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Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

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    Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

    Morning All

    Just had the most awesome NY eve - good friends, new friends, 3 generations, got face ache from laughing, enjoyed amazing homemade Japanese dumplings, sushi, miso & chocolate, short walk home, lights out at 12.05, long rejuvenating sleep, woke up happy and hopeful.

    ALL because I am AF

    I am full of gratitude that I quit 4 days ago as if I was still drinking I would either have declined the invite so I could stay home alone and get wrecked. Or I would have gone but been unable to relax and enjoy myself because I'd have been so preoccupied with when I could go home and get stuck in. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that if I'd drunk last night, I would have woken up this morning feeling depressed, miserable, sick, pointless and unmotivated. Either way, I'd have missed enjoying this lovely experience.

    My friend, the host used to be a chronic drunk himself and has been instrumental in helping me reach the stage where I am ready to quit. His 7 year old son kept us all in stitches all evening and seeing this beautiful boy with all his innocence and joy he brought us convinced me that THE MOST IMPORTANT THING a parent can do is maintain sobriety for their kids. I am not a parent but I wouldn't want to miss a moment of any of that through drinking if I was. Easier said than done, I know.

    Yesterday I also emailed close family & friends (abroad) to tell them I have quit AL. So now I am truly accountable! The funny thing is that I used to dread announcing the decision as I felt I would have to stick to it (I guess I was uncertain that I could) but now I actually feel a huge relief it is all out in the open. No more secrecy, hiding and trying to manage it on my own. I am very excited about the prospect of being more present in my relationships and being able to live my life more authentically.

    For those of you just starting out or considering it (I see a lot of posts today of people right on the brink in that place of despair - right where I was only days ago), I say 'leap and the net will appear'. There is an enormous amount of support here for starters and you are not alone.

    Good Luck and Happy New Year.
    Bean

    #2
    Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

    Great post Bean! I'm so happy for you and I feel the same way. Life is so much better without AL.

    Have a fantastic AF day!

    Comment


      #3
      Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

      Bean;1032820 wrote:
      I am full of gratitude

      I am very excited about the prospect of being more present in my relationships and being able to live my life more authentically.

      For those of you just starting out or considering it (I see a lot of posts today of people right on the brink in that place of despair - right where I was only days ago), I say 'leap and the net will appear'. There is an enormous amount of support here for starters and you are not alone.
      Bean - What a great post, ! can feel your enthusiasm beaming out!!

      The relief you speak about is a huge bonus in recovery. Many of us quit knowing we have to but still resent the fact we cant drink like other people. This is when the problems start as the resentment builds and causes the "f**k it" mentality to rear its head in times of temptation.
      I put a huge amount of my sucess down to the fact that when I finally quit I was overwhelmed with relief of being free and I never once felt the remotest resentment.

      Your quote reminded me of another I like:- ?When you have come to the edge Of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness Of the unknown, Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly?
      "In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer ."
      AF - JAN 1st 2010
      NF - May 1996

      Comment


        #4
        Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

        Awesome Bean. What a wonderful post - so full of hope. What a great way to start 2011!
        February 27th, 2013. A New , Successful Start. :h

        When everything seems like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top!!

        Comment


          #5
          Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

          You're doing awesome, Bean. We're still on the same together. I like this news.

          Comment


            #6
            Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

            Bean!
            you sound like me, but minus the non-parent part. i posted for the first time today (since posting years ago when i was trying to kick AL) and found meself twice bemoaning the lost moments gone to being buzzed or drunk, moments with my 4 yr old that i can't regain. but i'm not going to mourn my mistakes for long. today life begins again. this evening i am sober. and will remain so. tomorrow will be day two.

            yep, if you were a parent and were drinking like you did, you'd hate how you'd feel. good you've stopped. if'n you should have children, you'll be so much happier. do i sound preachy? i really don't mean to. i'm just glad for you and hope you'll stay strong. you will.

            okay, the other thing is that above my calendar is a card that reads: leap and the net will appear. i think it just might. that AL was a crappy net, huh?.

            happy new new new new new year!
            RudyB

            Comment


              #7
              Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

              Thanks Chill for the quote. I am starting an Inspiration Journal where I plan to collect every thought, message, quote etc that will keep me on the sober path. I want them all together so I can just grab it whenever I need a paper pep talk. Yours is going in there!

              Yay Sona! Glad you are on track too buddy.

              Rudy - you don't sound preachy at all. I would love to have kids and I know in my heart that AL has been standing in the way of me having a truly great relationship and/or children. I didn't feel fit to be a mother when I was drinking. I hope I am opening the way now for these dreams to come about.

              Made me laugh what you said about AL being a crappy net. Yeah, the holes were always too big, I always fell through and nearly drowned...

              Comment


                #8
                Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

                Bean;1032963 wrote: Made me laugh what you said about AL being a crappy net. Yeah, the holes were always too big, I always fell through and nearly drowned...
                :H:H:H

                AL comes in many guises..... For me he was a lover. In the beginning wild and exciting, then I began to depend on him, he started to control me, I lost my self worth as he slowly brain washed and manipulated me, I lost all sense of reality only knowing him in my life, he made me miserable but I couldnt imagine being without him, I needed him! Every time I tried to stand up to him he beat me, if I tried to get away he enticed me back, I was trapped in a loveless prison.

                Then one day I saw a gap in the door and while he was sleeping I escaped! I ran and I ran as fast as I could, I noticed the daylight for the 1st time in many years, felt the sunlight on my skin, I could breathe again on my own, my legs were pretty shaky but grew stronger every day, I knew this time I would never go back.......
                "In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer ."
                AF - JAN 1st 2010
                NF - May 1996

                Comment


                  #9
                  Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

                  i like the lover analogy so much
                  so, i'm sitting here without my lover who i think i've broken up with anyway (you know how those things can be so ambiguous!) because he wasn't much for loving maybe because he loves his weed more than me.
                  anywhoot,
                  i'm sitting here and the phone's not ringing and it's him, and i'm thinking of making a run to the store and the great news is it's for smokes (i'll quit those later; one thing at a time, right?) not beer or vodka. isn't that great news?! i tell ya, tomorrow will be day two for sure and that's gonna feel great.
                  and another thing, how does one get a cute littel picture up by one's name? i'm guessing it's obvious, but not to this gal who just missed the computer-wiring-for-the-brain generation. alas.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

                    Rudy - go into your "User CP" up on the top left and click on "Change Avatar"
                    February 27th, 2013. A New , Successful Start. :h

                    When everything seems like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top!!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

                      Rudy - I'm so glad that louse isn't calling you
                      Let's make sure he's gone for good the no good, controlling piece of shit.....
                      "In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer ."
                      AF - JAN 1st 2010
                      NF - May 1996

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

                        thanks wagoneer
                        i've been a wagoneer for too long. here i go. still sober. and thanks for the tech tip.
                        another pregunta, has anyone out there found themselves clinging to things other than AL to stay sober? i think i know the obvious answer. i'm curious to hear what people have done in that dept. i find myself wanting to smoke more than i usually do when sober. this too shall pass. all i care about right now is that i'm not mixing a drink to get drunk asap. please share stories of what you've done, clinging or not, to fill all that not-drunk time. i'm thinking about crafting (god knows what). writing (here's a great place to start, i see!). maybe your input would give me ideas...
                        maybe there's a thread already about this. i'll search.
                        you folks really are lovely. i have found a life line. thank you.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

                          chill girl you are funny.
                          to honor him, he's actually not a bad guy (though louse is a great word - i'll be using it, thanks). he just gets so sleepy... hmmm. not much of a lover, huh?!
                          anyway, i know i can do better, and i shall. i am. wee haw!

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

                            Hi Rudy,

                            Don't think I've said hello yet, so hello.

                            Clink on the toll box link masses of info in there. There's a brilliant one about urge surfing somewhere near the end.

                            https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...box-27556.html

                            J x
                            :l
                            It could be worse, I could be filing.
                            AF since 7/7/2009

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Happy hopeful this New Years Day!

                              hi jackie claire
                              thanks for that tip. very good stuff in there. i am so glad to know that i am not the only one -derrr- who has these mental battles over whether or not to drink. every day coming home from work i pass a liquor store where the vodka is very cheap. just a quick pull-in, park, in and out and for four bucks fifty only i have my whole evening planned. how great! yuck. many of those stops are i mean were preceeded by this freakin conversation that never varies much from: "well, i'm hungry so vodka will feel great. i don't have any obligations (except to my son, double derrr), and i've just done my work for the day, so why not? oh, i'll only drink my ration, it'll be okay. but i don't want to,r eally. but i do. but i would really rather be a normal person who doesn't even think the word sober. but it feels so good." and so on.
                              maybe i will soon be laughing in the face of that demon who starts all that nonsense in my head. laughing at him, but knowing he is formidable.

                              Comment

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