Newbies in Need - Day 1

[Kitty]

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all having a good weekend. Loads of really positive posts on our daily thread yesterday which was great. Lots of new newbies too which was super to see.

Well this is our 3rd month now and I think we all enjoy our daily thread, I think it's been a good way for us newbies to get started. Many of us come to MWO without even a plan really and I've personally found this thread helpful as it has given me an idea of what my future goals are.

Sending thoughts and love to Bluesky who will hopefully be back with us soon and starting us off each day.

Have a super Sunday and let's make July a wonderful month,


Kitty

[Kitty]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Dear all,

Day 14 for me today and I'm really pleased. Never thought I could get this far and hoping to go alot further. At the moment I'm just taking it day by day. Be lovely to abstain forever as I think that is the only sure way of keeping myself out of trouble but we'll see. I guess my short term goal is to do 30 days then see after that.

I'd love to be able to moderate but I don't think it's possible, I've ordered some Topa so we'll see how I go with that when it arrives.

The weather here has bightened a little which is nice and I'm still busy with "Monty". He's a real gem, very affectionate and really smart for his age. I know he's going to be a wonderful companion over the coming years.

The family are a bit of a tiz today as my SIL is due to go into hospital for an operation which she needs before she can start her IVF. It's been cancelled twice so hopefully they will find her a bed today.

Anyway have a good day all,


Kitty

[Guest]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Hi Kitty,
Love the kitty avatar....is that Monty?..........gorgeous, adorable wee fella!!!!
14 days ABS is fab...........I had to go straight to MODS..........don`t personally think I coulda managed a 30 day stretch............
Hope your SIL manages to get checked in for her op.

And good morning all.

Yip, don`t know what it is really, but start of new month feels real good, like we`re brimful of hope and new commitment....feels exciting and a bit challenging!!!

Anyway, had my bottle of C-A-K-E (lol) over weekend, so am hopefully AF until next weekend again..............

Keep up the good work guys and have a Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat day!!!!

Much love,

Starlight Impress

[Suzanna]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Good morning Kitty and Starlight. Kitty is a cutie, what a great shot if it is yours, I am very impressed, and definitely impressed by 14 days AF. I am moderating for now but aim to go AF real soon, and I have cut down alot and do feel the difference so am hopeful that will continue with the great community here offering lots of good advice and support. Suz

[Kitty]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Hey Suz,

Well done on the cutting down.

Just to say I did take the photo and I'm really proud of it, we've already framed it for the dresser! Took me ages to get it though, the little scamp hardly every stays still, I think he took pity on me in the end.

Kitty

[retteacher]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Hi Everyone: What an adorable kitten. In spite of the work involved, I think an animal is a wonderful addition to a person's life. We adopted a puppy from our local shelter in January, & he's become just a real love in my life.

It's great to start a new month. I have a goal in mind but don't want to write it. For now, I'm just trying to stop drinking at home. That's big for me. Love to you all, Mary

[Guest]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Hi Suzanna,
Am happy moderating, but wish you well if planning on going AF.

Kitty.............he`s so completely stunning!!!!!!.............you`re one lucky kitty having Monty, and what a grand name for him..........luv it!!!!

No drinking at home is a fantastic goal in itself retteacher..........hope having a new plan in private for the mo. helps you. Appreciate what you say about the presence of a pet in the household...........have a wee dog I adore.........so wonderful and comforting to have a wee cuddle with her when feeling down and when not feeling down..........unconditional love..........pets still love us when drunk, eh?

Starlight Impress

[louise]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Good job SheShe on taking the kudzu and "no more beer" under difficult circumstances! Kitty I am so proud and happy for you for 14 days AF without even any meds. Keep it up! You can do 30 for sure. Monty is adorable. Starlight, glad you enjoyed your cake (haha) and that you only have it on weekends. It is fattening you know! You sound upbeat and I'm glad - I was a little worried when I saw a bunch of deleted posts in various threads. Suz, love your avatar. I also have cut down a lot but am not yet to my goal. We will get there together. This month will be better then last I know because last was better than Jan, Feb, Mar.....Mary I want to tell you how much I admire your courage and total honesty in drinktracker. Anyone who can do that everyday is going to make it. Lets take our doggies for walks when we want a drink ok? I'm doing well. Had an AF night. A friend from college is coming today with her 3 dogs for a week. We will have 4 dogs in a small house with 100 degrees so too hot to keep them outside. A bit stressful. We are doing a spiritual retreat thing but staying here instead of at the site. Anyway I won't have time to drink and may not be here much either so I hope all continues to go well for everyone. I'm sending good thoughts to Bluesky for her recovery and wondering about Janice, Roxane and Gardengirl. Has anyone heard from them or know where they are? I may have missed a post about vacation. Roxane, a hug to you for Ade. Please check in if you can.

[Guest]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Louise,
Thanks for your concern. I`m real cool !!!
Think M.W.O. is a learning curve much the same as anything else and things can be easily misconstrued, however well intended.........sorted!!!

Yip, sure am fine.....was just thinking, I`ve had 4 btls./wine over last 3 wks., compared to the 21 btls. I woulda had in same period of days of (not so) old!!!! lol.............Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeha

Keep going good, guys

Starlight Impress.

[nancy]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

new month,new hope

Louise: I have been thinking about bluesky and Janice, hoping they are ok!

Kitty and Buckledown: Keep going!

Starlight: Do you ever have a piece of cake and crave another one but resist because it is socially not done? I always feel like that but don't act on the urge (the craving is probably related to the sugar). That's why I was thinking wine should be like cake, you might crave it, possibly also due to sugar, but it should be possible not to act on the cravings.

Mary: good luck. like i wrote before, i have been successful for the most partnot drinking at home and it's been really beneficial. In the last three months I have had probably only 3 days where I didnt feel well at work due to alchohol. However, there have been some weekend episodes where I brought alcohol back home and I hated those times. Yesterday, I had an urge to drink some light beers at home and acted on it, though I didn't have that much. I want to get rid of that habit.

I have been listening to CDs by Pema Chodron about habituation. For me, alcohol has been a way to deal with negative feelings. I only listened to one CD so far. According to Buddhist philosophy, we have trouble being present and dealing with painful feelings. So we seek to get rid of them, sometimes through addictions, to make ourselves feel better. The trouble is that this makes the problem worse. We need to learn how to stay with our feelings, accepting them and approaching them with a sense of curiosity. You don't judge them, you just witness them and let them go in meditation. I really think this philosophy is good for people who feel neurotic, think a lot and/or suffer from depression. I find it really interesting that practitioners of this ancient religion commonly refer to neurosis and suffering.

Anyway, it's educational.

I am also thinking about relationships with alcohol. It must be possible to change your relationship with a substance just as you would with a person. sometimes you are close to people but the relationship changes and you become distant. Alcohol might have been the one I would go to for help or comfort, but that relationship needs to change.

I want to go AF for most of this week, if not the whole week.

[Change]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Glad you're doing well Kitty. And that is a cute cat! I am allergic, so i can't keep kittens.

Starlight Impress, you will abstain when you're ready. The most important thing is that you are making changes and it sounds like you are doing just that.

Well, me... i've had a few rough days. I don't know if it was the sugar or just a bad time, but the last 2 days have been horrendous. Anxiety, fear, loathing, the whole lot. I've realised how bad my life situation really is and have decided i need to do something about it. Getting the energy is another story, but it is getting there.

Really felt like a drink last night and today. It was a real struggle not to give in (i was close), but somehow, i buttoned down the hatches and i am now AF for around 24-25 days (lost count, need to sit down and take inventory again!). I think the reason i felt like a drink was because i was getting to that defeated "i don't care" stage again, and that is what accelerated my drinking in the first place. So, now, i am focusing on positive outcomes, moving my life forward somehow. It seems so hard now, but i am starting by selling my flat and moving out of here. This really is one of the causes of my misery.

Anyhow, still coping.

Hope everyone's doing better than i've been doing the last few days

[louise]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

We're pushing you from behind Change. May the road rise up to meet you and the wind be at your back.

[lucky 2.0]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Hi newbies- except some of you are not really new but that is beside the point- WELCOME!

Welcome to My Way Out, aka MWO. It is not MYO. Easy mistake to make. All is good. Just a heads-up because that is a big pet peeve to some on the site.

Be well. Be happy.

[rottrod]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

Hello everyone,

Thank you Kitty for starting the thread today and stepping up in Bluesky's short (hopeful) absence.
What a darling kitten and you picked a cute name for him. Congrats on 14 days. That is awesome. Have you noticed changes in your skin and hair since not drinking and smoking? I've heard that the changes can be pretty remarkable.

Star, good job with the mods, I really hope you can make it work for you. Have a great day.

Suz good to see you again. Hang in there. Personally I think once you decide, AF is actually easier than Mods because it takes lots of decision making out of the equation of your daily life, but that's just me. I'm not totally there yet but it's my reality.

Mary, you are sounding a little more positive everyday. We all know you can do this, you just need to believe in yourself. I think we all come here terrified that we are going to fail. I was. This place, RJ's book gave me hope, and that was a life line for me, and now I have no doubt that I'm going to make it.

Louise, welcome back from vacation. Have fun with the 4 pups. I actually had 4 dogs of my own for several years, what a trip that was. Two of them have passed away and two remain. I too have been wondering about Janice, but since this last week I've been away on a mini vacation from my computer I thought I just might have missed garden girl. It sounds like you are motivated for a good July. Keep in touch.

Nancy,
I'm with you on the cake. Why is it that I can eat 2 bites of cake and easily refuse anymore even though it is right in front of me, but I don't, because of the calories, but I can't refuse the whole big bottle of wine and not give a thought to the calories. I think the addiction is more than sugar and I generally don't care what people think so if I wanted the cake I would eat it. I think the cravings are totally different, in my brain anyway. Physically they may be the same because the Topa takes away the cravings for food and alcohol, but psychologically and emotionally I still want the wine and don't care about the calories and I want the comfort food but do care about the calories. Go figure.

Change,
I'm glad you posted. I'm glad you are coping. I think the fact you did not drink last night is a very positive thing and 24 or 25 days is incredible. Can you tell us a little bit about what is happening in your life so that maybes we can talk about it?. Start a new thread if you wish, it might get more attention. Sometimes this thread gets neglected later in the day.
I'll be thinking about you

Have a great day everyone.

Melissa

[Suzanna]

Newbies in Need - Day 1

mods

Hey Melissa, thanks for remembering me. I love to read the rottrod posts. I think I am on the slowest road to AF there ever was!! But I will get there. I did once before and know that that gal is still in me somewhere.

Change, you are in a transition period, and the outcome will be so positive you will be so happy and proud of yourself for not giving in to the temporary temptation, and that is all it is, temporary. I know, I am not one to talk!! My brief AF days have shown me a glimpse of what it could be, and I want that for myself.

I love this thread, and hope to continue to contribute. It is hard with work and all, but we all have that, don't we... :h Suz