Sober (AF) September Challenge

[mollyka]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hello again all - calmed down finally. I soooooooooo would have fallen into a bottle if today had happened last year!! Anon, sorry you're having a tricky day - believe you me I understand!! Keep with it sister, tomorrow's another day.
Sid. didn't know whether to put up a 30 day thread cos you don't seem too sure:H:H, Well done, however many days it is anyway - you've had a pig of a time and come thro sober at the other end:goodjob: and yes, we will all celebrate at the end of Sept.
Good luck with the wedding Tired, let us know how you get on
Night to all, Choice, Dewdrop, DG and anyone else I have not included - just need to finish today. Counsellor in the morning so need my wits about me
Molly

[choice]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Goodnight Molly,
I hope you get some good sleep after a headache of a day. The way you write always cracks me up, even when it's about tough stuff. Laughter is the best medicine :thanks:

[Sunbeam]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hey gang,
I read every word posted here, and cherish the support we all create. I'm packing for two nights in the woods in a cabin, so I will be off line. It will be an easy AF weekend. I will be taking a nature course. The small money I paid will not include alcohol. See you all Sunday eve.

[Hippy Chick]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Morning everyone.

This is such a good thread. Lots of new names (new to me anyway, I have been MIA for a few weeks!). Great to hear such positivity and commitment. It certainly isnt an easy journey, but one that can be done if you are determined.

Anon - I know what you mean by missing AL. I did (do) and dont understand why because I have read all the stats on how poisonous it is to our bodies. I read that the headache we get (got) the morning after is because the brain is dehydrated and shrinking away from the skull! I heard that a few years ago yet it still didnt stop me shrinking my brain!!

What is Rain in my heart about? I missed the discussion on that one.

Long weekend for us this weekend, am ready for a break although with packing to move house and having to do my parents garden, it's not going to be too restful.

Hope everyone has a good sober Friday.

Hip

[mollyka]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hi Hipster - great to see you girl! Rain in my Heart is a series of short documentaries - you'll find them on a sticky at the top of 'general discussion'. They are heartrending, following 4 alcoholics and mirroring the messes we all got/get/will get ourselves into with drink and in some cases culminating in death - a must watch for anyone who thinks they 'may' have a drink problem!
Morning Tippy, Choice, Dewdrop Sunbeam, Anon, SJ, Chill, Sid, and everyone else to come. Have a counselling session at 10AM so a bit uptight about that!
Will check in later as it is my day off
Molly

[enja]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hey All-

Must be something in the ether, I've been headachy and feeling cranky and out of sorts today as well so I'll catch up here properly tomorrow. Just wanted to do a quick check in and drop off congrats to Dewdrop and Sidney for reaching 30 days AF - well done! :goodjob:

Stay strong everyone!

:h

[anon]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hello everyone made it to day 20 Funny how different it feels in the morning. I wake up a bit woozy and then realize I do not have a hangover I then feel so grateful that I have survived another day.
Molly what /where was the thread about buying on ebay under the influence? Done it so many times.
Finished watching Rain in my heart --Gut wrenching stuff.

[Dewdrop]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Morn'n

Tippylou I just wanted to say congratulations and I am so pleased for you that your results have all come back great; you must be very pleased for yourself ? well done and also creeping up to 6 months must be just amazing. I am over the moon about 30 days !! and that is just a drop in the ocean compared to your success.

Great to have you on board Hippy, you sound like you too have loads of experience and advice; enjoy your weekend even if it is busy. Enja I think we all have those blah, cranky days with or without alcohol no one feels on top of the world every day so it?s to be expected, just take care of yourself and be kind to yourself today, do something nice for you and it will pass.

Molly enjoy your session this morning, go in with the expectation that you will get a lot out of it and it will support you moving on and healing your life. :l

Weekend just about here and i am so glad that's another working week gone.

Dewdrop :h

[anon]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Best wishes for the counselling session Molly I do think it is a brave thing to do.
Nearly the weekend so lots of treats like nice walks etc. Only hiccup is I have invited dear friends for a meal on Sunday and they always bring lovely wine (poison for me).
I need some good strategies--They are not big drinkers and even though we have been friends forever they have only seen me drunk once and that was 10 years ago!

[Anjicia]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Mornng everyone its day 29 for me. I have a cold and my sinius are aching like mad so don't feel so good. Hope you get your shower fxed Molly my dishwasher has been broke a few weekes and rght now i can't afford to get it fixed. I've had bad luck with electrical stuff breaking down this year and still most hasn't been sorted. wish i had a handy bf lol. Went an AA meeting last night and got caught in the rain walking to the bus stop. Got soaked and was glad to get home. Goin to another meeting at 1pm today. I feel a bit down may be i'll feel better after it. Well done to all who recently reached ther goals and who made it to 30 days. Have a good friday and i'll check back later.:cupajoe::lordhelpme:

[Peacefull]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Mornin' All,

Firefox, maybe it's the weather affecting your mood right now. We will still have blah days, to get through them with AL is the challenge, one craving at a time sometimes.

I had some emotional hurdles this week and went with the emotion, I cried at my desk, kept to myself and didn't pick up a drink thank goodness.

Not drinking when I am out is really not a problem, it's when I am alone and bored that it's a struggle. I really need to work on that one

:h

[Hippy Chick]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Evening all.

Someone said to me when I first started my journey ten months ago, "if all you do is change the contents of your glass, you will struggle with sobriety". I have only just realised what that person was talking about.
I thought if I stopped drinking all my problems would disappear and my life would be wonderful. I thought all my problems was because I drank. I have realised now that isnt true.
I know that drinking contributed to alot of the shit I had. But by just removing all the effects of AL, it didnt take the crap away too.
In fact it highlighted it, it emphasised it because my mind is clear and not suffering from the effects of a very addictive drug. All the reasons I drank are still here and I havent dealt with them!
This week I was seriously thinking about giving up sobriety and start to drink again because I am no better off now than when I drank. But I came to the realisation that I have not given sobriety a good go. I havent done any work other than not pick up a drink.
I came here regularly - often many times a day, and that became my addiction too. I read all the books I could lay my hands on, but didnt do the work they told me to do. And I didnt do anything about the reasons I drank - boredom, loneliness, to help me socialise and talk to people, to have fun, to give me the courage to get out of the house, to get out of my comfort zone.
Now I have realised all this, it's time to actually do something about it because if I dont, my sobriety WILL NOT LAST!
Sobriety is a journey, not a destination.
Have a good weekend.
Hipster

[mollyka]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Wow Hips, that's a great post and so so true. This time round I am so aware that there is much much more to all this than not drinking - in a funny sort of way that's the easiest part! I think that's why I like this thread - with Sunbeams guidance we are sort of exploring other aspects of life. I had a very good counselling session this morning, I told her how I felt that now I am sober a while it's like the family just take it for granted and feel quite comfortable about grumping at me or being cranky, and I don't really feel that strong yet - I loved them when they were sort of 'happy-clappy' around me. Anyway she is going to send me the names of a couple of books and I will pass them on when I have them. She also thinks the meditation/relaxation route is quite an important one so if anyone has any hints or tips, 'fraid I know nothing of these things!
Anon I bumped the E-Bay thread it should be near the top of the 'General Discussion' section - we did have a good laugh - any stories you can add would be great!
Firefox, sorry you're feeling rubbish, cosy up on a couch I say! You're nearly there - 29 days!
Hey Peace, Dewdrop, Enja and everyone else -lets have a lovely sober weekend together!!
Molly

[Dewdrop]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hippy what you said really resonated with me and it?s something I?ve been thinking about over the past couple of days especially now reaching 30 ? well what now? Yes I?m going to carry on for another 30 but the problems and issues I had before AL are still there, but I'm not sure if I am yet in the right place to tackle them. I need to make the effort and start exercising instead of talking about it, and I need to address the work issues that I have put aside for the past 30 days. I am also aware that because of the AL I have been isolating myself quite a bit and do need to make an effort on that front. I think I need a plan and just tackle one thing at a time.

Molly on the meditation front I have meditated on and off over the years but have really gotten into it again since coming here. I am going to a meditation day at a Buddhist Retreat tomorrow, I went last month and really enjoyed it and it got me back into the practice. I try and sit for 30 minutes each morning and really feel the benefit, I am much calmer and relaxed and 2 people at work commented last week on how chilled I seem these days (of course being AF helps too). You could google it to find out if there are any classes locally to you as it?s not something you can learn from reading a book.

Dewdrop :h

[Spinning J]

Sober (AF) September Challenge

Hiya just checking in. Busy day for me. Day 33 AF. Will sit down and read all posts tommorrow! Have a great Af weekend to all the team. xx