Applying the AF Principle

[poppy62]

Hi all have posted a new thread as I often find it hard ( with limited time to keep up with the newbies nest ).

I am on day 86 af and happy to say just living each day now not so much counting or thinking about it which is such a good place to be at. I no longer think about not drinking I just do it. A very positive thing to come out of all this is that I now have the faith and confidence in myself to achieve other things and have a new mind set towards them. I think if I could give up the booze I can do anything. Soooooooooooo with this in mind I have joined a slimming club and plan to loose 2 stone ( 28 pounds). I am applying the same principle I did for my quit I am just thinking about each day and keep reminding myself how quickly the af have mounted up and now I look back at day one and wonder where the days went. I plan to do the same with the diet. Being af I am hoping will also keep me in track as al had lots of wasted calories and once you have had a few drinks its very easy to over eat and a hangover cry's out for comfort high fat/sugar foods.

Being af is now just a way of life for me and is so liberating and refreshing . We have been invited out at the weekend with friends and I can accept the invite without sending the whole week prior to the event worrying, panicing and planning( and usually failing) to formulate a plan of attack not to over drink or get drunk. Now its easy I know I will drive and not drink done job !!!! and that feels bloody amazing will feel even better when I have lost the weight.

Facing my al demon and beating it is the best thing I ever did, I do have regrets that I did not do it a whole lot earier but at least I did it and now if I am ever faced with the choice of a lottery win or not drinking I can choose the money as I did the not drinking bit !!!!! way to blinking go !!!!!!

[MossRose]

Applying the AF Principle

Poppy - what a lovely post. 86 days is impressive. But it's your attitude about not drinking that is really inspiring. Way to go!!

[j-vo]

Applying the AF Principle

Great post Poppy! Congratulations to you and your new life.

[Marylou123]

Applying the AF Principle

Poppy - thank you for the great posts. I too find it inspiring. I picked up a harmonica a few years ago. (Don't laugh - it's easier to carry than a piano.). So, when I get home Thursady, I am going to check out You Tube for lessons. I'll make you a deal - you lose the 2 stone and I'll learn a classic blues tune to celebrate!

[lead366]

Applying the AF Principle

Awesome Poppy:

Thank you for your lovely words. So exciting to hear from a long term sober human.

Cant wait to join you

[Pavati]

Applying the AF Principle

Glad to see you, Pops. And glad to hear you're doing so well. I was just looking up ceramics classes online - something I did in my 20s and haven't done since. Amazing the amount of time available when life it not focused on drinking or recovering...

xo

[Petrelhead]

Applying the AF Principle

Poppy,

Thanks for the inspirational post. I'm a newbie here at day 3 of a 3 month (90 day) goal to go AF. I see you are nearly there at 86 days. Very well done and you should feel very proud. I hope to make it in 87 days.

[poppy62]

Applying the AF Principle

Hi guys thank you all for your great word and you are on Marylou get practicing !!!. I was thinking this morning and I think the main lesson I have learned from my quit is to have some patience as in the past when I attempted to go af I was so impatient for it all to happen that I never stuck with it. Now I just concentrate on the day in hand and I know its a cliche that is used over and over but its so true ' one day at a time'. I have learnt to apply that to anything you are doing loosing weight, learning a new skill etc . I have also found apply that gives you sense of inner peace as you are not always wishing yourself forward from where you actually are.
I would say to everybody have your goals but give time time and use all the resources available and golly good luck , whatever we are trying to do we can do it !!!!.

[available]

Applying the AF Principle

Pop glad to see that you are still here and af. I did actually ask about you the other day so a relief for me that we are still on the same path with Pav included. It does indeed get easier taking life one day at a time which is a motto i hold onto as well as 'today i will not drink" and i will never drink AT anyone again.

Time flies when we are having fun being af.

take care and good luck with your weight loss or changing eating habits as i like to call it.

[SoberSoul]

Applying the AF Principle

Well done, Poppy and very encouraging. It's great to read that it gets easier and other goals can be attained simply by achieving the primary goal. xoxo

[frances]

Applying the AF Principle

Congratulations! Your post is inspiring.

I am newly 'trying again' - in your post you said you are "just living each day now not so much counting or thinking about it which is such a good place to be at. I no longer think about not drinking I just do it"....how long would you say it took you to get to this point? Was it just recently?

I have gone AF for 30 days in the past but never longer but I did not get to that point and it is so frustrating how AL takes over your mind!! I would love to get to a point where it is not like that. I'm sure the answer is different for everyone but I'd love to hear what your experience was.

[K9Lover]

Applying the AF Principle

SO proud of you Poppy! Isn't it nice when you realize that you haven't even thought about drinking? For the newbies...believe us, it DOES happen. Just hang in there and don't quit before the miracle happens.

Ok...I will join the band with a musical instrument, how about a banjo? LOL

Stay strong Poppy! You are really kicking AL's a**! :h

[damo180]

Applying the AF Principle

Love these posts !! Thanks Poppy.
Really helps me to keep going.
Damo in Dublin

[poppy62]

Applying the AF Principle

Hi all glad you are liking my post and everybody please feel free to join the band we have a harmonica and a banjo so far !!!.

Frances good for you trying again this time was not my first I have tried and failed many many times. I have given some thought to your question and I am not a 100% sure when I stopped thinking about having a drink. Initially I drank af free wine and beer which made me feel like i was not missing out but without the negative effect of al. No for the past month or so I don,t bother much with the af wine or beer just now and again if I go out as I am not a lover of fizzy drinks or juice ( cant really and would not want to be drinking a cup of tea in a bar at night ). The truth the not thinking about drinking has just crept up on me which is amazing as in the early days I thought , god will this ever get easier ? will I have to spend the rest of my life making the conscious decision not to drink, which is hard work on a daily basis and makes it so easy to slip. As the battle in times of stress etc make you sometimes say this is just to much like hard work and slip. But I am pleased to say know you don't without realsing it the decision not to drink transfers from your conscious brain to your sub conscious brain and you don't think about it just do it very much like learning to drive. Initially you have to consciously make the decision to change gear etc and then one day you do it without thinking that's the way it has been with being af. So stick with it one and all as it is a very good place to be at.

[Sarah42]

Applying the AF Principle

Great posts..thanks!