Newbies Nest

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

NS, that is an interesting thought and so true. My self worth was in the toilet. Drinking AL comes at a high price. Glad I’m not willing to pay it anymore!
G, your wisdom runneth over!

I'm as wise as a horses ass! Boozing comes at a high price....Ain't that the truth Byrdy. Always love your hugs.

Pav, the magical ‘euphoric’ thinking is bogus, it always has been & always will be.

Hi Lav. This is why i see it is SO important for us to learn how we think. To understand how our thoughts and feelings operate, and to know that we can learn to control this stuff and be the boss of how we respond to life. Buddhism and Yoga have thousands of years of trial and error evidence based strategies and life saving info on how to begin the healing process and how to manage our chaotic thoughts and emotions. Also Check out the 3 principles thread here for similar info.

I have way way way too much on my plate. I can’t satisfy everyone. For some reason, I’m not freaking out about it. I’m just doing what I can and telling people that I’ll get to it when I get to it. It is impossible to be it all and do it all.

AND I get to go to the beach tomorrow!!

I seem to have arrived at a similar point within too friend Kensho. I have a heap of life changing stuff on my plate right now and for the foreseeable future. It could easily be too much, and too overwhelming, but i'm taking a different mental outlook and approach. I am just chipping away at what i CAN do, and simply turning up for myself and doing my best in that direction every day. Plus, insist on doing somethings i love daily, no matter how small, because i know this keeps me sane and reasonably balanced. It actually doesn't feel that hard when i let go of trying to do everything and be everything to everyone! lol. Have a bewdy at the beach.

Thanks for all the support guys, it's great to hear I am not alone.

Cravings gone today, had a lovely peaceful day.
I'm sitting outside a bar where I used to drink and am drinking sparking water. Yum.

Hiya 3B. Welcome back. Isn't life grand? There is so much treasure waiting for us if we just get out of our own way and let ourselves emerge and be. Well, this is my experience. Sober life just keeps on giving. If we take a more positive perspective on the day, doors open, along with the odd one slammed in our face lol, but mostly doors of opportunity open for us. Great job on 6 days +!

I used to be my own worst enemy left alone with those thoughts of drinking. Accountability for me is the key to my continued sobriety.

He started at big boy training school last night and after his initial excitement was very good. He has an amazing joy for life which makes me smile.

NS, how true, i no longer feel that i am not worth being on this planet. Sobriety is the thing that keeps on giving in my life.

Hi Ava. Yes, being alone and ruminating, ruminating with our thoughts. It's enough to drive ya to drink! Oh, wait a minute.....it did! Getting out of our head and not sitting on a couch all day allowing our default negative thoughts take us down, coz they will, sober or high. Bogus thoughts as Lav says.

Carl is a little rippa. Your comment about his joy for life struck me. We sometimes let trivial BOGUS thoughts crowd our head and waste our day! No need or time for that. Leave bogus negative thoughts that are based on zero evidence alone. I try to engage with the thoughts that serve me well and are on my team....G man the comeback team. :congratulatory:

Have a bewdy out there.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Had a decent day, even went to a plant farm to get some nice perennials on sale, yay!!

G, I hope you didn’t misunderstand my statement. I was referring to then monkey mind thinking that we deal with when we first quit. It’s always BS when ‘our thoughts’ are telling us it’s a good idea to go have ‘just one’. It’s never a good idea, I proved that to myself over & over until I quit for good

Ava, sorry about the migraine, ouch. Hope you are back to yourself real soon!

3BOW, glad to hear you are doing better. Just keep doing that!

Kensho, enjoy the beach to the best of your ability!!!

Hello to Byrdie, Pav, Wags, Pauly & everyone.
Wishing a safe night in the nest for all!

Lav

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hello everyone.
Geez, Wags, I am so sorry about your wife. Poor gal. Hope she feels better now.

Pauly, a new dog? Yay!! Have fun with your puppy.i am so happy for you.

Hello sweet Pav.
Yes, I think I have won my co worker over. I think I was just overly sensitive as she was crazy busy for a few months and probably didn’t realize how she came across. Anyway things are way better now.
I just have to say you were all so nice sending me good wishes. I am so lucky to have all of your support.

Where is jVo? Is she ok?

Have a good one, tomorrow is Thursday, yay!

Don’t drink today. Xo

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

G, I hope you didn’t misunderstand my statement. I was referring to then monkey mind thinking that we deal with when we first quit. It’s always BS when ‘our thoughts’ are telling us it’s a good idea to go have ‘just one’. It’s never a good idea, I proved that to myself over & over until I quit for good

No Ma'am. I got it completely. :thumbsup:

Hi Narilly!

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

I think I'm going to keep the image of excited Carl going to puppy school in my head today. The thought makes me smile. Let's all be as excited by life as Carl is!

I had dinner with old friends last night. Out of five of us, three have quit drinking. We definitely had some drinking times together - and now we're all very happy to be on this side of it. It felt good to be with sober people. The other two can really take it or leave it any time. Interesting...

3BOW - Your profile says you're in Spain? That is a place I really want to visit again - I went way back in the dark ages for too brief a time. I hope you're doing well. I also took a lot of lavender baths that first few weeks. Take care.

Yes, get out of my head - good advice. I spend a lot of time there...

Happy SOBER Thursday!
Pav

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Had an OK day, nothing to write home about, haha! Actually I don’t need too many over the top exciting days to be happy anymore

Narilly, glad things have normalized for you at work. They are lucky to have you!

G, good we are on the same thought train because it’s going in the right direction!!!

Pav, sounds like you’re in good company with the AF friends.
I have so many friends who never drink too, it gets more common as you age. Several have health & medication issues that require little to no AL. They are making the right choice

Hello to the rest of the nest crew & wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Back from my off-the-grid (or at least offline) little mini-escape and I can highly recommend such a respite! I feel at least somewhat replenished, and I've got two more relatively easy work days before a pretty hard month begins on Sunday.

Glad to see the nest abuzz with support and success, and to be welcoming back folks like 3BOW. This is such a special place.

Just a quick fly-by for this evening but I'll check in again tomorrow. Happy nights and days everyone!

[lifechange]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi Nesters,

I finally got in a part of day 1 yesterday, the second part of the day. Since allowing that first drink into my body, I've been crazy drinking, not even bothering with trying to moderate, not caring about the outcome. I managed not to drink too much the night before my course and that actually went really well. Despite myself. The sane part of myself doesn't want to continue on and I really put up a fight last night. And then felt very relieved that I don't have to carry on. I don't know why I keep falling into relapse. It's happening less often, but the episodes are getting worse. I don't know why I don't learn from my past. Reading back about euphoric recall, that's definitely part of it. I get this idea that everything was fine and completely block the reality. When I drink I'm an empty shell.
I have to go to work. I got a good night's sleep after a week and a half of hell.
I don't know what else to say..

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Welcome back LC.

Sometimes our reality takes time to sink in. I love boozing and the initial effect it has on me in the first hour or 2. I acknowledge that, and am at peace with this. But lucky for me, i love my current life and sanity more. I am in a place of peace every day mostly. It is my usual state of being now. All a direct result of stopping booze and staying stopped. So this is the way i've decided to go.

I know if i go back to boozing, i will immediately and significantly mess with my inner peace. Because it will cause me to not be fully present for a week or so. I'll go back to ripping myself off again. One or two drinks......er....Why?! Nah - Leave the barrel.

It's friday, not a ticket to no freaking boozeville academy see.

Just do your best friends.

[paulywogg]

Re: Newbies Nest

Morning nesters,Wags,glad you enjoyed your break from tech,I don't think I could! I gotta keep up with my celeb gossip on Instagram haha Pav, that is a good idea to think if happy little Carl,I did the same once driving (and dreading it) to work and I seen this little dog with his face out the window of a car next to me and he just looked so damn happy so I adjusted my attitude to match that happy pup Mr.G excellent posts from you-thank you,LC I'm glad you are here and want to stop,is there anything that's bugging you that might be causing you to run off course? Or is it just feeling like you want to drink? I hear you about the slips getting less but being worse,that is what had been happening to me as well,waves to the gang and wishes for a wonderful AF Friday!

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, Nest--

LC - stop drinking and start loading your backpack with all of the tools you've learned here. I wasn't trying to quit my last year - but trying to moderate. I would stop drinking for three or so weeks - proof that I wasn't addicted - and then would go right on drinking. To quote Byrdie, the most I drank was the year I tried to moderate. It was like I knew it was going away so I would drink more. What a waste! I look back at my journal from that year and the word I see most often is FEAR. I was afraid of what I was doing, and I was also terrified of having to go through life without booze. I didn't know who I would be, if I would have fun, if my friends would want to hang out, if I would dance and enjoy live music. It came down to what G talks about above. I honestly couldn't keep drinking and have the life I wanted to have. I couldn't be there for my husband and kids; challenge myself in my job; get rid of anxiety (and extra weight); find inner peace. I honestly think I added years to my life by quitting. We love you LC! You know what to do - you've found that happiness and release before. Write down exactly how you feel right now and recall that BEFORE you drink. As you start to have euphoric recall, take the steps to play it through to the end. You can do this!

Happy Friday, All. I am so grateful that I'm NOT looking forward to drinking this weekend - rather I am looking forward to sleeping, and being present with my family.

xo
Pav

[BelleGirl]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi Nesters...unfortunately I have been neglecting myself, MWO and my sobriety. It seems that the most I can string together is 3 days. When I do drink, it isn't that much, but any is too much and enough to affect me negatively due to medications I am on. Yesterday I dumped out the last bit in a wine bottle that was around if needed for a recipe (my husband bought it). He'll never notice it is gone. Life feels like it has been harsh lately, but I know I would do better not to drink. Failed a mammogram 2 weeks ago and it has been a string of "additional views", ultrasound, and today a biopsy. In addition I need to do a colonoscopy due to stuff that was found 4 years ago in there. I cannot handle more than one medical malady at a time so after the boob gets sorted I'll head to the ass man. I just need to stay away from booze. I see LC is having a hard time also. I will not drink today. No matter what. that is the best I can do right now.

[paulywogg]

Re: Newbies Nest

I wish there was a "hug" button Belle, sounds like a string of stresses for sure! Take care if you and keep checking in

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

[MENTION=15430]lifechange[/MENTION] and [MENTION=16180]BelleGirl[/MENTION], perhaps you could commit to posting here or contacting a sober pal BEFORE you drink. Just that little "time out" can be enough for the real you to take charge, remember your commitments to yourself, play out the consequences of impulsively drinking, and make the different, better choice. I'm so sorry you're struggling :hug: NS

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

That’s a great strategy, NS. It worked for me. I did a couple other things as well. I threatened myself that if I wasn’t able to stop with MWO, I would have to go to rehab. I HAD to stop. So I buckled down and made MWO work. I really did NOT want to go to rehab, but that was the only other choice I had. The next thing I did was take the option to drink off the table. All of these things helped me over my problem spot, Day 12. After I finally got over that, I knew I could make it.

Got my RealID yesterday. Making an appointment at the DMV is the way to go. It took 4 tries to get a picture with my eyes open, but we got it! May I say that the lady at the DMV was 1000 times nicer than our hag admin. Also had a funeral yesterday for a neighbor. Always sad and makes you think. Life is precious.
Happy Friday, all, no ticket to BoozeVille here. Byrdie