I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

[madmans]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Hi Jenny , mylife , sharky and hereagain. Mylife have you told your husband that you have a problem?, it feels great to get it right out in the open with the OH, makes you accountable and to just tell someone will help your mind set. I for a long time didn't want to admit to my wife, was holding on to the hope that some day i could drink like everyone else and if i told her there would be no way back. I don't want drink in my life again, its only since i have completely taken that on board that i now feel at peace . ODAT

[mylife]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Hello Guys!
Jenny please don't think you influenced me to drink. I take full responsibility for myself! I just let the little voice that says a drink won't hurt win. Not the next time though!
Here and Dancing welcome and thanks for your input! We just have to keep trying.
MM, I have talked to my Husband, but as someone who doesn't have this problem its hard for him to understand.
Have a great evening all. Can't wait for a good nights sleep and feeling better tomorrow!

[jennyneric]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Feel better tomorrow ML! I have a mild case of the flu so I did not feel that much better today. My head is still hurting! I know no one can make someone else drink, I just don't want to be the one that introduces the thought, in my mind or in anyone else's. Also ML my husband does have a problem and he doesn't understand. He drinks beer only and 3 a night (2 natty lights and one bud ice) and he drinks from 6 to 9 then he's done. On his day off he either does not drink or he starts drinking as soon as he get up at like noon. But he never gets out of control, never does anything stupid, almost never is visible drunk and has not gotten sick off drink in several years. See that is a problem but it is different that my problem. Sometimes the ones we love don't want to admit that we have a problem because it hurts them to think we are hurting you know. Just a theory.

Have a great night everyone.

[mylife]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Thanks Jenny. Sorry you have the flu!

I think part of the problem with my husband is that we both used to be able to "take it or leave it" and we liked to drink, but didn't do it that often and it was never a problem. Slowly for me, it became a problem and he's still take it or leave it. But if I can't drink at all, that means he has to feel bad if he orders a glass of wine with dinner, or wants to go to happy hour one night. Anyway, it's going to be an adjustment period for both of us I'm afraid.

Hope everyone feels better tomorrow -- I think Sharky has the flu also -- I'm taking my vitamins before I get that one, too!

[jennyneric]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Good morning all. How is everyone today? I'm good, it's monday and the only one that is sick is my hubby so I hope we dodged the bullet (knock on wood). I just want to make it through the work day fast and get home to chicken and rice and House! Hurry up 4:30! Have a great AF day all!

[mylife]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Good afternoon all. Feeling a little better today just a little down -- it's Monday...!!

Sharky - are we celebrating 30 days today????!! Waiting for you to check in!

Jenny, hope your family enjoys the nice chicken and rice - that's always good comfort food for sick and healthy people especially in winter!

Have a great day all.

[jennyneric]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Calling Sharky, where are you friend. Hoping you are well.

JC's mothers story just reminded me. . . there but for the grace of God I go.

Good night all, hope you are all well tonight on this wonderful gift of an AF night.

[mylife]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Good morning! Well, this thread seems to have slowed down some!!

I think Sharky is on a business trip or something -- seem to remember that! Hope you're doing well, Sharky!

Jenny, hope you're hanging in there also! I'm just so confused about this whole thing -- do I stop or do I mod, what to do...I'm getting sick of thinking about it already! I think what makes it hard is that my life isn't even close to being "ruined" by Al, really it hasn't caused any problems at all except the occasional argument in my marriage. And even that is nebulous, as I'm not sure the arguments wouldn't have happened anyway... sigh. At any rate, I feel the problem is more internal -- why can't I just stop and not think about it??? And why can't I just enjoy one glass occasionally, instead of wanting several every night? That really is what's bothering me. Okay, I vented.

Hope you have a great AF day everyone! We're due for some big thunderstorms today supposedly! No sign of it yet, though.

[RedJib]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Hi everybody,
mylife, I spent quite a bit of time asking myself the same questions when I first discovered MWO. Members often suggest to others that they should figure out their goal first-- AF or moderation, or moderation after a period of AF, etc. I couldn't seem to decide this at the beginning, since I'd never experienced a period AF more than 10 days in the past 20 years (dozens and dozens of 4 to 8 day stretches, though.) I'm still not clear about this goal, I just want to continue the ODAT approach for at least a month. I believe those folks who say that modding doesn't seem to work for us unless we can establish a baseline of signficant AF time. Whether I'll be one of those people who can mod, I have some doubt. But again, just ODAT. That's the thought I have repeatedly throughout my day: my life is today, and it's going to be AF. Period.

Like you, I've not experienced alot of the reasons so many feel for quitting: no job loss, no financial screw ups from drinking (hey I made some ultimately-bad decisions about what to do with savings, but blowing them on drink wasn't on the list); no family 'scenes' or violence; no time in jail; and as far as I'm aware, I've only once said something offensive while buzzed at a social event.

Still, quitting is every bit as much of a challenge for me as for those who've lost much more. I've lost just as much self respect, and that's what I want back!

have a good AF day everyone!

Jib

[mylife]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Thanks a lot Redjib.

I agree, the approach I'm thinking of now is to get some lengthy AF time under my belt and then I'll make a more informed decision.

[Sharky]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Hey everyone- Quick check-in. Been crazy traveling. MyLife, I was in your neck of the woods - Miami, off to Denver. Will be a tough rest of the week.
Glad everyone is back on track.
Made the 30 days!!!! Yea baby.... Did have a couple glasses (OK 5-6...over about 5 hours) last night at a dinner event. Total peer pressure and I caved on it. Did NOT get drunk and paced well with a ton of water. Felt good about that. MyLife, I struggle with the do I attempt to mod, quit or what? Ultimately I'd like to mod and hope I can. I plan on going AF for the rest of the month. I feel I have a differenet more aware outlook on AL and I hope I can make it stick.
One thing for sure is that I always want to be part of the "little thread that could". You all have been a huge inspiration and I think we have worked well together.
Let's keep it up!
More later anf here is to an AF day!
Sharky

[jennyneric]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Hey Sharky! I've been lurking but had to log in to say yeah you making 30! I think 30 is a mind set and when we get there were like "ok well what now. . .let's have a drink and find out" then we find out and hey guess what we didn't want that drink after all. It's a weird little game but I just keep playing. I'm gonna take my drinking decisions one week at a time. This week no drink.

[Sharky]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Jenn-
Totally hear ya. I was playing sooo many mind games I was driving my self crazy. The best part is that I want to go AF, instead of "I can't wait to go drinking". I'll be at another heavy social drinking occasion the next few days but have already "mind set" myself that there will be ablsolutely no AL. No freakin' way!!!! As you know the 30 days feels fantastic. I think we can all agree it is a huge accomplishment. If you asked me a year ago if I could do 30 - I would have said impossible. We are all making great progress so let's all continue ODAT.
The journey continues.... we need a name for the train?????

[jennyneric]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Mannn, I thought I changed the name of the thread but no luck! Huh what to name the little thread that could. . .the sober caboose? The sober people should follow because there's gotta be someone there to pick up the slack. . . or the slackers LOL.

That reminds me of a saying I really like. . .you must learn to follow before you can lead. So true.

[mylife]

I'm starting my rest of the year sober challange today!

Afternoon Guys!

Yeah SHARKY!!! Well done on 30 days!!! And good job on getting the mindset together. I hope you had fun in Miami.

I do have to say, even with my indecision about modding, AL just doesn't sound as appealing as it used to. I hope the more AF time I get, it will just be less of something I think about. A lot of it is just BAD HABITS that I've formed over the years.

How about "The Sober Train". Or, actually, I really like the original "The Little Thread that Could"...... !!
Jen, you have some good sayings! I also liked your one about God granting you the serenity to change the Person you can...(sorry if I misquoted) that was a good one too.

Have a great day guys.