Newbies Nest

[babysteps]

Newbies Nest

Good morning Sunshine, Lavande et al! Happy Thursday, tomorrow will start a long weekend yahoo!
Spede some of us have to have a certain no. of trys at 'moderating' before we can face that we just cannot do that.... those that can must be in a different place. Good luck to us! We don't want to have to keep killing ourselves before we get to a good place.

What number post is this? I'll say Happy pre NY's to all

[spede68]

Newbies Nest

From Lavande

Start thinking about AL in terms of the poison it is. It is not your friend, not your source of comfort after a bad day, etc. Our addicted brains keep telling us that having one won't hurt but when do we ever have just one? Make that FIRM commitment to yourself, adjust your plan if necessary & start saying 'No thank you, I don't drink'! Say it over & over until you really believe
Thanks for responding to my wimpering Lav. I maintained AF last night and feel ever so much better for it. I still feel mentally like I blew it, but physically, I am much better. I've seen posts on here about AL being "poison", but never really thought about it that way. I think that's a new thing I need to work on. Then, I read about Bean's friend who is 24 and sooooo ill. Sad, sad case that he/she has no choice in the illness. You would think that as a health care professional, these types of things would blast me in the face. I see it every day. Alcoholism is a HUGE causative factor of MANY acute and chronic diseases.

From sunshine for few of us it really stuck the first time. I'm so glad you are back here today and hopefully you will have learned something from yesterday's experience. Lav is right... sometimes a quiet 'I don't drink' to ourselves is what keeps us from having that first drink.. which is the ONLY one we have to worry about

I suppose you're right, sunshine. I've heard of people falling on/off the wagon for years. I don't want to be one of those. I WANT TO BE DONE. I have been drinking almost daily for almost two years. I believe I started to help me sleep. I had a high stress job and a high stress extended family (long story too much to go into here) and just couldn't turn my brain OFF at night. Long story short, I used AL to get to and stay sleep. Well, I no longer have the high stress job, by choice, moved away from the high stress extended family (although they have now followed me here) and am just trying to raise my own family in a peaceful environment.

GL Bean. My heart goes out to you.

Thanks everyone for the support. I KNOW I'll continue to need it. Have a great AF day everyone!

Spede:thanks:

[mylife]

Newbies Nest

Good morning guys! I have limited posting the next couple days as out of town! Babysteps, good job on getting the 10,000 post!

Spede, hang in there. I know I have been exactly where you are many times, and eventually I am fully coming to the decision -- enough!! I know you will, too. Really, it is an internal switch that seems to flip and for me, I just know I'm at the end of my road with AL and on to new and better things with my life!

Have a wonderful AF day all!! Best thoughts and wishes for a very Happy and AL Free New Years!

[Bean]

Newbies Nest

Hi everybody

I just posted on my other thread so won't go into all that again. By the way...do people tend to pick a thread and just post there? It seems very time consuming to keep going in and out of all the possible different places to post on here...perhaps I will just start posting on this thread.

Last night I had friends over for pizza and a movie. I really wanted to cancel since I felt so rubbish all day but after a little bout of self pity, managed to haul myself out of bed and slowly during the day did some chores and tried to go easy on myself. At least I was up and dressed.

My ex (also a very close friend) came grocery shopping with me. He knows all about my problem but is a 'normal' drinker himself. Have to admit I was kind of flabbergasted when he asked if I would be 'offended' if he bought some beer. Offended isn't the word I'd choose. It just kind of amazed me that he knew I'd been doing some serious bingeing this week and I have previously asked him to help me stop or he would offer to not drink around me.

Anyway, long and short of it is that he bought some beers and my 2 friends had ONE glass of wine each (how is this possible??!) and I drank water and didn't want any alcohol at all. On a side note - what are people's thoughts about others drinking around them? I get that it's probably not that helpful but at the same time, I know I have to be responsible for me and my problem. Unless I move to a 'dry' community (never going to happen), alcohol is always going to be around me. I refuse to let that poison dictate where I go and who I hang out with. Perhaps I'm lucky that of all my friends, I'm probably the heaviest drinker and I do my worst bingeing at home on my own. In fact a lot of my friends don't drink at all/much. This is certainly going to be helpful.

Anyway, just some thoughts this Thursday morning.... Was feeling a bit mis when I got up but has cheered me up to come here and be reminded we are in this together and see there are people posting to me. You're all right, it really does help!

Spede, hope you are doing better today. I too have made many many many slips. But you are trying to beat it and that's what counts. Don't give up. You'll get there.
Bean x

[Sona]

Newbies Nest

I personally think we just have to get used to other people drinking around us. If we decide we are going to life life AF, then it is said and done. We make no decision for anyone besides ourselves. We can't control anyone besides ourselves. We want to be AF, and that is what we can control.

That said, I think it would be smart to stay away from certain places that may trigger us to failure. New Year's Eve may be a good example -- do you have plans for New Year's? I am fortunate in that I've offered to be with my kids (7 and 5 yr olds) while my wife/soon ex-wife goes out with some friends. I am totally fine with that, I do not need to be out tomorrow night. Instead, I can be in, with no alcohol in the home (save my wife's wine which I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole).

I can't wait to be able to say I have two days, a week, a month, a year under my belt. But for right now I am focused on TODAY. I know that I am not going to fail today. I will worry about tomorrow when it comes, and if I have an issue, I will be here at the forum and you will all be the first to hear about it.

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

babysteps, Congrats on the 10,000th post!!!

spede, I'm happy to hear you stayed AF last night - good for you! You will be amazed at how mentally clear you will become in just a few days! I know it's a huge effort right now but you will love the result when your self respect returns!!!

mylife, enjoy your time away - think about us

Bean, it is rough being around people drinking in the early days! I got thru it by just refusing to focus on the contents of their glass. I didn't want to drink so I decided to be happy with my iced tea, diet Coke, whatever. After a while it all becomes much less of an issue, really.

Sona, NYE at home with your kids sounds great!!! What a perfect time to create some special memories for them & for you! Stay tuned into MWO - I have a feeling a lot of us will be hanging aroiund here

Wishing everyone a cozy AF night!
Lav

[allswell]

Newbies Nest

Wishing everyone a great, sober, New Year's Eve!

[hillsidetime]

Newbies Nest

Hi everyone, I hope you are well. I would like to wish you a wonderul New Year, one in which you control alcohol not the other way around.

Sona, welcome. I agree with you, that sometimes, especially in the first few months, it is OK to avoid situations where temptations will be strong. Enjoy your time with your children. I am going to do the same thing. Like you say, keep adding those days together, and hold fast.

Hill

[mylife]

Newbies Nest

Happy New Years eve morning all!

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and fever so that seals the deal for an AF NYE for me!

I agree its a good idea to try and avoid AL situations in early days but eventually we will have to cope with others drinking and we just don't!

Have a great New Years all!

[sunshine_gg]

Newbies Nest

Good morning (ok, barely) nestlings!

Happy New Year (very shortly) to you guys across the Atlantic and Happy New Year for real for you Aussie folks

I'm rather desperately trying to wake up (or stay awake) - did not get to sleep until about 5am.. the sleep fairy has joined the union and was on strike last night

I'll prolly be passed out by about 11pm.. but at least it won't have anything to do with AL!

As we say in Germany.. 'Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr' - take care and have fun everyone!

[Bean]

Newbies Nest

Feeling a lot better already!

So this is day 3 AF for me and my mood has already started to lift. I've got a great day planned - skiing with a friend and then NYE avo/dinner making traditional Asian food with a friend and his family, maybe some story telling and some music. Hopefully some time in there too to reflect on some goals and aspirations for the coming year and what I plan to leave behind (for good) in 2010.

Feeling very positive as we head into the New Year. My best wishes to all for a healthy, prosperous and sober 2011.

Bean

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Hi Nesters,

Quiet afternoon here inmy part of the Nest, but that's OK.
Hope everyone has a good solid plan ready to get them thru tonight's festivities unscathed.

I'm feeling very positive as well Bean

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

:bump:

Wishing everyone a happy & healthy AF 2011!

Lav

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

HAPPY NEW YEAR NESTERS

WHERE IS EVERYONE??????????

[renewal]

Newbies Nest

10,000

Congrats to Babysteps on our 10,000 post. When I created 'The Nest', never did I ever imagine it would have the 'staying power' and help improve so many lives. Of course that is all due to each of you and your willingness to share your thoughts and feelings. In doing so, you have helped yourselves while also benefitting so many more. I honor each of you and wish you the best in 2011. You deserve good things....now let's go get em....all my best! Pops....and G