Irie's Journey to 30 days...

[Irie]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Day 8!

Horray! Scottish Lass is joining us! There's nothing like going way off track to make you realize how much happier you were AF! I'm glad you are going to be a part of our journey.

[sunshinedaisies]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Good Morning everyone - Irie great on thinking through that desire to stop and get wine. THAT is such a huge leap forward! Go You !!

SL - lovely to have you here - I had to laugh at the way that you put 'your car stopped" - LOL ANYWAY - you had a really good run - so it is back on the horse again. I think 6 days was good - it is that first week that is hard - the first few days. Then we have to watch that we don't get complacent. Anyway - they are all wonderful here on this thread and it is great that you are here.

Ishy - how are you today? I have been wondering how you are doing... rooting for you.

Good morning UW - didn't even open the Carr book last night - I WILL get there, I know I will!! Last time when I quit AL, I quit the Cigs too - and it was easy! So am not sure why this time is harder - I think it is just the thought of being without them, and again - THAT FIRST DAY !!!

Hugs to all, Sun X

[Ishybit]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Good morning everyone!!
I did it, I got through day one. Yess! I had a moment when my husband asked if I wanted some wine, I told him that was a loaded question. Instead, i had a really good snack which seemed to take the edge off, then I had a very filling dinner which killed any craving.
Sun, thank you for thinking of me.
Hi Scottish Lass, yes let's do this! I'm nervous, but the more buddies i have, the more accountable I become!
I'll be checking in later today when the witching hour strikes!
have a great day.
ishy

[lifechange]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

great Irie for talking yourself out of that bottle.! it definately would have put a negative twist on your so productive day. thank god!!

Ishy, good on you for getting through that day 1. they SUCK!!!! i had a string of them the past couple of weeks and it was so hard for me to finally bump through a whole day!

and SL i'm really glad you're back!! hang in there--one day at a time!! it's helping me right now so much not to think of counting the days. of course i know it's been 6, but i try not to have that in the front of my mind. otherwise i start to compare myself the 30 dayers++ and start to worry that i might not have the strength, discipline, whatever to reach that point. when actually, what is really important is just getting through today.
big hugs to you all!!

[Irie]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Good for you, Ishy! Day one is out of the way.

And Lifechange, you are racking up the days!

Sun, I don't know where you find the strength to fight two demons at once. You have a lot on your plate, but I can only imagine how good it would feel to kick two bad habits to the curb.

I made it through day 8. Thank God I didn't have a hangover or I might have actually bitten my bosses head off instead of graciously listening to his idiotic, mean spirited blathering.ull

[scottish lass]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Hi all, had an argument all the way home from work - which was at the main office today, 80 miles in rush hour - I managed to find so many reasons to stop at the store, none of them real - just looking for excuses to buy wine! I had the argument the whole way and past the three entry's into the parking lot - almost drove out of the garage after parking, but did it! I can't understand why the wine is pulling so hard just now - driving me to drink - wish I could work what would drive me away!!
Ishy - day two almost in the bag!
Thanks for teh warm welcome to hijak your post Irie:H
Hello everyone else - this feels good place to be, and just signing in here is diminishing the desire to drink - YAHOO.
Witching hour is almost over for me - so happy!

[Irie]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Day 9!

I can't believe it! I'm approaching new ground. The time or two that I've made it this far before I've caved, but honestly, that doesn't feel like it's remotely possible. What happened to the old me who had to white knuckle every single sober day? I'm mystified but grateful.

SL, good for you for making it home last night without stopping for wine. I hope you are patting yourself on the back this morning. I have literally found myself salivating when fighting with myself about making that stop. Talk about a Pavlovian response! The times that I was successful, I found that the craving reduced quite a bit once I got home and ate dinner. If it's not In the house it's a lot easier. It just getting home without stopping that's the trick, isn't it?

One thing that has helped me is the idea of urge surfing. I think I used to truly believe that the craving was something I just couldn't bear. I didn't know that if I could ride it out it would peak and then wane.

[Nelz]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Irie;1262036 wrote:


. I have literally found myself salivating when fighting with myself about making that stop.

One thing that has helped me is the idea of urge surfing. I think I used to truly believe that the craving was something I just couldn't bear. I didn't know that if I could ride it out it would peak and then wane.

Guilty of both, salivating and surfin the urge...........Hang ten baby!

And grats to you for nearly reaching double diggys

[shueaddict]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Irie ? I have tried urge surfing too; the longest I made it is 13 days ? and a half ? yes I was counting not days but hours AF at one point. First time trying to quit cold turkey was a white knuckle ride all the way ? I remember telling my holistic doctor that I felt I had to sit on my hands to stop myself from drinking.

But practice makes perfect ? as someone else said here, you need to practice quitting and you get better at it.

I think the biggest change is looking at AL as something undesirable, not feeling like I am missing out if I?m not drinking.

The monster in my head is telling me now to go and get one sip, only one sip from the bottle of white open in the office fridge (birthday leftover). I have been ignoring him since the morning.

[sunshinedaisies]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Morning everyone!

Gosh Shu - why don't you just tip that wine out right now - that is such a temptation...... or as it is in the office fridge, can you do that? I love the difference between USA and Europe - can you imagine having wine in the fridge in USA at work? I don't think we are even allowed to have booze in the building where I work!!

Irie - really well done - keep going - you are doing so so well, and no, I haven't started the quit cigs yet - LAST time I quit I did them both at once - and managed for 8 months - then started them both together again! This time I have just quit the AL. But I NEED to stop the cigs. I haven't seen the inhalators over here in USA......maybe I am missing them. i do have the patches though - just haven't used them yet.

SL - don't you just LOVE those arguements with yourself about stopping/not stopping and getting booze? Try a different way home so you don't pass anywhere you can buy it....... anyway, really well done on not stopping - it is SO hard those first few days. well, it is really hard those first few whatevers!! you are doing an awesome job - I am so proud of you for getting through that arguement and coming out winning.

Hi to Ishy and Lifechange - how are you both doing this morning? You were going to check in at witching hour ishy and didn't...... hope things went okay for you though :l Lifechange Good thinking on not worrying about the days - just get through the day ahead - one day at a time is the best way to take it. You can do this and we are all here for you to support you.....

Have a wonderful day everyone....

love, Sun X

[Ishybit]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Hi there everyone,
Well i got through day 2! I went to a "Bunko a.k.a drunko" dinner last night. We have these dinners once a month and honestly we never play Bunco anymore...we eat,drink and catch up. It's a great group of women and its actually easier for me to say no to wine with them than it is at home. I felt very confident last night, i was in the zone and very aware that if I had a glass i would only start to obsess about another one and if others would notice me glugging away. It's so much easier to just not have the first one, enjoy the conversation instead of having to battle within myself. It's harder for me at home because my husband slugs the wine down too....so we understand each other and there aren't very many filters. I wish I could "bottle" (sorry for the pun) the space I was in yesterday and last night because it felt right!! It was interesting too...i had just walked in when one of the girls was saying she was going 30 days AF...i didn't comment but i suspect many of us have the same "bug" and struggle to some degree with moderation or abstaining all together. I also talked with a friend that I've known since childhood about her husbands drinking problem. I could go on with my thoughts about this "bug" some of us have and can't seem to get rid of...but I think I've rambled enough.

thanks to all of you for posting...some of you are inspiring me and some of you are lifting me up. no matter which, it's all very helpful. thanks a bunch, now i have to hunker down and get through taxes and the witching hour!
ishy

[Unwasted]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Ishy, I bet the percentage of people who end up with drinking problems is very high....think about it....it's addictive, we need more of it over time to achieve the same results, and we drink for decades. By definition most will end up with a problem. Most people just don't talk about it, or they're not sure or can't imagine what's going on with them. You're making progress..

[Irie]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Whoohoo, Ishy! That's great news on day two, I made it safely through the night, too, and am looking forward to waking up to double digits in the morning.

Work is beyond a struggle right now, and I'm exhausted from the day. I have a bath calling my name so I'm going to keep this really short. Just wanted to check in and offer support and encouragement. Bottom line this is an awesome journey we are on. I'm so happy we are all making our way.

[Unwasted]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Yea Irie - you're doing great.....I'm enjoying watching your progress.:goodjob:

[scottish lass]

Irie's Journey to 30 days...

Another salivating fight home tonight!! There is not a way home without passing a store - I wish Sun.
Before my slip almost 2 weeks ago, i had 67 days - DOH! I wish I was still on that track, but I have learnt from this period, and that will only make me stronger.
Not sure where you are Ishy - feels like a similar time zone. Witching hour almost done and almost done with day 3. And taxes - were on my to do list for this weekend - maybe thats why I drank :H - got the packet ready to submit thou, so hopefully almost done!
Irie - yes, once I get in, change into sweats and lock the door I am so much safer - just got to get in and put myslef under house arrest! Double digits almost there - woohoo!
Hopefully will check in tomorrow....night all!