Sober September Challenge!!!

[patrice]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Hiya all
I'm starting on Day 1 today- I went to bed thinking it was the 1st September but its not , is it. Anyway, I'm still starting today.

Choice - I left NZ a week ago and have got a job teaching in Malaysia.Yes the earthquakes were horrible and i had to leave. I had begun to drink very heavily after the quakes, starting in the mornings, my drink was red wine. I would drop my 6 year old at school then come home, have wine for breakfast, then I would stop by midday to sober up to make the 5minute drive to pick my son up. Then the minute I got home, i would really drink.
I felt sickened and ashamed of myself....

When I left NZ I said I wouldn't drink but the first thing I arrived at the hotel I was into the minibar.. that went on for 5 days, cocktails, beer, guinness.... with the heat here the drinking made me feel ill but I still persisted. I told myself I was very brave to move countries for the 2nd time in a year with my son and deserved a drink..

Well I know if I don't stop now it could jeopadize my new job, my health, my son and I have to be really strong. I am 48 year old single mum and have totally responsibility for my boy... I also know I have to be strong when coping with the feelings of lonliness I am having after leaving all my family and friends.. I know AL won't help.

I will stay close to this site and try and get through day 1 ( Shit!! even as I'm typing this I'm thinking well its not Sept 1st so..... maybe I could buy some vodka today, its raining, I'm not working till next week... NO NO NO - go away those thoughts!!!)

look forward to getting to know you all better
take care
patrice

[ronnie]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Im in, this is my second AF day and I am ready to do this.
xx

[choice]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Hi Ronnie Day 2 is great so happy your along for the Sober September challenge!

Patrice, my gosh,,, I really feel for you :l On what sounds like a merry go round.. It does take a lot of courage to move to a new country and leave family and friends. I'm actually from the states and have been in NZ now for just over 2 years. I actually think it helped to be in a new place in the beginning... didn't have many friends as triggers.... A lot of my friends back home don't even know I don't drink anymore. Well,,, I think you deserve to feel better so whatever it takes

For me,,, AL just wasn't working at all anymore on that front.... Sometimes I see people drinking at cafes the way I use to and think hmmm... if that stuff still worked maybe... but mostly it just took any kind of feeling good away. I also felt so ashamed I would never look my neighbors in the eye... I actually thought they knew I was an alcoholic and I just was cringing all the time.

I'd love to go to Malaysia sometime! Congrats on your move what your doing teaching sounds exciting.

Hiya everyone I hope everyone is doing well today :l

[Skid Row]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Well, ordinarily I am a massive commitment phobic (lol - I do wonder how I ever got married) but hey I am sooooooooooo in. I am on day 15, this is I think the longest I have been sober in 30 years, seriously, (well excluding 2 periods of making a couple of children) so here it is, I am with you guys, I will try and help in any way I can. I really wish those who have managed to go a little while without (more than my standard 4 days, hmmm ok 4 days free - see I am not an alcoholic or I would be crawling the walls) well I wish we could really explain fully how good you actually feel. It is like a freedom, seriously it is like being let out of some kind of horrible jail. Very best of luck one and all. x

[Phoebe30]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Choice thanks for your advice, I think taking charge of my glass is a fabulous idea and one which I will employ, I won't be saying that line 'I don't drink' for a while yet, I need to prove it to myself first

Patrice your in such a great position to start afresh, I'm so jealous I would love to visit Malaysia.

Big hello to every one else looking forward to getting to know you all Al Free September!! xx

[Irie]

Sober September Challenge!!!

I'd like to join you. I've been coming to the MWO board for a few months and it's really helped me to see my drinking in a whole different way. The longest I've managed go AF has been 10 days, which is so much better than my normal daily bottle (plus) of wine a day, but I really want to push myself farther this time and go the 30 days and hopefully more.

Today is day two for me. I'm looking forward to spending a happy, healthy September with all of you. We're going to have a great month!

[jennyneric]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Good Morning...I'm in! September is my birthday month, I will be 36 this year. It would be nice to welcome my 36th year sober. It's been a bad weekend but I hope it's my last bad weekend cause from now on I want to be rockin the sober life!

God Speed all!

[Nelz]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Ill join the party..........Im ready to put another 30 notches on my old, never used, dried up beer can


I got my eye on the prize for 180 days

[Tiredofit]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Hi everyone! I'm fairly new here. I do lurk alot just to get some insight and quiet support. Last night I lied to my husband and said I didn't drink when in fact I had 4 Vodka drinks. He works 48 hour shifts and calls each night. I feel incredibly guilty especially when I have 3 kids under 5 and they need me. Drinking certainly doesn't help. I usually start right around dinner time but I wind up drinking too much too fast. I really want to do September completely sober and get back in the gym. I find myself slipping but don't notice until I'm way deep in messing up. Time to take control!! Thank you everyone for being here.

[DriftyAlison0]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Count me in! I will join you in having the month of September AF!

[enja]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Hi Choice! Congratulations on your AF Year!!! roud:

I'm thrilled to see that you started up a September challenge because like you joining Sunbeam's challenge last year was how I got my first significant AF time in years. I joined in a few more challenges after that first one and was really motivated and encouraged by the folks on them -- then things seemed to change and I no longer felt *connected* so I stopped posting but continued to lurk (and learn!). I never did the meds or CDs but did take a bunch of supplements during the first few months. It was a shock and quite upsetting when I realized very early on that moderating was never going to be an option for me but then it was strangely freeing....NEVER having to worry about how many drinks I could have and how often, would I be able to stick with it, the sickening realization that I'd failed, yet again, etc. --all the mind games and tortuous thoughts around that evaporated. It never was (or could be) "just one - or even two - drinks" so my mantra now is don't ever have that first one and then I don't have to worry about any of the others - sounds a bit silly now I've written that but it works for me. There were a bunch of other things that I had to change my thinking about and also dealing with what people, rightly or wrongly, thought about me but I don't want to waffle on too much here!

Anyway, to all the newcomers, :welcome: MWO is an awesome resource and works in so many different ways and on many different levels - find out what works for you and go for it - it's not easy but it's worth it and really committing to a challenge is great way to start!!! To all the "oldies", thank you for everything that I've learned from you and your experiences which have helped me to also reach one year AF an infinitely happier, healthier person. :l

[Joplin]

Sober September Challenge!!!

I just joined as of tonight. Day one for me. I purched the hypnotherapy CDs and the product for reducing cravings. Has anybody used these products? I turn 49 in September and want to be alcohol free going forward.

[Audrey14]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Hi everyone!!!
Hi patrice (somehow your story is very close to me)!!!

I want to be with you again, i can' t stand alone and faith with "wine beast" alone..
I don' t have a job at the moment so i can have wine for breakfast which is totally crazy..
I entered this site 1.5 year ago (and i'm very happy about it), had many attempts to quit AL..My longest sobriety period was 14 days..i relapsed but constantly i tried to have sober 5-6 days between drinking days.
I still try and don' t give up..
On september 15 i have to move to another part of world and leave my daughter (she' s 18 ) and friends and some relatives (my parents are dead)..I have fear of leaving and moving in spite my fiance is waiting for me and we love each other..


The interesting part is that we met each other on this site (which isn' t really dating site LOL)...so, we have the same problem..we can support each other brillantly on the other hand we can influence each other very badly too..there is no midway..

I like very much french living style, food, thinking..but i can' t keep their wine phylosphie..some years ago i was able but not now..2 glasses with meal for me are 2 bottles..and sometimes without meal..
Other part i can keep - to give pleasure every aspect of life..and have balance in everything..i'm far away from balance now that' s why i'm here..i just don' t see other way..only mwo

[Tipplerette]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Hi there, I almost didn't join up as I have joined a few challenges and failed. The longest I have gotten a/f is 17 days. I felt great. I am a red wine drinker too and have plenty of time on my hands to do it. I normally drink with dinner and often stop at half a bottle. Last night hubby and I shared two bottles and this morning I am beating myself up over it. I got up at 5 a.m. not physically sick but really sick of my drinking. I sound like a broken record to my own ears. I turn 55 at the beginning of October and as a birthday gift to myself I would like to have accomplished this. One month of no booze. I want to be the picture of health on my birthday. Imagine all the positive stuff we could accomplish if we didn't spend half our lives obsessing about our drinking or not drinking.

I look forward to getting to know all of you and will log in daily. Seems like a great bunch here. The idea of having weekly themes appeals to me. I have some suggestions: healthy eating; detox enhancers ie. lemon, dealing with booze pushers, long term plans, etc...

Tips

[bugalugs]

Sober September Challenge!!!

Hi Joplin and welcome.

Hi All.
It's been a while since I've been active on MWO.
Whilst I've been away, my sobriety plans have not gone so well.

However, on a very positive note. I have developed a wonderful relationship with another MWO member. :l

This September challenge has come along at just the right time for me. Please count me in!!!
I'm not sober tonight and maybe not tomorrow. However on 1st of September I will be sober, and 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc......

I am absolutely determined to support my special girl - "brillantly" :heart:.
After all, It's not every day someone agrees to travel to the other side of the world to be sober together!