Newbies Nest

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

You sound great LIS! We are all oulling for you! You have a great plan! Keep us posted! Stay strong!!! B

[available]

Newbies Nest

Really proud of you Lost and if you do get tempted at the wedding then log into mwo and tell us. Nosugar did that when she stopped drinking when she was at a conference and she did not drink. Woo hoo girl.

[Ginger999]

Newbies Nest

LIS, I second those that have said check in here often while you are away, if you can. Do you have anyone that you PM? If not, you are welcome to PM me.

[Pavati]

Newbies Nest

Hi, Nest:

Whoo Hoo LIS! I remember NS said she texted or logged in to MWO from a bathroom stall. Do whatever you need to do to stay sober - you're off to a great start. Congrats on your Day 1??

Rahul - your descriptions of sober vacations are the best - you make me want to go everywhere but SOBER.

J-Vo - so happy you are enjoying yourself. All that exercise and sunshine will make you come back refreshed from your vacation. I used to always come back needing a couple of days to recover from the drinking binge of a vacation.

Ginger - How are you doing??

Daisy - I am with you - I am more confident and I actually bought my first dress since my wedding (I'm not kidding - I wear skirts only), and wore it to my 30th high school reunion. I really don't think I could or would have done that in my drinking days...

OK, folks - off to get some exercise with my son. If he's motivating, I have to respond as he's usually the couch potato that I have to get up (he's 12).

Today is 7 months sober for me. I am feeling much better than at 5 or 6 months - there was a bit of a doldrum there. I am saying this to let you all know that it can happen - but as Byrdie says, even my worst day sober is better than a drunk (or hungover) day.

Happy Sober Wednesday!

Pav

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Pavati, when you first came on to this site I was sure you were an Italian opra singer! You have turned out to he such a valuable resource for ALL of us! We are so proud of you and AVA's 7 months! YALL on FI-YAH!
nfire:
Congrtulations!!! It has been a wonderful week full of successes! B

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Hot, humid, thunder & lightning going on outside but not a drop of rain - weird
Byrdie, I'm listening to the storm reports - watch out lady!!!

J-vo, so glad to hear you are enjoying an AF vacation!
Lost, you are doing it now - yay!!!
Pav, 7 AF months is just awesome.

Everyone is looking pretty solid today, that's wonderful
Wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Lav, its going to be a very bad hair day tomorrow!!! Thank you for thinking of me!! B

[Juja]

Newbies Nest

You're the greatest.

I want to express my sincere thanks to Byrdie, j-vo, Lavande, wag, and everyone else who has supported me in my quest to be AF. However, until I am fully committed to that goal, I will say my goodbyes. There's no point in going on and go about it until I make the commitment. I'm only taking up space, time, and energy. I'm not having a pity party here, I'm simply telling the truth.

I'm so proud of all of you who are giving the devil his due, and making progress. I will be there one day, but until then, I will lurk and learn.

My best to all you big-hearted folks.

Sincerely, and with love,

Juja

[Ginger999]

Newbies Nest

Oh Juja, I will miss your posts. I hope you come back to us soon. Lurk and read and lurk and read.... I did that for a very long time before I was ready to commit this time. You will get there....

[Sarah42]

Newbies Nest

wagmore;1678139 wrote: Pav and Lav - Children and grandchildren are great motivators! The knowledge that by not drinking you are able to enjoy them and be present, but also that you are available on a moment's notice to pick them up or whatever, is very powerful. Thanks for sharing what helps keep you going!

Sarah - So sorry to hear about the difficulties with your parents and husband right now. I agree with Lav about trying to move beyond needing approval from others, but honestly I struggle with the same thing. It seems especially hard with parents, or at least I will say that is true for me. My mom passed away a few years ago, but I still consider how my dad will react to various things. Can you talk with either parent re: how their comments make you feel?

Sorry to say NO. I even emailed my Mom about the ongoing DT's and not one word. I guess she is so consumed with decorating for weddiings, supper clubs, Keno nights, etc. and her own 'appearance' that she or they have put me on the 'backburner'. Not a surprise.

Only if I were perfect would I get any recognition. But, I'm not perfect. I'm anything but.

[Sarah42]

Newbies Nest

Thank you Byrdie, I love ya

Byrdlady;1678152 wrote: Good Morning, Nesters!
So good to see everyone!
Lost, we are right beside you today!! There is strength in numbers, USE US!!! Hugs to you.
Sarah, as you may know, MY family is freaking NUTS! ALL of them! I don't know how I came out so normal (and I'm a flipping Alcoholic!!!). All I can say is that as your dependence from AL is reduced, so will your need for approval by others. It all seems to be interdependent. As I broke free from AL, I became more confident and self reliant!! At long last, I could actually depend and trust myself! I just have to take my family in limited doses and NEVER all at once. My coping skills are just much better now. What Lav says is word, take it a day at a time and first things first. It was a rather sad day when I realized that my dad and my big brothers weren't the larger than life people I imagined them to be. They have (had) major flaws just like everybody else. Just because they said to do something doesn't mean I have to do it...they will suck the life out of me if I let them. So I don't let them. Like Daisy says, I care less and less what other people think these days and I care a LOT about what I think! Getting AL out of our lives is empowering in more ways than I'd have ever thought! You should try it!! Like today!!! Don't be scared, it is actually a relief to be free of the dam stuff! We are pulling for you!
Petrel, good luck with your marathon! Makes my knees ache to think about it!!
Hope everyone has an easy day! Byrdie

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good morning Nesters,

Juja, I hope your outlook improves soon. I do know what it's like feeling hopeless. It kept me stuck in the dumps way too long. Work on developing some positive thinking, it did wonders for me

Sarah, it's your decision, your life. If your mother is truly that insensitive why waste another minute caring what she thinks? You can't change a selfish, self-involved person like her but you can change yourself. Life is just too precious to waste.

Wishing everyone a great AF Thursday. I'm watching my grandsons from lunchtime until bedtime & making preparation for the hurricane working it's way up the coast. Thinking of you Byrdie!!!

Lav

[NoSugar]

Newbies Nest

Juja;1678317 wrote: I will say my goodbyes. There's no point in going on and go about it until I make the commitment. I'm only taking up space, time, and energy. I'm not having a pity party here, I'm simply telling the truth.Sarah42;1678375 wrote: Only if I were perfect would I get any recognition. But, I'm not perfect. I'm anything but.

Juja, I really encourage you to stick around and keep trying and for you, Sarah (and any lurkers), to start trying while it is still up to you - before you truly reach a "rock bottom" and are in a hospital, prison, or coffin and are no longer making personal choices.

We don't usually talk about the end-stage possible consequences of someone who is addicted to alcohol to continue to drink but the facts are that if we drink, we are putting ourselves and others at increased risk in many ways. It is good that the nest is a positive, encouraging place where everyone helps everyone else gain and maintain sobriety but it isn't just any old social site - lives can be saved if you make getting off alcohol your top priority and put aside the reasons that are preventing you from making the commitment.

You will never think you made the right choice by delaying something that your presence here means you know must happen. Even if the worst consequences don't come to pass, you will have squandered more of your limited time on this earth. The main regret expressed by people who made the commitment, quit making excuses, and succeeded is that they didn't do it sooner.

Tomorrow is Independence Day in the US. I can think of nothing better to be free of than an addiction that I chose (no one forced me to take my first or last drink or any of them in between) and thankfully, chose to give up. The Newbies Nest is a place you can get that done.

All the best, NS

[available]

Newbies Nest

Touche NS, i knew my health was being affected by drinking. The anxiety, the depression, the tremors i suffered, the bleeding gums, the sores that took longer than normal to heal, the blackouts, the liver pains. God the list could go on and on when i drank. Now i dont have a list at all or any excuses to stop drinking as i dont drink.

Its funny as tonight i was cleaning out my wardrobe (yes finally) and i really wanted a wine. Why would i associate cleaning my wardrobe with a wine. As it is the most boring chore on earth and i wanted something to give it some oomph. I didnt and i dont want to drink but that thought chose to hang around until i had finished what i started.

Gladly i can say I am still af.

Im sorry to see you go Juj, i really thought you were getting your head around al even with your struggles. I will be thinking of you and hope you keep safe.

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Wow, NS, what a powerful post.

It does boil down to 2 choices: Give in to AL or fight for your life.
There is NO middle ground, really. It's like being pregnant, you are clean and sober, or you are still drinking. The decision NOT to participate in trying to get sober is a win for AL. NS has nailed it, this is a progressive disease...will anyone here dispute that? Will anyone dispute that they were worst now than they were 5 years ago? I tell you, you gotta fight this thing with everything you've got. This game is NOT for sissies. AL plays with you FOR LIFE. You can stop being the victim of it and take your life back. You've been at this a while....has AL done anything positive for you these past 4 -5 years? Please do NOT give in to this ruthless addiction by lurking....pull up your bootstraps and get this dam monkey off your back once and for all....anything less than that will not stop this madness! Commit to taking your life back NOW. We don't know how much we have left on this Earth, so there's no time to lose! AL is such a waste. Get all of it out of your house this morning and vow to buy NO MORE. You are done! Do not waste one more day of your precious life. There will NEVER be a good time to start this other than NOW. You can do this....I've seen you! DO NOT GIVE IN!!! Major hugs to you....Byrdie