Newbies Nest

[Cassia]

Newbies Nest

Hey guys,

Just thought I would checkin. Day 18 for me and I am getting v excited for day 30! It will fall on a Friday but no celebratory drinks for me. I think I will book a nice dinner with my husband instead and then get a facial on the Saturday. Ahh...bliss.

How is everyone? How many af days do you have under your belt? What are your coping techniques.

Have an ace Sunday!

L x

[mylife]

Newbies Nest

Hi Cassia, I think we x posted.

I'm on day 13. I'm doing okay last week was harder for me than the first week, as the first week I was off work, traveling for the Holidays and not in my routine. This last week I was back with all my "triggers" so it really felt like week 1.

Anyway, I'm just ODAT and feeling great to have made it through the weekend. I have been worried about an upcoming visit from an old friend of mine I haven't seen in years. We were big drinking buddies in our heydey and I know it's been years, but I feel awkward about saying I don't drink now. Just something I'm trying to figure out how to deal with! Well, it's a couple weeks away yet, so hopefully I'll be feeling stronger by then!

Off for now!

[madmans]

Newbies Nest

Hi ML and Cassia i am back on day 5 before Xmas i had close on two months, i used lots from the tool box here and daily was on this site reading, talking and learning were i got sloppy letting myself think the worst was over that i didnt need to put the same effort/work into being sober . With the help of God i am not going down that road. Cassia 18 days is great wish i was there now. MM

[madmans]

Newbies Nest

Hi ML let that old buddy know now that you dont drink it will take some of the pressure off you when that time comes .

[hillsidetime]

Newbies Nest

Good morning everyone, I hope you are having a great weekend. Mylife, you are so correct. Even getting up at 5:30, when sober, is soooo much better than a hangover. Man, I really must have been burning the candle at both ends, living the way I was. Cassia, I go camping every summer with a few of my University buddies, and we simply drink and catch up on our lives. It is so much fun. This past summer, I told them ahead of time I wouldn't be drinking much. Than, when we all arrived I stuck to my guns. I said I was on a major health kick. It was a bit awkward at times. They were like, well just have a few etc etc, but I made it through, and had a great time. Maybe I did chicken out, by not coming clean about my sobriety, but it is my right to do that when I am ready. So you can do this too when your buddy comes to town, under what ever context you want. Madman's is right as well. Simply being honest, and telling them you don't drink will solve the problem, and certainly true friends won't mind in the least. For me, I am not ready to tell some people yet. My net is slowly getting larger.

Hi Cassia, congratulations on the 18 days, great work. For me, a few coping techniques that helped most were: urge surfing, having cold club soda in my beer fridge to drink when I usually used to grab beer, reading and writing a lot in here.

Hill

[madmans]

Newbies Nest

Hi Hill your right its your choice when too tell your friends, i have not told any of them i have a problem just said i dont want to drink as it making me to sick the next day, the funny thing is the couple that drink the most gave me less hassle about not drinking and dont try to put drink in my hands. i'd say they have a problem also but that's for them . must go now

[Cassia]

Newbies Nest

MM - you will be back at 18 days before you know it. Less than two weeks away so that's easy going.

Hillside - I can appreciate that you didn't tell your buddies - there are a number of people I haven't told yet and don't know when and if I will. It's amazing though and I have heard it said here so many times but people will give you schtick for not drinking/cutting down and yet if you quit smoking, people would be patting you on the back.

I need to find out more about this urge surfing. I haven't had any major urges yet - just more missing the social side.

x

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Morning Nesters!

Very chilly but sunny in my portion of the nest

Cassia, congrats to you on your AF time! Don't worry about missing anything socially for now. Use this time to build up your inner strength & resolve to live a good sober life

MM, hang in there because you are on the right path as well.

Greetings to Hill & everyone here today!

A little reminder for everyone......
Don't let friends/family give you any BS for not drinking. Just don't accept it from them. Afterall we are adults & peer pressure is for kids. I have found if I say 'No thanks' then change the subject or just walk away, there is no problem

Have a great AF Sunday one & all
Lav

[allswell]

Newbies Nest

When I quit drinking no one was around when I went 6 days without sleep, or had that horrible anxiety, or those feeling like I was fooling everyone around me, and the self doubts. Telling someone I don't drink is the easy part. I found no one really cares if I drink or not. It won't be a big deal to most if not all the people you come across.

[madmans]

Newbies Nest

hello every one , wet and cold in the west here . too many things to do today and not any will power to do them . good and fresh today some tea needed here

[mylife]

Newbies Nest

Good morning guys!

Day 15 starting here, and I have to say I feel really good. Last week was harder for me than week 1 I think -- because the first week I was off for the Holidays and we were at the beach and I was out of my routine. Last week, getting back into the routine and the "let down" after the Holidays...it was really a struggle. I'm just happy it's over and I feel great now!

Hill/MM I can completely relate to telling friends when we're ready. I'm just not going to stress about it and when the time comes I think it will be fine. Hill, that's great you did so well in your camping situation, that would have been a real trigger for me.

Cassia, I think I'll most miss the social side as well. I really wish I could have been a person who only drank Holidays or in social settings with friends...but it just didn't work out that way for me, so I'm coming to terms with that. Hopefully we'll find that we have just as much fun going out in social settings and not drinking.

Lav, I agree, about not letting friends/family give us a hard time. I really don't have that situation, I just feel awkward and ashamed really, to have to tell people "I have a problem with Alcohol". I don't know why, it's just hard for me to admit that problem to people. Something else to work on!!

Have a great AF day all! I'm off to a busy week at work!!

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters!

How is everyone?
If you live anywhere near me you are preparing for a snowstorm, oh well!

mylife, I really don't feel the need to give anyone an explanation as to why I'm not drinking. When someone does press for an answer I tell them 'health reasons - I feel better when I don't drink'. And that is the absolute truth, isn't it?

I've just scheduled a pick up by the Purple Heart organization for 1/21. I find it very therapeutic to go through my closets & storage areas & gather things to donate. It gives me more room around here & someone else gets the things they need.

Wishing everyone a cozy AF Monday evening
Lav

[Bean]

Newbies Nest

Hey Everyone

Had a great Monday. A fun class with a new teacher, got another exam out the way and then ran 3km and swam for 20 mins. Yesterday I ran 5km non-stop so my half marathon training has started out well.

I seem to be devouring chocolate though which i never did when I was drinking. Must have been all the sugar in the AL that was satisfying that need. Don't want to turn into a lump and give myself the excuse to eat whatever I want just because I am AF. Anyway, one thing at a time...

Hope everyone had a good day. I am 2 weeks AF tomorrow. Yay! Feels fantastic.
Bean

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

:goodjob: YAY Bean!!!!
Two weeks AF is awesome, keep up the good work

I had a bit of an issue with chocolate & other sweets in the beginning too but it didn't last, thank goodness!

[madmans]

Newbies Nest

Hi everyone I also had the sugar craving when i went AF back in nov they have not come back now , i fecked up over Xmas expected the same cravings . mind you its took me a week to feel this good again. lots to do here as i did nothing yesterday. I liked your reason Lav you give people for not drinking will be using it around here a bit