Newbies Nest

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Great job, Rava! Do whatever it takes to get thru this day.
I was wondering about your A’s also , Slo. Looks like a setting might be off. Maybe google it?
Hope everyone had a good day. Go git it, as G would say. Byrdie

[lifechange]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi Nesters!

Early morning accountability fly by on my way to work. TGIF! It'll be a warm one today so my daughter and I will go swimming this afternoon.. looking forward to it.
Rava, good job yesterday getting through the witching hour! Walks help/ed me a lot to, when I was craving.. still do. A change of scenery.

Yesterday as I was riding my bike to the gym, I was so happy to be part of the "normal" world. I felt a connection with everyone I rode by, imagining all of us, living together in this city, doing the best we can.. dealing with the ups and downs of life. Not hiding away in my flat, drinking myself to death. I used to be anxious at the end of my work day (betw. 2-3pm) needing to get out of there so I could come home and drink. I would sit around my flat, in front of the computer usually, and drink until I passed out. I would try to drink slowly and usually succeeded for an hour or so.. sometimes I made it the whole afternoon. But every single night I woke up at 3, sweating and thirsty with the GSR brothers on my back, and every morning was a struggle. I have to say, my life is so much easier without alcohol in it! In not drinking I would say I've eliminated 70% of the "problems" I had, and the other 30% I can deal with because I have my senses about me!!! It's a win/win..

Lav, good point! Guess it could be allergies. I've never had them before and don't have any other symptoms.. but maybe..? I have also been quite busy at the gym and it could be that my body just needed rest. Today I feel pretty good.. glad you enjoyed a lovely, sunny day!

ok everyone.. here's to a good Friday.!xx

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Whoa. TFIF, if you know what I mean.

Get 'er done, Nesters.

xo

[Rava]

Re: Newbies Nest

I love reading this [MENTION=15430]lifechange[/MENTION]. I do know that life without alcohol is easier in the long run. All the prep that drinking involves is exhausting. I do know this from quitting for a total of 8 years. I’m glad I can fall back on that. I have plenty of negative actions from my drinking that I need to remember to keep me on the right path! TGIF to you today!

[lifechange]

Re: Newbies Nest

:love: Rava!
One other thing I remembered this afternoon, as I came straight home to read MWO, is something NoSugar recommended to me long ago.. If I'm getting done with work, or out and about, doing whatever, and the urge to drink hits me, the FIRST thing I do is come here to read..immediately. I don't have a smart phone so I have to get to my computer at home and that's what I do.. I get my horse blinders on and don't stop anywhere on the way.. coming here always brings me back to my reality. If I'm at home and an urge comes on, I lock myself in and come here. I honestly don't go out to the store.. I've tested it, stayed home when I thought I couldn't do without blahblah.... I found there's nothing I can't do without for one evening if staying home helps me to stay sober (which it has many a time!).. This for me was a major "putting myself, my real self-above my craving self, first" step!
Hugs all around..
I hear ya Pav!

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Test message, I am trying to resolve the aggravating typing that I've had when posting on MWO. I think the issue was Internet Explorer! I've opened in MS Edge and NO problems so far, this is BIG! Yay!
Byrdie

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

It is great to "see" you becoming the person you want and deserve to be [MENTION=15430]lifechange[/MENTION] :hug:. I am so happy for you - and your girls.

Reading here makes you feel less alone with the problem, some possible solutions are offered, and your mind has something to think about besides how much you want to drink. Another useful 'trick' is to promise yourself to post before drinking -- and to wait for a response. And in fact, a response isn't really needed - just getting your thoughts together to type the post usually is enough to let go of the drinking thoughts that were leading no where good!

The thing about an online forum being your main or only recovery tool is that it is up to each of us to USE it. We aren't sequestered in a staffed AF environment for 28 or 90 days and no one is going to chase us down if we don't log on (unless you've got a stalker like LC did :wink: or made sure a couple people know where to find you, like I did). For whatever reason, I finally kept a promise to myself after letting myself down over and over, and have consistently come here before drinking. Which means I haven't drank.

I'm at a heavy-drinking conference right now. At this event 5 years ago I was was at about 4 months and it was a Big Deal (or at least it seemed that way to me). Each year since I've been aware of how my attitude about all of it has changed. Being a non-drinker is fine - with me and everyone else (who really do care only about what is in their glasses!).

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hola y'all.

Hope all's good. The weekend ain't no ticket to no freakin boozeville you savvy?

All good here. Big waves to everyone.

[available]

Re: Newbies Nest

morning nesters

Cold and wet Saturday here but have my puppy beside me and a cup of coffee so life is good. A busy week with the funeral and being there for the SO. the good thing is i can be there for others, a bonus of not drinking.

Welcome home G, sorry to hear about the friend but gees she could have mentioned she had gotten herself a boyfriend. You will find that special someone, took me ten years and a 2 of them sober. When you least expect it!

NS, i could not agree with you more on MWO being here for accountability. I still have it open at work and at home. This tab is always open so i can check in and read around. Here and my children helped me get and stay sober so if it works why stop. I remember when i first stopped drinking i was on here for 6 plus hours at night, it was my safety net. that time i spent drinking was now spent on here, if i felt an urge for a drink i came on here, if i needed to unload, i came on here and i still do. MWO is a part of my life and a constant calming presence in the day, i love reading about everyones day/life. its my normal.

TAke care xx

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Yes, we had another nice day in paradise but that's about to end. We are gearing up for our 7th rainy weekend in a row!!! Yes, that's 7!!!!
No big deal, I have had some nice outside time to clean up gardens & now I'll spend the weekend cleaning up inside the house, h aha. Such an exciting existence.
I am & always will be grateful for the clear head & relatively good health all thanks to quitting & staying quit

G, good to see you!

NS, isn't it amazing how you become stronger & stronger each year in your quit? Treat it as the precious commodity that it is, always!

Byrdie, I've had no problems using Edge. I'm about to install it on my phone too, why not?

Hey there LC, Rava, Pav & everyone!

Have a safe night in the nest one & all!

Lav

[NoraC]

Re: Newbies Nest

MWO is a part of my life and a constant calming presence in the day, i love reading about everyones day/life. its my normal.

TAke care xx

Love this - you are so right. It is the constant calming presence. :heartbeat:

[Rava]

Re: Newbies Nest

Thanks [MENTION=15430]lifechange[/MENTION]. I will try that tip when the urge hits me. Any tips and tidbits help. The toolbox has also been useful. Even tho I have all the tools from before, every quit is different. It seems like my head is in a different place with this quit. It seems harder because a part of me says “you are now over 60 and dont have much life left so what the hell why not enjoy what you have left.” UGH. It makes me want to drink and enjoy life. Although that first good buzz ALWAYS ends in a black hole. So I know the bad outcome and still want to go for it. Well today is day 4 AF. So I am gonna keep moving. Thanks for the tips again!!!

[abcowboy]

What do you mean you're over 60 and don't have much life left [MENTION=24196]Rava[/MENTION]!! No reason you don't have 35 to 40 years left in you to enjoy a sober life! I know for sure that if I hadn't quit drinking, I wouldn't have had 5 years left, and they would have been miserable!

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Quick fly-by today - almost at the end of an incredibly busy week with two days to go. Great discussion about getting through the witching hour. For me, the key was replacing drinking with something else that I enjoyed and looked forward to - just enough to get my mind off drinking long enough to get past the habit. At the beginning I needed something that would take me through the whole evening, but as my non-drinking muscles got stronger, it gradually shifted to just needing something to get me past the habitual reach for that first drink - so more like 15 minutes.

The distractions I used varied over time - exercise or taking the dog for a walk, doing a word puzzle, cleaning, spending a bit of time every evening on the language learning I'd committed myself to, and browsing through MWO. I suspect we all had our variations on this theme. The trick is finding what works for YOU. What do you enjoy and look forward to so much that you either don't associate with drinking or perhaps can't do while drinking? If you don't already have a list of those "somethings" it could be a lot of fun trying out new things!

Have great AF weekends everyone! I'll for sure be back after I get through the next two days, and possibly before that.

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy Sattidy, all.
I was just reading Drifty Alison’s post about how she fell after 7 years, then Starty posted she did the same thing. Yikes, Im at 7 years. Im not gonna lie, stories like that scare the spit out of me. Id like to think that coming here every day for accountability increases my odds of success, its a small price to pay to keep my quit. NS, I totally agree, this IS my support, so it is up to me to use it.
Rava, I had to chuckle, Im 58, and I hear where you are coming from about enjoying the rest of your life, hut like Cowboy, I was to the point where it was getting dangerous. There was NO FUN associated with my desperate drinking. The other day I ran up to the city to do a little shopping. I passed the dumpster I used to sneak my empties into when my hubs left town. I hid my empties in an ottoman in my office, I was drinking the 1 liter boxes there at the end and I remember taking out 37 empties. I was appalled at myself, but even THAT didn't stop me. I started to take a snap of that dumpster to show a couple of friends here in MWO, I will do that next time and share it with the nest. It us a reminder of where I dont want to be again....a SLAVE to AL.
AL sucks.
Hope everyone has an easy evening. Byrdie