Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

[DoneDrinkin]

Hello,

I wanted to share a little success today. I am at the end of my 7th day AF. I had a craving after work today, and I was sure that I was going to stop at the supermarket on the way home for a bottle of wine.

Instead of going right there, I told myself I should go to the gym first, workout, swim, and then go and get the wine if I still wanted it. Kind of playing a little psychological game with myself.

Well, it worked!!! I went and had an awesome long and tiring workout, swim and relax, and I felt so great from it and so "buzzed" that the craving for alcohol completely left me.

Now I'm home, enjoying a little TV and reading these forums. Completely sober now for 7 full days.

Just wanted to share,
Steve

[Cinders]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Awesome!! :goodjob:

It is good to play those mind games. That is what AA means by one day at a time. You can tell yourself, "If I really want to, tomorrow I can drink. Today I won't."

Those days really can pile up.

I am on day 6, myself, so right behind you.

I'll be glad to follow you everyday.

Cindi

[DoneDrinkin]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Thank you Cinders!!

Looking forward to being on this journey with you!

Congratulations on your 6th day.

Steve

[mumofsix]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Its amazing how quickly once we make up our mind things without alchol start feeling normal. About 7 days here too I think, Not keeping track except on the drinks tracker. What I do know is I feel great. Well done Steve and Cinders

[DSLR]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Well done Steve, Cinders and mumofsix, a week is a long time and you all seem more determined than ever to continue with this journey, brilliant.

Steve, that was a great idea to distract yourself like that, a good thing for me to remember for the future.

Wishing you all and everyone a lovely AF Saturday.

[Cravie]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Congratulations to your 7 days. I'm on my day 2 and 7 days feel to me like eternity. Well done!

[Zeppie2]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Well done Done Drinking - believe me it only gets better and those cravings get weaker and weaker. Keep up the good work

[leaveinsilence]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Well done you guys, you are all doing great and I can honestly say it does get easier.

I used the distraction tactics a lot at the begining and it does really help, telling yourself you can have that drink if you really want it after doing something else and before you know it, it's the next day and you didn't buy the wine or whatever it was.

@ Cravie, just take it slowly bit by bit, little by little, a week does seem a long time at first, but believe in yourself and tell yourself you can get there, use distraction tactics, whatever and you'll get through those few minutes when you really want that drink.

Once again awesome job :l

[DoneDrinkin]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Thank you everyone. I am feeling so positive right now, but I have nagging fears about the future.

This has happened so many times before, and I am just hoping I will not fall prey to the evil A at some point. Once I quit drinking, I start exercising again, and it's an upward spiral from there - good habits beget good habits. I start eating healthy, and being good to myself, and I feel physically and emotionally strong from it and soon I have no desire at all to drink.

Then I have a bad week at work, or have stress at home and *BAM*. That first drink is the road to hell, and I never want to go back there again.

How do you protect yourself from that moment of weakness?

Steve

[vintage girl]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

DoneDrinkin;1099502 wrote: Thank you everyone. I am feeling so positive right now, but I have nagging fears about the future.

This has happened so many times before, and I am just hoping I will not fall prey to the evil A at some point. Once I quit drinking, I start exercising again, and it's an upward spiral from there - good habits beget good habits. I start eating healthy, and being good to myself, and I feel physically and emotionally strong from it and soon I have no desire at all to drink.

Then I have a bad week at work, or have stress at home and *BAM*. That first drink is the road to hell, and I never want to go back there again.

How do you protect yourself from that moment of weakness?

Steve

First of all well done Steve and everyone else, awesome!

Steve, You say yourself that your good habits start to build, remember how good you feel about yourself when sober, and how bad you feel when you are drinking. Also remember that the feeling will pass, so distract yourself, do something, ANYTHING, until it does.

I had a stressful situation at work recently that normally would have had me reaching for the bottle because I 'deserved it'. Do you know what? It passed, it was resolved without me getting into a drunken state over it.

Go to the gym, go for a run or a walk, read a book, visit a friend, or read and post here.

You saw how that worked for you, that's what prompted you to post. Don't expect it to be plain sailing, it isn't. You do need to have a plan in place for when that niggling little voice in your head starts to get to you.

7 days is a milestone. Ask yourself, do you want to go backwards, or is your goal to build on that seven, one day at a time?

You have show yourself over the last seven days just how strong you are, well done! :goodjob:

[Lavande]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Congrats on your 7 AF days Steve!!!!!!!

Remember this excellent feeling & keep doing anything you need to keep it going

Don't wait for the 'bad week' to come - it always does! Be prepared with a good plan to put into action when it does happen. Pull out the extra stops to keep your sobriety.

You'll never be sorry

Lav

[Gidget1016]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Steve - 7 days is awesome! I'm right there with you on day 8 and like you, I am concerned about falling into the same old traps that drag me back to the bottle. I know for me, this week I feel so much better. I started exercising again, eating right and I'm sleeping better and have more self confidence and I like the way this feels! I think if we just stay focused and have a plan, we can do this!!! Good Luck!

Gidget

[mylife]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Good job done!

Set yourself a long term goal and remember that new habits take time to build! You can do this!

[damo180]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Congratulations on your 7 days Steve.
Keep going mate, you CAN do this.
Be ready for the cravings, but remember thats all they are, and they pass, and lessen in time .

Go for another week and then maybe aim for 30 days, which is usually a common goal.
Hopefully then, a lot of aspects in your life will improve , and you will keep going .

Rooting for you here.

Damo "105 days AF " in Dublin...........

[DoneDrinkin]

Sharing a little success - 7 days AF

Thank you all.

8 days and counting now. Went to the gym again today and got my "fix" there instead of the liquor store. Felt great.

I'll have a think about some short & long-term goals and report back.

Thanks again everyone.. you are all incredibly helpful and supportive.

Steve