Going for 30

[FoolsGold]

I?ve tried to do a 30 day before but have failed. Think it?s because I haven?t been accountable to anyone which makes it easier to slip. Why am I doing this now? I know I drink far too much and far too often. My wife knows I?m trying this and is joining me in doing 30 days AF. I?ve been inspired reading all the posts on here and really feel I?m ready this time to succeed, no matter what I have to do.
My drinking habit is like this. Most nights call into pub after work and have pint / whiskey. When I get home another couple of beers & couple of glasses of wine. This is most nights with more at the weekend. I?m going to have to change a few things to make this work so here?s my plan. I travel to / from work with my wife and would normally go to the pub when I?m waiting on her after work. I normally meet her around 5.20pm as this gives me 20 mins to go to the pub. Solution ? Meet her earlier.
I would tend to buy wine / beer as I have to walk through town to meet my wife. I carry a bag with me that I use to bring the drink home & my wife can?t see what I?ve bought. Solution ? Stop bringing the bag.
On Weds nights my wife goes to the gym and I make my own way home as she has the car. I deliberately choose to get bus / train as this means I can go to the pub for a couple of beers / whiskey on the way home as well as buy some drink for the house. Similar story on Friday afternoons.
Solution ? Get a lift with a colleague on these days. If lift not available make sure only have enough money to get home and not enough to buy drink.
I?m only going to carry enough money for what I need to do & I?m going to leave my credit / debit cards in the house. No money=No Drink. Simple really!!
I have 2 beers in the fridge left over from the weekend. I will get rid of them tonight when I get home. This will mean there is no AL in the house and there will be none brought in for 30 days. I will post everyday in here with my thoughts and what?s happening. If anyone has any tips I?d be grateful. Wish me luck!!

[goingsobermum]

Going for 30

Sounds like a good plan. Think about something nice you can do when you get in to help you relax. Warm bath, hot drink, run around the block, early nights, decent DVD's, massage. Things that will help stop you going round incircles wondering what to do. Have some plans. Many of us have worn out carpets wondering what to do without a drink in our hands, so don't be suprised if you do that, it doesn't mean you need a drink it means you need something to do, normally something that is ultimatley relaxing.

[one2many]

Going for 30

Go for Gold!!!!!

Nice one!

[Brigitte Bardot]

Going for 30

I think your plan sounds great to me; routine always brings back the feelings of wanting a drink. Time to adopt a new routine and change the brain waves a bit.

[jodiex]

Going for 30

great plan..i need to make one myself u inspired me

[mollyka]

Going for 30

Bloody great plan Fools, I still haven't made one so I feel shamed by you! Only thing I'd say to you is in your post you say you've failed previously cos you're not accountable to anyone. The first few attempts I made at all this I feel now in hindsight I was doing it more to keep hubs and family sweet and that'll never work! It has to be 100% for yourself - if you please others along the way well and good, but YOU have to need this so very very much. My first time around I know if my husband had gone away for a night or something, I know I'd have had some drinks (nobody would know syndrome!!), this time it wouldn't even enter my head. Other than that:goodjob::goodjob::goodjob:
Molly

[Miss Behaving]

Going for 30

FoolsGold;983904 wrote: I?m only going to carry enough money for what I need to do & I?m going to leave my credit / debit cards in the house. No money=No Drink. Simple really!!

This one has always worked really well for me and has also helped in saving a fortune on impulse purchases!!!

[Doggygirl]

Going for 30

I really like your plan! You have done a good job thinking honestly through your patterns and coming up with specific alternatives. Have you thought about what you will DO at home during the time you would normally drink? This is a great opportunity to form some new and better habits. I found that exercise has really helped me in sobriety. There is a "natural high" that comes when I get my heart pumping and these days I look forward to that feeling rather than the high of AL. (which is always followed by a HUGE low and many undesireable consequences...)

DG

[Choochie]

Going for 30

Foolsgold, just wanted to tell you that I tried to quit and moderate but failed at both until I found this site. It's the connection to others experiencing what you're going through that has made the difference for me. And, as you say, there's something about accountability that's important -- not that you're doing it for someone else, but a reminder of what you're committed to doing.

It sounds like you have some good, solid ideas in place. Here are some things I've done that are helping me: (I'm new - 14 days AF today - yea)!

Exercise - which everyone attests to (I jog);
Changing my routine
Hobbies: I now play ping pong with my husband during the cocktail hour - sounds kinda silly but whatever works -- we just came up with the idea out of the blue - it's fun, cheap, etc. Reading - I read like a maniac - this website mostly, along with books about staying AF free - can give you suggestions if you need them - also check out the "What We're Reading" tab.
Drinks - for some reason a product called Tulsi Tea is working wonders for me in the evening. I sweeten the original Tulsi with Agavi nectar. I can drink it in the evening because it's an herbal tea - no caffeine to keep you up at night - also check out the Holistic Healing tab on this site. It's so delicious that I look forward to it like I used to look forward to AL!

[SoFlo1]

Going for 30

Doesn't sound foolish to me FoolsGold - going for 30 days literally changed my life. Getting to 30 meant my body and brain could recover enough for me to really evaluate what a sober life meant and made a decision to keep going that much easier.

I love the specificity to your plan, you've really thought it through. I echo what DG and others said in that you'll need to find positive things to fill you time at home. Wanting to exercise came pretty naturally to me once my body recovered - I felt so grateful for the energy I needed a way to use it! Hobbies you've been putting off or haven't been able to dive into yet are also great. And, of course, read and post on MYO as you journey. You can do this - and it just might change your life, too.

[K9Lover]

Going for 30

Hi FG!
Great plan! It really helps to sit and think about what our routines are and how we can change them, and you've done it. Just take each day as it comes, and before you know it, you'll be at 30 days...and beyond. I'm wishing you the best of luck!
K9

[FoolsGold]

Going for 30

Folks thanks for all the kind words.I'm looking at this on my iPod, so I'll post something a bit more substantial when I get back to my computer

[FoolsGold]

Going for 30

OK Day 1 officially started at 7pm this evening. Had nothing to drink all day but decided to make 7pm official start of the 30 days. Why?? It's normally between 5pm-7pm I'd have my first drink, so by making 7pm start time any day when I get the urge I'll have the added motivation to not drink as it'll mean me missing out on another day AF as I won't have gone 24 hours & it's only a matter of working through 2 hours - sorry if that doesn't make sense but it's just the way my brain works!! What I'll do is post every morning when I get into work to update you all & then when I get home (again between 5-7pm) I can come to computer and read your replies.

[Choochie]

Going for 30

FG - good job tricking yourself! Whatever it takes, right!:wd:

[K9Lover]

Going for 30

Good job FG!
Whatever works for you...well, works! I used to have all kinds of funny "rules" when I was drinking (never before 7pm, beer only, etc.) so why not have rules for not drinking too? Grab some flavored water (or whatever non AL beverage you prefer) and read around the site, there is a lot to keep you occupied around here!!
Keep up the great work!
K9