Newbies Nest

[Overit-still]

Jenni-I feel for you! I don't know how you guys do this on willpower alone.

[Lavande]

Good evening Nesters,

Overit, it's not willpower, it's a complete 180 in thinking!
Acceptance that we can no longer drink & gratitude that we finally get the message

Jenni, make the choice now & stop all the mind chatter. You'll never regret your decision, promise!

Wishing everyone a safe & comfy night in the nest!

Lav

[Byrdlady]

I just tried planking .. OMFeckingGOSH!

[daisy45]

Haha, now you know what I'm talking about Byrdie! How long did you last? It MUST be good for you!
Jennie, you give me hope.....I am gonna get a pic of a fit body, stick my face on it and pop it on a vision board.....watch this space! You can be my inspiration......30 seconds by next week!

[Overit-still]

LAV-ya, I don't have the mind switch yet. I know I feel yucky but I could talk myself right into it in a heartbeat if it wasn't for this pill right now. And that's what happens with me everytime I go back. Somehow, I gotta get it through my head. I even wrote on another post if it wasn't for the things I would lose like job, husband, house, etc. I don't think I would quit drinking which means I'm not doing it for myself yet.

[GradeT]

OS- that video you posted scares me a lot :egad:

[BeachGirly]

Hi,
I get the HALT feeling... but I have also taken the choice out of my mind. Ya, I am hungry and really tired at times....
We are having a "weight loss challenge" at work right now. I am so going to loose because I keep eating. Ha ha.

Over-it, are you trying suppliments as well?
I find it so interesting to see what works for each person.
I really wanted to try the most natural way for me. I am tired of all the chemicals and junk I was putting in my body.
We are talking about this over in the Simple Living thread, and learning new ways to live cleaner. Some great ideas and tips there.

BeachGirly

[Pavati]

Hi, All:

I agree with Lav - acceptance is key. Willpower doesn't work. If it did, none of us would be here, because all those times we tried to "moderate" would have been successful. The first drink is your decision, the subsequent drinks are alcohol's decision. It DOES take work and determination. And for me, knowledge. The more I read about addiction and the more I ponder my relationship with alcohol, the more I KNOW that we are not a good mix. I don't know that I'd end up on skid row tomorrow or next week, but all of those small things in life that alcohol was taking away from me would go away again. Confidence, peace of mind, health, focus, patience, relationships - all improved since kicking AL out of my life. The will power and work come from realizing that needs to be done - focusing on sobriety every day, joining a community for support, etc.

HALT is a big one. Keep eating.

xo
Pav

[enzo'smom]

I am running on acceptance, not willpower…..but my tank gets low now and then….I have to come back here or go to AA to refill the tank
Acceptance is the KEY to sobriety…..this much I know is true.

just woke up from a 10 hour sleep that was much needed!!! haven't had my coffee yet so the jury is still out on how I feel (another addiction to tackle) But already I feel better than yesterday…..I just take each day one at a time and deal with whatever it throws at me.

Second to acceptance is HONESTY…..being honest with my feelings and telling people about them. Did you know that I am not perfect? Giving the illusion of being perfect is a big flaw of mine that I am working hard at…..
wow, i better go get my coffee…..I am all over the place.
after coffee a ONE MINUTE PLANK

[enzo'smom]

PLANK TRICK If doing planks on the floor is just too much torture, you can START by doing standing planks to built up your muscles….
stand facing the wall and put your hands shoulder distance apart against the wall (a vertical push up position instead of a horizontal push up position)
then bend arms like you do when you push up. Hold that position for as long as possible the first time out. Then, the next day, add 5 seconds. Keep adding 5 seconds until you get to 2 minutes and then you can graduate to doing the horizontal planks on the floor.

[Lavande]

Good morning Nesters,

Happy Friday to all! I see the sun now but there is another snow/rain event on the way for the weekend, oh well.

My granddaughter will be spending the weekend with me & she is all the exercise I will need for the next few days! Busy girl but lots of fun

Wishing everyone a good AF Friday eating, planking or whatever you are planning

Lav

[Pie]

Hi, All:

I agree with Lav - acceptance is key. Willpower doesn't work. If it did, none of us would be here, because all those times we tried to "moderate" would have been successful. The first drink is your decision, the subsequent drinks are alcohol's decision. It DOES take work and determination. And for me, knowledge. The more I read about addiction and the more I ponder my relationship with alcohol, the more I KNOW that we are not a good mix. I don't know that I'd end up on skid row tomorrow or next week, but all of those small things in life that alcohol was taking away from me would go away again. Confidence, peace of mind, health, focus, patience, relationships - all improved since kicking AL out of my life. The will power and work come from realizing that needs to be done - focusing on sobriety every day, joining a community for support, etc.

HALT is a big one. Keep eating.

xo
Pav

Your words are speaking loud and clear to me this morning, Pav. THANK YOU!

[Byrdlady]

LAV-ya, I don't have the mind switch yet. I know I feel yucky but I could talk myself right into it in a heartbeat if it wasn't for this pill right now. And that's what happens with me everytime I go back. Somehow, I gotta get it through my head. I even wrote on another post if it wasn't for the things I would lose like job, husband, house, etc. I don't think I would quit drinking which means I'm not doing it for myself yet.

Over-it, I have heard such great things about the hypnosis CD's from MWO that it might be a great option to help you change your thinking. I know they are expensive, but if they are $150 that's just 15 days' worth of drinking $ for me (and I was a cheap drunk). Something to think about anyway.

Hi, All:

I agree with Lav - acceptance is key. Willpower doesn't work. If it did, none of us would be here, because all those times we tried to "moderate" would have been successful. The first drink is your decision, the subsequent drinks are alcohol's decision. It DOES take work and determination. And for me, knowledge. The more I read about addiction and the more I ponder my relationship with alcohol, the more I KNOW that we are not a good mix. I don't know that I'd end up on skid row tomorrow or next week, but all of those small things in life that alcohol was taking away from me would go away again. Confidence, peace of mind, health, focus, patience, relationships - all improved since kicking AL out of my life. The will power and work come from realizing that needs to be done - focusing on sobriety every day, joining a community for support, etc.

HALT is a big one. Keep eating.

xo
Pav

Pav, this is one of the greatest posts of all time.....please put it in the Tool Box for safe keeping.

Haha, now you know what I'm talking about Byrdie! How long did you last? It MUST be good for you!
Jennie, you give me hope.....I am gonna get a pic of a fit body, stick my face on it and pop it on a vision board.....watch this space! You can be my inspiration......30 seconds by next week!

Daisy, I was able to plank on an ottoman for 45 seconds before I started crying for my mommy. How embarrassing....plus my tummy's a little sore this morning. I see another plank'r two in my future. Yikes.

Here we are on another Friday! The weekend ahead of us. Let's get our plans in place for whatever we are facing so we can say LOUD AND PROUD, NO THANKS, I DON'T DRINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :rara: It's only Friday, NOT a free ticket to BoozeVille! Have a great day, everyone! Byrdie

[KENSHO]

I tried willpower for awhile. And I have a lot of will power! But then I would try "a" drink, which never stopped at one. My turning point came when I felt hungover and decided that I needed to truly understand my relationship with AL. I went for a run (because I tend to do a lot of thinking when I run). I basically asked myself and the universe a bunch of questions and really examined what role alcohol played in my life.

I had a flood of thoughts and feelings, but I remember very clearly what I came up with:

1. I can't drink alcohol responsibly
2. AL makes me feel like shit
3. I can't have the life I want with AL still in it

Those three things became my truths and they have stuck. I was tired of feeling like shit. My self-image was in the dumps because I had no self-accountability and did dumb things when I drank. And now, more than ever, I realize that I WASN'T living a full and rewarding life - I was numbing it all the time.

Coming to those three understandings - and accepting that they were the truth was the first thing. The second thing was CHOOSING to reach for that better life. That entailed taking some deep breaths and doing the best to handle stressful situations and boredom and every other trigger WITHOUT alcohol. Learning to deal was hard, but as I saw it, there was no other way but to learn, because I couldn't go back to a lifeless life of alcohol. SO I did, and let me say that it is totally do-able. Hard, but humans are made to adapt. I have learned many other ways to cope with life in a short time, and not drinking is my new normal.

I have thoughts sometimes, but I go back to those three truths and know that I cannot and WILL NOT go backwards. So I *sigh* and move on to the next thought -- as if I were deathly allergic to chocolate and everyone in the room was feasting on fudge. Kind of like - well, bummer that I am not one of those people, but THAT'S NOT WHO I AM. I AM AN ALCOHOLIC, and I accept it. Then I move on.

I agree PAV, it's ALL about the acceptance. That was my turning point.

I hope everyone has a great Friday! There are so many other things to spend our time thinking about - rid your life of AL and see what enters. It's pretty brilliant.

[Overit-still]

Well said everyone. I used to smoke and would NEVER EVER EVER NEVER EVER IN A MILLION AND ONE YEAR EVER touch a cigarette again. It was too hard to quit. I still think about it, romance about it but know that just one toke is all it would take. That's it so I don't even entertain it, NEVER EVER, I just know. Why can't I feel that way about alcohol?