100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

[FallenAngel]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

The thrill of the quit
is gone,
yet the quiet battle
rages on

[kuya]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

FallenAngel;1474074 wrote:
The thrill of the quit
is gone,
yet the quiet battle
rages on

I am no longer THRILLED by:

Riding a bike
Being potty trained
Being able to read
Swimming.......you get the idea.

We have learned a new skill here, but must go on learning as long as we live. Boredom is a high risk factor for relapse IMO

[Guitarista]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

kuya;1474129 wrote:



We have learned a new skill here, but must go on learning as long as we live. Boredom is a high risk factor for relapse IMO

Yes. Stagnation, not to be confused with relaxation, can quickly open that trapdoor to the hell and limbo.

[Lavande]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

I let those (very) occasional thoughts just pass right thru. We don't ever have to act on them unless we choose to do so, right?

[Sunbeam]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

Right, Lav. And it is all up to me. I am on vacation in Florida this week. My husband has wine in our room, has wine with dinner. He stops always at a glass or two. I simply don't want any. I'm different from him, I know and accept that. I know if I drank it would degrade, not enhance, my vacation experience. I'm done drinking for good.

[Catbuddy]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

Good for you, Sunbeam! I'm dating someone who drinks moderately. It's fascinating to me. Some nights he doesn't drink at all. Some nights he has two beers. I've been with him enough to know if this was a struggle for him - it's not. Wow. I've no issue with him consuming at these levels. He politely accepts and doesn't probe for details that I don't drink at all, after having previously been a drinker. His ex-wife drinks too much, so I think he respects that I don't without having to determine if I white-knuckle it. I don't. That has been the best part of all.

You know, I can and do sense times when there is more risk for me. Sometimes I see the beer, no reaction. Sometimes, there is a stirring. If there is a stirring, I whip out my plan - eat, take L-glutamine, distract, go somewhere else. If the stirring got strong, I would absolutely pour it down the sink. Who gives a crap about the waste.

I think this is the peace of a no-tolerance decision to not drink. You just don't drink. So anything you need to do to keep that decision, you just do. It's all fine, because the only thing that is not fine is drinking. I don't feel fear anymore. It's all protected by this decision.

Could I make a new decision? I guess so. But then I whip out the rest of my plan - think about what I would lose, think about how crappy I was the day I quit, think about never being sober again, think about short term pleasure with long term regret, think about maturity. And I feel good that I would not make this decision.

Peace, abbers.

Cat

[K9Lover]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

Cat -
You sound good and strong! Keep it up my friend!
I could sit next to someone drinking a beer and not salivate over it (finally). Probably because ONE beer never enticed me. My M.O. was a 12 pack ALONE. Sitting around socially drinking was not how I rolled! My family can do that, I cannot....and that's OK.
Keep making those good decisions!

p.s. I love Jillian Michaels

[Lavande]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

Sunbeam, hope you are enjoying Florida!
Have you seen the sharks I'm hearing about on the news? Be careful

K9 & Cat, my brother lives outside of Sacramento......maybe I should go visit?

The orchids are still on display at Longwood Gardens - here is the view just inside the door of the conservatory

[Mick]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

Very nice..Lav..so thats the next model for your sunroom?

[Lavande]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

:H:H A girl can always dream, right Mick?

[Sunbeam]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

Lav, lovely orchids. I hear it's warming soon up north, soon I can dig in the mud.

The sharks are out there I hear, but I'm not actually in the ocean water, which is only in the mid 60's. We are on Sanibel Island, and I think they are further north.

[Hippyman]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

Lavande;1474679 wrote: Sunbeam, hope you are enjoying Florida!
Have you seen the sharks I'm hearing about on the news? Be careful

K9 & Cat, my brother lives outside of Sacramento......maybe I should go visit?

The orchids are still on display at Longwood Gardens - here is the view just inside the door of the conservatory

How I used to LOVE going to Longwood. Thanks for sharing!

[Lavande]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

Thinking about doing a little digging in the mud myself today Sunbeam

Hippy, I love going to Longwood & can be there in 30 minutes or less
I make good use of my membership!

[doubter]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

Five years!

Hello everyone!

This 100 -day thread is a great thread specially aimed at long-term abstainers. This is a wonderful idea which will fulfil an oft-felt need. Gives a chance to long-termers to come and share their experiences and views. Felt like I too could join in with a post.

I had come to mywayout exactly five years back, at probably one of the worst emotional junctures of my existence - after a mortifying bar room brawl. Proved a great turning point in my life. After a couple of decades of drinking, mwo provided me much needed time & space to reflect upon where I was heading in life and what changes to be made in my lifestyle. Over time, as I succeeded in putting a fair distance from my alcohol-soaked past, my need to visit mwo diminished. From personal experience I know one thing for sure ? quitting alcohol changes the fundamental direction and content of one?s life.

Did journal my journey here for the first three years, but then gradually moved away from the forum - natural drift, I guess.

In the initial days of my sobriety,I had a great quit buddy and mentor - FallenAngel - who helped me through the early treacherous journey. It is wonderful that Angel again is participating actively in this forum. A truly wise guide, indeed. Bravo, Angel!

Nowadays, I do not think too much about my old drinking days. More of a feeling of good riddance to bad rubbish.

However, have there been any benefits of all the struggle of going sober?

Sure, innumerable. Quitting drinking ( and smoking a year earlier) has been the single biggest gift that I could give to myself. Physically, emotionally, financially &relationship-wise I am now at a far stable juncture of life. Sobriety simplified my life to a great extent.

Just wanted to share a few thoughts. And to have this post as another marker of my journey. If my story of redemption and renewal can touch even one person here, I would feel validated.

I wish all friends here a wonderful, sober life.

Peace to all!

[FallenAngel]

100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

doubter;1475176 wrote:
Nowadays, I do not think too much about my old drinking days. More of a feeling of good riddance to bad rubbish.

However, have there been any benefits of all the struggle of going sober?

Sure, innumerable. Quitting drinking ( and smoking a year earlier) has been the single biggest gift that I could give to myself. Physically, emotionally, financially & relationship-wise I am now at a far stable juncture of life. Sobriety simplified my life to a great extent.

Nice seeing you here Doubter... and a HUGE congratulations on 5 years of sobriety! :goodjob:

I know that you don't think about your old drinking days much, but you do have an ongoing day-to-day encounter with working colleagues that try to pressure you to drink. That takes a lot of strength and commitment.

It's been wonderful to be able to witness your transformation over these past 5 years. I'm so proud of you & all that you have accomplished in your life. Stay strong & happy my friend! :l