. And if "putting your thoughts out there" is a measure of success, I sure hope to be very successful, because I tend to do this in high quantities! It helps me to clarify my thoughts on paper - if it helps anyone along the way, I couldn't be happier! I am fighting hard, but have learned that sobriety is something to be protected and that the work is never done. I don't pretend for a minute that being strong means sure success, as much of a disappointment as that is to me. I have always been strong, but it is the discipline that seems to earn the reward in this situation.

Another sober night tonight - the cravings were not terrible, but they were there. Mostly, I am noticing a higher level of clean, clear energy. I highly recommend giving it a try - feels pretty good!

Here's to Life! (cheering with a sparkling apple juice)

[Sarah42]

Newbies Nest

I'll be reading back shortly, but I wanted to say this:

I just emailed my Mom to let her know of her grandson's academic achievements (my son). He is a Junior in High School, and is being honored next month for his achievement. If he does well in his College Board exams this May, he'll be in contention for a possible college scholarship.

As I was typing the email to her, my mind already started to turn it's wheels on how she would respond. "Oh so-and-so's kid did this too..it's common...nothing to get excited about" or "that's wonderful, but my other granddaughter is a genius and could be a rocket scientist" or "great Sarah...you could have been there too if you had just applied yourself" or " wonderful! now let's work on his social skills as he needs help there".

IDK how she will 'actually' respond, but knowing my mother the way I do...I have to set my mind up for comments such as these as I lived with them my entire life. In other words, I'm expecting the worst response I could get as opposed to a good response. Why do I do this to myself??? Maybe she responds positively! Well, I know why I think this way realistically....b/c I tend to prepare myself for the worst (in many situations), but esp her. I never felt good enough for her, and not sure my son is either. I believe much of that is what caused me to 'numb the pain', and I did say before it's important to recognize the 'why's' of which you drink...so I guess that's one of mine.