String a few AF pearls together with me!

[ChickenNumber3]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Morning and thanks for all the great support folks!

I am totally AF still,, no thoughts of drinking whatsoever...and I am so grateful that I haven't cause my littlest chook is currently down with asthma and hubby away, so I need to be on top of my game and able to drive if need be. What a relief to know that I am not guilty of putting her life at risk with my own stupidity...!

It was an awful night last night, have had about 3 hours of interrupted sleep and feel wasted, but thank goodness I am not hungover as well...oh Lordy!!!

Choochie, bratty, peace,fluff and Beags...you guys are the best! I love that I could be totally honest with you about my recent 'epiphany' and that you have not judged me for my 'fall from grace'. For me it has been a revalation..I feel really strong now, not like before with the first flush of enthusiasm..but quietly, contentedly strong about being AF. I hope I can help others to feel the same way! I feel like I am now truelly & honestly grateful to be sober.

If I don't check back in for a few days it is because my little one is unwell, but I am thinking of you all..and will get back as soon as I can..cause I really believe in this place and the people you find here.
Chook:l

[Choochie]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Chook - gosh no - never will be judgemental. We just get through things in our own way. I hope if I fall off the wagon that you guys will be there for me too.

Sorry your kiddo is under the weather but glad that you're AF to take care of him/her!!

Take care and we'll see you when you have time.

Hugs,
Choochie

[icandothis]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Hello Pearls. I haven't posted in awhile, but saw Chicken's post and had to comment.

I think it's great you had the experience you did and I would write it down in case you ever get the desire again! Hope it sticks! I have to say since my "fall" over a week ago now I haven't had the slightest urge and only feel disgust at the idea of drinking. I didn't drink that much, either, but I just felt sick about the fact I'd broken my "string of pearls". I'm not going to do it again! I'm hoping this feeling sticks with me, too!

Great to come here and see all these reinforcing posts.

[Choochie]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Hi Ican - so glad you joined us. It's a nice little supportive group here. I come daily.

Chook and Ican - it really helps the rest of us to hear how you guys feel about your little indescretion - that it made you even more resolute to stop. That's really great to know. I'm not going to try it, but I feel like if I did that I would feel the same way as you guys. Right now, I feel so fantastic not drinking, that I don't want to compromise it in any way. But, I think if I did crater for whatever reason, I would be right back to commiting to being AF again.

When I think about AL now, it is in terms of negatives as opposed to something I'm missing. I define my mindset as having "hit the switch" for people who go cold turkey. People who take the anti-craving meds use the term. For them it's a physical change from the meds. For me, it's a mental switch.

Anyway, stay strong everyone and have a wonderful AF Saturday!

Hugs,
Choochie:l

[icandothis]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Thanks Choochie! I agree, I feel like it's a "mental switch" that has to be flipped. I feel like it's flipped in me this time, and I hope it stays that way!

I often felt it was a "mental switch" that flipped when I started enjoying alcohol and became dependant on it, so I'm hoping to somehow turn that switch off. And when it's off, my goal is to never flip that switch again!

You've all been doing so great on this thread it really gives me strength to know I can do the same.

Have a great Saturday everyone!

[bratty57]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Stringin those pearls right along..
Day 24 AF.. It doesnt see real to me to be this far and going strong !

Hi Chook.
I sure hope your little one is better today. You are staying on track , EXCELLENT !
You know i feel really guilty now when the thot of wantin a drink enters my mind for a second. It is not a good feeling. I remember it well and how i would steer towards the quick check and pick up some wine or margarita mix and tequilla. Trying to hide how much i was drinking. I need this place to help me remember exactly how BAD it was and i do not want to go back there.

Hi Choochie,
We are still standing strong and workin ourselves through to a happier , healthier life. I still need to come here and read every day even if i dont take time to post. It does me so much good and keeps things in perspective.

Hi Fluff !
I am always happy to see you post and know what progress you are making. Thank you for your support here !

HI Peace,
Gosh, Day 62 is awesome. 2 months of sobriety, I know you have to take alot of pride in that. Thank you for the encouragement. Knowing how many times we have all tried and failed helps to know that it doesnt matter.. this time is going to be different. We are going to make it.

HI ICAN,
Glad to see you here joinin in. The support is exactly what i needed to stay AF. I hope it helps you here the same as it has all of us. WELCOME !

[fluff]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Day 5- or 5 pearls....
Hi ICANDOTHIS-, Bratty, Chooch, Peace,Chickn-and others who come along-
Busy day- daughter had soccer game and they tied with the other team. It was the last game-and my husband actually took her this time- the first game he's been to!
Have a Halloween party tomorrow -I am designated driver... and making a pot of turkey chili to bring along-plus a pimiento cheese dip-courtesy of Paula Dean...
Just enjoying the wonderful FAll day we are having-
Hope everyone is well, sober and happy!

[ChickenNumber3]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Morning Pearlers!

Wow,the thread is busy! fantastic!

Had a better night last night with the wee chick, but still coping with the athma and sleep deprivation. Can only say once again how grateful I feel that I am not hungover and dealing with this.

I agree with the mental switch concept. Even when I was af before now, even just recently when I hit the 30 days, i was still getting cravings and having the internal debates...as you guys knew! But after the slip it was like the mental headspace I was trying constantly to make myself achieve, wishing I could not crave and not feel depirved all the time, finally happened! And to be honest I actually think it was my body, not my brain that flipped the switch. I know that sounds weird but what I mean is, I think my body was 'feeling' healthy and enjoying its health and when I re-intoduced the al it just said 'no..we don't want that poison anymore, stop putting it in me'. So it sent the message to my poor old brain. I think previously though my brain with all its habits and stress chose to ignore the strong signals, whereas this time I was more open to listening to my body! (Cheesy sounding I know...but I feel strongly that the habituated brain could not flip the switch all by itself and that something else had to help it. So although it is definately a mental switch that needed to be flipped with me..cause it is all about how I am thinking and feeling emotionally.....I needed some other element to override the brain!
I remember reading a post here along time ago by one of the 'great sages' (can't remember which Senior member it was off the top of my head now) but they said that its the primeival part of the brain that is affected by al...I think he referred to it as the lizard brain...and now I am even more sure that this is spot on!

bratty,icando,choochie;fluff;Peace;bobyt- congratulations on your individual achievements. All I can say is, this place feels like coming home....:l

[icandothis]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Good eveningi Chook, Fluff, Chooch Pearls!

You know Chook, I really relate to that mind/body connection. When I think of drinking now I immediately think of the dehydration, the anxiety in the middle of the night, and the awful feeling in the morning -- those are all physical things...so maybe my body is telling my mind "leave me alone already!"

I really don't care, I just want to remain feeling healthy and strong as I do when I'm not drinking.

Good job getting the designated driver position Fluff! I'm still working on how to casually tell friends I don't want a drink without drawing too much attention to it...I guess it will come naturally over the years!

Have a great evening all!

[Peacefull]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Chook, you brought tears to my eyes with your statement that this place feels like home.:l

Well, I am on top of the world today. Went out with our friends and had a blast, a couple of questions about why I wasn't drinking, but I was brief and didn't get into too much detail. Too early yet, I am so scared to set myself up with telling everyone I quit. I am just not drinking right now, and I hope right now lasts my lifetime.

I am not tempted and I love, love, love going out and being sober. Having real true belly laughs, running into ppl and not being afraid of looking too drunk, remembering what I did and said and sleeping peacefully.

I think I found the Peace I was Seeking....thanks to all my friends here, I even thought of ya' when I was out that I couldn't wait to share how well the night went. :thanks::h

Happy Sober Sunday everyone!!!!!

[Choochie]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Ican, Bratty, Chook, Peace, Fluff,

I am so pumped - it sounds like we're on a really good track - like we're all sort of hitting the same spots simultaneously if you know what I mean. And, because of that, we're able to support each other in a really good way.

Chook, you eloquently tied together a perfect description of the mind/body connection. This is so exciting - that we're all to the point where we don't WANT al - that the temptation is gone. I still crave - but now it's food -- hope that calms down. Peace, was it you who was saying that the first month you had severe food cravings but that it finally settled? Hope so - I'm craving sweets which I NEVER did before. I'm not sure about the exact chemistry but I do know that AL turns to sugar in your system. So, it makes sense that if you take that away AL, that you'll have sugar cravings. I'm going to try to put together some healthy snacks so I have something good to grab.

Peace, you don't know how encouraging your story is. Being with people drinking is my biggest fear because I haven't done that. I'm hoping I have the same feeling that you've described. So happy that you were still able to have a good time - that's really excellent news! I hope this is a permanent place for you and all of us and that we are finally going to be able to feel whole, peaceful and embark upon this phase of our lives and feel really greatful for it.

I think we're extraordinarily fortunate everyone. Now, let's just hold on to this precious gift and not ever let it get compromised. Ican and Fluff - so glad you've joined this thread and hope you'll keep coming back.

Feeling fantastic and really happy that we've all connected and can support each other. Chook, this feels like home to me too - a safe place to come, be honest, and share our most private feelings about something no one else would understand.

Great big hugs and atta girls everyone. - Bratty hope you had a good AF evening too! 27 pearls for me today - lovin it!!

Choochie:groupluv:

[Peacefull]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Yes Choochie, I was eating everything in site the first month. Sugar was a biggie and I am not a huge sugary treat eater. I believe it is the AL leaving our system and the need for the top up is showing itself in sugar cravings. Happy to say that I haven't had any sugar in two weeks and am now on a real health kick and the pounds are starting to come off.

The month of eating is better than drinking,

[icandothis]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Hello Pearls, thanks for all the great posts.

Choochie, you are doing so great, it's really wonderful to hear your posts. Peace, Chook, Fluff, Anon, I really look forward to all your posts every day.

Peace and Chooch good to hear about the sugar thing! I've been trying to stave off the pounds by eating skinny cows (low cal ice cream bars) -- ice cream is my weakness lately! What's funny, however is that even though I'm eating sugar -- which never appealed to me in the past -- I am actually losing weight! I just think it's a sheer calorie thing. Along with the fact that after drinking a few glasses to a bottle of wine, I usually ate whatever I wanted in addition! I think I've lost 5 lbs in October, and I'm thrilled, never felt better.

I've also been sleeping so well lately. I really hope this sticks and I'm not just in a "pink cloud" because right now I feel like I could care less if I never drank again! It's really wonderful. Have a great Halowe'en Sunday everyone!

[icandothis]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Hi Peace,

I just saw your post about going out successfully. Congratulations! I think it's easier to go out with a group as no one is too focused on just you, it sounds like you had a great time! I hope I can feel that way some day!

[Choochie]

String a few AF pearls together with me!

Ican, Bratty, Chook, Peace, Fluff,

Hi Everyone - just checking in. Hope all is well with you guys. Day 28 AF for me today. Busy busy at work so not a lot of time to post.

Big hugs,
Choochie:groupluv: