October Optimism - Week 4

[Guitarista]

October Optimism - Week 4

ladybirdheart;991160 wrote: Thank you Rustop for your quote this morning. It was a reminder for me that letting go is the only way I can get out of here for long. I have to let go. Over and over. I found this other quote around a year ago and posted it, and I thought that it would be good to revisit it now. I took a copy with me for a while in my pocketbook and it helped me unclench. I liked how quiet it was. Love, Ladybird.

She let go.

She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.

She let go of the fear. She let go of the judgments. She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head. She let go of the committee of indecision within her. She let go of all the 'right' reasons. Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

She didn't ask anyone for advice. She didn't read a book on how to let go... She didn't search the scriptures. She just let go. She let go of all of the memories that held her back. She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward. She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.

She didn't promise to let go. She didn't journal about it. She didn't write the projected date in her Day-Timer. She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper. She didn't check the weather report or read her daily horoscope. She just let go.

She didn't analyze whether she should let go. She didn't call her friends to discuss the matter. She didn't do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment. She didn't call the prayer line. She didn't utter one word. She just let go.

No one was around when it happened. There was no applause or congratulations. No one thanked her or praised her. No one noticed a thing. Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.
There was no effort. There was no struggle. It wasn't good and it wasn't bad. It was what it was, and it is just that.

In the space of letting go, she let it all be. A small smile came over her face. A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore.

--Ernest Holmes

Greeting's everyone.

Brilliant, and simply written for direct impact. Thank's LBH. I'm going to try to paste this over to our friend 'Startingover'. She might find it useful.

[Stargazerlily]

October Optimism - Week 4

Letting go, what a wonderful topic. This is something all of us with alcohol problems have to do at some point, and move on. I find that when I let go, I feel at peace. Some things of course, are easier to let go of others, and it takes practice, in my experience. So, we don't let go just once, but over and over. It is part of living in the present, not the past or future.

Rusty, I often think of my drinking and the effect on my kids. I vow that my son in law will never think of me as a drinker. With the holidays coming up, I am going to make sure to be totally AF. It is the only way to fun, dignity, and self-respect. You nieces and nephews are lucky to have you, it is always great for young people to have many supportive adults in their lives. Still windy here in the midwest. Father/Mother winter is pushing his way in.

Rustop and LBH, thanks for the thoughtful quotes and topic. You were both inspired today, I think.

PA, so good to hear you are doing better and better. You sound stronger as every week goes by. Health and healing sent to you.

Dill, itis so easy to fall out of the habit of taking the time for self care. And in my case it can be deadly. One step away from getting HALT and we know where that can lead.

Lav, thanks for the tips. I have actually, in just a few days, felt better from no wheat and very limited caffeine. I will remember the hot shower thing too.

I am making plans for the weekend, it is important for me to be busy. We are invited to a Halloween party where there will be drinking and have decided not to go. Instead, I will be handing out candy. I bought about 300 pieces of candy so far. Tonight I want to carve a few pumpkins and make some pumpkin seeds. I bought a pair or two of Halloween socks, I just love the remembered excitement from when I was a kid. We were allowed at a pretty young age to roam the neighborhood and I remember it being a blast. Freedom, nighttime, mystery, dressing up, and candy. What more could you want for a perfect evening?

Sending you all peace, strength and letting go

[dill]

October Optimism - Week 4

“He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever”
There you go, Rebirth. It’s a Chinese Proverb. I rather like that one, too. Sometimes it is embarrassing to ask a question, especially in a group setting, but I find that when I do, others in the group will thank me and say that they had the same question.

Chill, thanks for the update on your MWO meetup. It sounds like a great experience.

Thanks, Cyn. The recipe sounds delicious! I’ve put tahini and cucumbers on the Saturday shopping list.

LBH, thank you for reposting that reading about letting go. I remember it from last year. I’ll be joining others in printing it out and carrying it along today. Letting go is a constant effort.

Red, in spite of my plan to take a walk at noon yesterday, I didn’t manage it. It turned out that we had a meeting with a parent scheduled rather inconveniently on my lunch hour. (Thank you Evil Supervisor) The meeting took up nearly my entire lunch time. Oh, and it was a beautiful, sunny day, too. Now today, I’ll have time, but the weather is cool and gray and blustery. If it is dry though, I will get out and walk.

I wish I had more time to greet everyone but I have to be at work early today. Peace and strength.

[spedteach]

October Optimism - Week 4

Good morning,
I just love getting caught up on everyone's stuff. What a hardcore little group we are.
I am off today to visit a friend in Michigan. A very close friend from high school and college with whom I've reconnected over the past year or so. She is struggling with al. Am hoping to give her some support. Am taking the back road scenic route. Sad to see the fall colors fading. Excited to have cooler weather though.
Still pampering my foot. Have a good podiatrist back in NM so am kind of holding off going to anyone until I'm back that way. Will just make due with walking for now.

Rusty, can't believe you know where the Needle Nook sign is. That's amazing. Also can't believe the # of nieces and nephews you have. I only have 4. Sigh. Grandchildren someday I hope.

Star, loved your description of Halloween. I have such great memories of being on the loose on a cold windy night with my siblings and friends. Also of my own kids, counting, organizing their candy when they got home with their loot.
I bought a pumpkin at the farmers market yesterday and shall carve it when I get back from Michigan.

LBH, loved the reading.

Cyn, you said you're moving east. Does that mean you get to sit around and contemplate the question " if I could live anywhere I wanted to in the East, where would I live?"? How fun is that. Is it goodbye to Arizona?

Chill, Mr. Libra sounds kind of scary. Cause it sounds like cobra or isn't there a Scorpio killer. Got my Halloween imagination working overtime. Is Libra a compatible sign for you? I love astrology. Not a big believer but it's always fun.

Lav, am so glad to be done with the hot flash stuff. Does a gluten free diet help? My son has now declared himself gluten free? meat free, cheese free, egg free...doesn't sound very free to me.
What was the vegan web site you said you liked?

Pap, are you near Springfield? I love western Mass though have not been there for many years.

Rustop, G., Sooty, Dill, is that everyone. Have a swell day. Sorry, hi John. Listing all of our names must be a good cerebral exercise. Again, hi SD, didn't forget you.

[Lavande]

October Optimism - Week 4

GM friends!

So much to read while waiting for my coffee to kick in :H

Shelley, Fatfree Vegan Recipes
There's a bit of healthy fat in the recipes - seem very balanced. I'm happier eating less of everything these days.........I prefer a meat flavored dish to eating a serving of the actual meat.

LBH, I remember that Letting Go poem........I guess that's where I need to migrate myself. Not an easy thing to do but healthy & sensible in the long run.

Congrats to the foot healers John & Shelley, keep going!

Halloween is a non-event around these parts. Haven't had a single trick-or-treater in the 7 years I've been here. The houses are too far apart, no sidewalks, it just is not doable!

Waiting for the fog to burn off - such strange weather this week. Temps are supposed to drop to normal tomorrow. Guess I'll get outside & play for a bit today

Greetings to everyone, hope your day is wonderful & AF!
Lav

[cyntree]

October Optimism - Week 4

Evening, kids! Sped - 'what a hard core little group we are' - I love that! Since you've asked, and I keep forgetting to answer, here is the deal with our move. We will certainly be in AZ until next summer, but we've put the house on the market now because it is high season for selling during the next months. Which means that if the house sells before summer, we will move into a rental. Then....there are many possibilities for how to handle living/working over the summer and into the fall. HB's work will bring him back here for Sept - Nov next fall, so....who knows. In the best of all possible worlds (thanks, Candide) we will relocate somewhere in the MA, NY, CT area by late summer. But it is all quite up in the air, depending on what work comes about and where and and and....so it is quite an adventure.

Chill - happy date night - you must be just about getting home....
Star - you're right, whole grains, no caffeine, etc, all help - there are foods that are considered 'cool' in Chinese medicine, shall I send you a list? (cucumber is one!) Keep going with the Self Care...
PA - so glad to hear you are getting stronger.
Dill - hope you got your walk in today, and that the weather cooperated.
Lav - no trick or treaters here either, the dogs and I will have to make shmores or something...
Mr G - always nice to hear from you.

OK, I have to go paint some more...
To everybody I missed - take care, I'm thinking about you...
Take care -

[paguy]

October Optimism - Week 4

Hi Folks:

Another quick check in for me tonight. My days are getting much fuller now that I have more access. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you have keys to the car and can drive! I've been catching up on so many things! I went to the dentist this morning after neglecting my teeth for a while (I hate going to the dentist!) and learned that I have a cracked tooth and one of my wisdom teeth needs to be extracted. I figured I've spent enough time in doctor's offices, ERs and operating rooms over the past couple of months, what the heck, I may as well see the dentist, too. So, more work to be done but I'm glad to be focused on really taking care of myself now. I have to admit that I let alot of things slip while I was drinking. So, YES, this is yet another benefit of being AF.

Got to the gym again earlier this evening to continue with my upper body strength and core training. I am beyond the initial shock that I had on Sunday so it wasn't as depressing for me tonight. I am seeing progress every day and am encouraged.

Sped - Take care of that foot - Maybe we can run a half-marathon together sometime next year!

Dill - I really like the quote ?He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever?. One of the best pearls of wisdom I learned from one of my graduate school professors was "An educated person is not one who knows all the answers but rather, one who knows how to find the answers" (or something like that!). So, I never hestitate to say I don't know something as long as I can figure out where to go to get the answer.

Star - Keeping busy is important and helpful for me. I find that by Thursday, I am already mulling around in my mind what I am planning to do or get accomplished over the weekend. For instance, this weekend, I get to take my dog to the groomers and then we are dogsitting a neighbor's dog and will be having another doggie sleepover on Saturday night. Sounds exciting, doesn't it??

I guess this wasn't so quick after all, heh? Hope you all have a restful evening...

[rustop61]

October Optimism - Week 4

Good morning everyone

Early check in from me as I have a busy day ahead. It's amazing how much we can get done John while AF never mind mobile. When I think about the amount of time I wasted hungover, ugh! Todays quotes really apply:

"Living just for today relieves the burden of the past and the fear of the future."
--unknown

You can be your best friend or your worst enemy. This is all determined by how you treat
yourself. Do you harshly judge yourself, or do you find yourself without any conviction?
--unknown

I feel so much better AF and treat myself so much better. Nuturing is defnitely the theme.

Have a great week-end everyone.

Rustop

[Rusty]

October Optimism - Week 4

Rustop-Thank you again for the quote for today. Yes, Nurturing is the theme. I treat myself so much better AF. I feel the same way you did. I am appalled when I think that I wasted 3.5 years hungover on a Monday morning. I deserve to be healthy instead of poisoning myself.

This is a very quick check-in as I have a long day today and then I fly home tonight. :yay:

It's been a great unhung, productive week. I replaced shameful memories with positive ones.

Star-I think your Halloween plan is a wonderful one. Imagine how great you will feel!

Have a great AF Friday everyone!

xoxo

Rusty

[sooty]

October Optimism - Week 4

Morning everyone - just had a quick read of posts and we all sound great! I'm good too, seem to be pretty busy at the moment but dont think I'll be going far today as the weather is absolutely atrocious! Its dark and wet and v windy, the leaves are flying past the windows, it looks like its snowing. There'll be some clearing up to do tomorrow I think!

Well its Friday and I guess you're all looking forward to Halloween ... I've never celebrated it but both my daughters are going out to parties and pubs tomorrow. It seems to have caught on in the UK in a big way now and no doubt some of the small children in the road will come knocking for sweets tomorrow ...note to self, must get some sweets!!!

Have a good day one and all, hope to catch you later tonight

Sooty

[Stargazerlily]

October Optimism - Week 4

TGIF to everyone on this site and in the world.

I love my Friday's, the beginning of the weekend. I had so much fun carving pumpkins with my son, we have not done this in years. His was happy, mine was scary. I cleaned off some pumpkins seeds, salted them, baked them, and they were delicious.

Cyn, please send the list of cool Chinese food. I defintely feel better. But it is hard o the weekends to eat right, at least for me. You plan for the next year sounds exciting, new, a journey. Why move from a warm climate to the east where the winters are so harsh? Just wondered. I do like the snow, just not so much of it.

Dill, I loved the quote and have to say I have always been a question asker. Hopefully you will get a chance to walk this weekend, it looks like the weather will be decent. I think we live in the same basic area in the midwest.

John, it is so important to our feeling good to take care of ourselves. I too hate going to the doctor, dentist, etc, but do so and find as I get older, have to. Plus, we are lucky to have health insurance in this day and age. How is the AF journey going? Also, I think your doggie weekend sounds fun. I love animals and sharing time with them is a joy.

Rusty, safe trip and productive day.

Rustop, thanks for the quotes, I look forward to reading them.

Is anyone struggling with cravings? I just always want to keep in mind being AF. I still struggle.

Have a great day. AF

[Rusty]

October Optimism - Week 4

Hi Friends,

Taking a break here at work and thought I would get my Optimism fix.

Star, regarding cravings....mine were much worse when I wasn't on Baclofen. Oddly enough, when I get them, they are soooooo powerful, it about drives me crazy. I have to work so hard to take my mind off AL. I hear from people on other threads who have been AF continuously for over 2 years and they still get them. :l

[rustop61]

October Optimism - Week 4

Star

When I dont take my supplements I can get them really strong. I am still taking all the supplements, Amino, B, C, Milk Thistle, SamE, Gaba etc. and they really help. I also have a supply of antabuse that I got last year and when I know tempetation is coming my way I pop a half or a full one and then I dont have to think about it. I find keeping a routine helps. I take the vitamins as soon as I get up, do my exercise and then logg onto MWO. Feeling strong at the moment and hope it continues.

Rustop

[Lavande]

October Optimism - Week 4

GM kids,

Can't believe it's almost 9 am already!! Have nothing special to do today so I'll see what develops.
I haven't found the emotional/physical energy yet to pack up Mr Lav's belongings & get them out of the closet. But I do want that stuff gone so I'll try to push myself in that direction today. There's no need for me to see his stuff everytime I open the clost door, it's annoying!

Rustop, your quote re living just for today describes exactly what I've been tring to do - when I start thinking about the past I'm usually reduced to tears. Don't need that!

I have absolutely no idea why I haven't been bothered by cravings Star - I just haven't. I think I really, really convinced myself when I quit that drinking was no longer an option for me. It never really helped with anything in the past, won't help with anything now.

OK, time to get moving. I do need to go fluff up the coop a bit so I can get some pictures this weekend. The kids will be turning 8 weeks in a few days - they're huge, wait until you see them

Wishing everyone a terrific AF Friday!
Lav

[cyntree]

October Optimism - Week 4

Checking in early evening - everybody must be busy with their weekend plans....

Lav, I'm so sorry about the heartache you are having to face. Good for you for staying in the present, but there must be times when things feel tough. Has Mr. reached a decision (did I miss it on the thread, sorry)? Maybe you were able to clean out the closet today, and maybe it was cathartic - I hope so...guess you'll need some smudge smoke in there!

I have been cleaning out/clearing out so many parts of the house here. Even with just 8 years of living here, there is so much that doesn't apply to us anymore. That's the joy of de-cluttering; it brings your space into alliance with who you are right now - a great thing.


I hope you can do something special for yourself soon, Lav. Sending you light...

Star - with a low dose of baclofen my physical cravings are very rare -- but I still have the situational ones, or the fear response ones, like I experienced last weekend. But those are getting easier to ride out, as I get more experience. I guess it's like everything else - practice, practice, practice.

Good AF Friday to all - hope you have a happy start to the weekend -