Newbies Nest

[Lavande]

Good Saturday morning Nesters!

Sleet, snow & rain in my neck of the woods today, oh well. Only 8 weeks until Spring, LOL

mywayin, it's so true - we need to take a different look at our failures for they can be spring boards to newer & better things. Martha Stewart is a good example of someone who bounced back quite well

Wishing everyone a great AF Saturday!

Lav

[Byrdlady]

Good Morning, Nesters!
What a big day, it's NoSugar's 2 year anniversary! What a great day it was that cold day when you flew in! We are so proud of you! :two: Thank you for your tireless work on these boards! You are amazing! Enjoy your day!!!!!
Rahul, great to see you, I will have to check out that book!
MWI, good to see you.
Hope everyone has an easy day!! Byrdie

[NoSugar]

2 years of AF living

A year ago was great – there had been so many huge, obvious, important changes in my life since I last consumed alcohol. And today is even better. The second year is full of subtler, sometimes imperceptible changes, all of which directly come from no longer being in the grip of an addiction.

My hope is that anyone still struggling just takes a leap of faith, realizing that we’ve no incentive to be hanging around MWO lying about the joys and benefits of AF living. It’s all true. And the whole process is so much less scary and painful than you think it will be. Just like getting a shot [EDIT: NOT of alcohol!!!], the more you can relax into it, the easier and less painful it is. You don't have to understand the biology behind it (Although that helps!) or believe to your very core that it will work, just accept that you need that shot!

Byrdlady was 4 days past 2 years when I joined and as you all know, that Byrd has her AF sh*t together. I so wanted to BE her but 2 years without a drink? How could I ever do that? Well… I just did what she and other successfully AF people were doing. I repeated what they said in my own words. I asked them a lot of questions and applied their answers to my life. I believed and trusted them. I hung out online with people who were living as I wanted to live and who were truly supportive but not interested in my excuses and BS.

You can do that, too! You don’t have to always “feel it”. Act like a person who doesn’t drink long enough and you’ll become one. A year ago, I was a person who didn’t drink. Now I'm a non-drinker.

I’m looking forward to finding out what the third year brings!

[Elvis]

good job on 2 years NoSugar!

[KENSHO]

Thanks NS. Well said. Congratulations on 2 years!

[daisy45]

NoSugar.....sooo happy for you! Thank you for being here!
Went out to dinner last night then to a karaoke night at a pub.....really good night!
I find coming home sober and alert I sit up even longer, so exhausted today. Got my hair done first thing this morning. 2 of my girls away out for my daughters birthday, so a very quiet wee night for me.

[Byrdlady]

A year ago was great – there had been so many huge, obvious, important changes in my life since I last consumed alcohol. And today is even better. The second year is full of subtler, sometimes imperceptible changes, all of which directly come from no longer being in the grip of an addiction.

My hope is that anyone still struggling just takes a leap of faith, realizing that we’ve no incentive to be hanging around MWO lying about the joys and benefits of AF living. It’s all true. And the whole process is so much less scary and painful than you think it will be. Just like getting a shot [EDIT: NOT of alcohol!!!], the more you can relax into it, the easier and less painful it is. You don't have to understand the biology behind it (Although that helps!) or believe to your very core that it will work, just accept that you need that shot!

Byrdlady was 4 days past 2 years when I joined and as you all know, that Byrd has her AF sh*t together. I so wanted to BE her but 2 years without a drink? How could I ever do that? Well… I just did what she and other successfully AF people were doing. I repeated what they said in my own words. I asked them a lot of questions and applied their answers to my life. I believed and trusted them. I hung out online with people who were living as I wanted to live and who were truly supportive but not interested in my excuses and BS.

You can do that, too! You don’t have to always “feel it”. Act like a person who doesn’t drink long enough and you’ll become one. A year ago, I was a person who didn’t drink. Now I'm a non-drinker.

I’m looking forward to finding out what the third year brings!

Would you please put this in the Tool Box? Testimonials are the best source of inspiration! Great speech!! Xo

[Rahulthesweet]

Congrats Nosugar,

Tell me you started restricting sugar and carbs from day one or later on ? I think I am having trouble cutting carbs and would need advice!

[NoSugar]

Thank you all for your kind comments and well wishes. I ended up being on my own today (with my dog :smile:) but not in that soul-crushing, self-isolating to drink sort of way but in a reflective, count my blessings kind of day. I thought a lot about all of you as we took a long, long walk in the cool but beautifully bright sun and marvel that people I've never met in person (from all over the world no less!) could have made such a positive difference in my life.

I'll continue to follow in some very big footsteps ahead of me and hope that anyone behind sees that once you realize that alcohol just isn't for you, so many other things sort themselves out. Life becomes worth living, savoring, and protecting again.

Much love and appreciation, NS

[Lavande]

Good evening Nesters,

NS, CONGRATS to you on your 2 years AF :welldone:
The second year is quite different but still wonderful as your new & improved life unfolds. I'm very happy for you & thanks for helping out around here & elsewhere!

I still have my granddaughter here & now my oldest grandson has decided to stay over as well. No rets for this weary grandmom this weekend I am grateful for these opportunities, believe me :hug:

Wishing everyone a safe & cozy night in the nest!

Lav

[lifechange]

Good MAE Nesters!
What a nice day it was yesterday, celebrating NS's 2 years!:heartbeat:
I had such a great, happy day and it was surely due to being sober!!

Daisy, did you sing at Karaoke night?! Sounds like you had a great time and there's nothing like the feeling of staying true to yourself and the path you're on.. hope you were finally able to wind down and fall asleep!! I've found the extra energy I get, after the first few weeks of exhaustion, awesome, but sometimes difficult to deal with. What to do with the energy? In the past I've drank to bring myself down and will be hyper-aware of it this time. You are just ahead of me and I'm following your lead.. no pressure!! But it's obvious you've learned a lot the past years and are doing things differently this time!

I have a nice, quiet day planned.. Meditation AA, which I loved last week and am really looking forward to, falafel for lunch with the girls, work on a Gray-Fox report/paper, baking a buttermilk chocolate cake, a bit of yoga or planks!!

How are you doing today, Jennie/enzo? Over-it?

Hugs and strength to everyone checking in/flying by here today!

[daisy45]

Lifechange...how did you do at those planks? It's catching on....We'll have tight pert butts in no time!
No singing for me....too shy! My sister and her daughter both sing so they got up....they love the limelight. I actually can sing and wish I had the confidence to do it in public......as soon as I feel people are listening I start shaking from inside out.......you never know what might happen.....confidence grows with sobriety.
Had a good sleep last night and going to mass shortly. Want to get out and about today...not sure what though.....
Have a great day all.....sooo quiet here at the weekend...

[enzo'smom]

dearest NoSugar…..2 years ago you and I were "quit buddies"…..unlike you, I held onto my self will and let my ego think I could go back out there…..fast forward 2 years…..here I am again, humbled and grateful that you are still here. No longer my quit buddy, you now provide me with great inspiration and insight. I want what you have and what I so foolishly gave up 2 years ago.

So proud of you NoSug
Jennie

[Lavande]

Good Sunday morning Nesters,

I hope everyone had a good night.
I have another busy day ahead, lots of folks here looking at me wanting breakfast - geez

Wishing everyone a good AF Sunday!

Lav

[NoSugar]

Thanks, Jennie

I missed you when you left but the important thing is that you're back with a different mindset and ready to get this done. When we're 88 year old ladies doing our wall-planks in the Home, we'll look back on the twenty-teens and be so glad we got free :hug:!

xx- NS