Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

[Stargazerlily]

Good morning on this last week in March. It's Monday, too.

Let's make this final week in March meaningful by celebrating all the things we love about being AF. Maybe naming one or two things that are most important.

I'll start:

1. Regaining my health. No more pains, digestive issues, bloating, eye problems, etc.
2. Increased stable mood. Decreased anxiety, depression and shame.

I love being honest with myself and having a good relationship with ME. The self-hatred is leaving and I like the person I am AF. I do my best everyday, and although far from perfect, I have fewer regrets.

Chill, I love the movie with Meg Ryan. I too had a difficult time understanding why she booted him out, but now understand she had to have time to understand herself, and get away from his enabling, loving though it was. I also valued the gradual progression of her drinking, then BOOM, she was out of control. The consequences were in your face, and in her family's face. Great story. Some of the other movies I will have to look for, but another favorite is 28 Days.

I have to get ready for work, so sending all vibrations of strength and peace.

[Jolie]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

Star - what a wonderful idea for the start of this last week in March!

What I love about being AF?
1. Feeling at peace with myself.
2. Waking up guilt-free at a decent hour instead of 3:30 a.m. with tons of guilt/shame
3. The best relationship I've had with hubby in a long, long time.
4. Life without the fog.

Thanks for starting this Star.

[Dewdrop]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

It?s lovely to read that you are all doing well at the moment and Star I love your thought on reminding ourselves as we end March of what is important to us. Having a few drinks over a weekend recently really brought home to me how much I had to lose, my sleep was disturbed, my anxiousness increased and my self-esteem plummeted. I looked and felt awful - just tired and weary and I hate, hate, hate that dry furry tongue thing. So what?s important to me -?


1. My health and wellbeing have become very important, I have lost those extra pounds that have been hanging around my middle for years (14 lbs!), I have started yoga and have recently started a power walking programme. I have signed up for a 13 mile charity walk (20k?) at the end of May for charity and I will be power walking it. My aim this year is to become as fit as I can and make exercise as regular and normal as breathing.

2. The calmness and peacefulness that comes from within with alcohol out of my system, I feel more centred and balanced as a person and confident to face the day no matter what it throws at me. I feel alive and engaged with life for the first time in years. I have found meditation again and have been reading lots on spirituality, Buddhism and recently neuroscience ? the plastic brain is fascinating.

I hope you all have a Marvellous and Magnificent Monday.

Dewdrop :h

[papmom3]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

Great start Star and end to this month!

My gratfullness list:

1. The overal peace I feel everyday
2. How sharp my brain is now at work. I fly through my data entry and marvel how I was able to do it at all in such a fog of hangovers!!
3. my high energy level
4. my willingness to try to new things and take risks

I could go on and on!

Dew-your list is one that I really want to aim for but just can't seem to commit too! I NEED to lose 40 lbs and up my exercise but a good diet and exercise seem to be last on my list for some reason these days!! I know I need to solve my sleep issues but not quite sure how to go about it!

My weekend was one of my busiest in a long time and now I'm paying for it with the return of the tummy bug (John-did yours travel north east???).

I had a wonderful day on Saturday at the agility seminar-4 hours of work work work but I learned so much! Then off to the home of new found camping friends to introduce myself and learn more about this group of tiny travel trailer campers. It was bitter cold but the large fire pit was nicely roaring and kept us toasty. The regaled me with tales of past gatherings, showed me their trailers (one of which is for sale but still out of my range-so cute tho!!) and made me feel so welcome. One member came down from NH and was staying overnight, the other from CT and doing the same. Both of these members are single women so I am in good company. It is definitely a heavy drinking group but they made sure I understood there are non drinkers as well and no one gets too out of control at the gatherings. I did tell them when they asked that I had recently quit drinking due to health issues and they were fine with that and very understanding. They were drinking wine and mudslides around the fire-I had nothing and felt absolutely normal! Plus I had a long drive home ahead of me but it felt so good to politely decline and not have to worry at all whereas before MWO I would have had a least one glass of wine and it would have been an exhausting ride home.
Yesterday was my clubs performance show which I had volunteered to work. So many gorgeous paps and other toy breeds and watching the Rally trials was very interesting. I must try this with one of my other dogs. The bug hit me after lunch but I couldn't leave so was very thankful restrooms were nearby and equipped with loud exhaust fans!! Got home around 5pm and promptly collapsed into bed. I'm staying home today and will probably cancel the dental surgery/procedure I have scheduled for tomorrow. I think it's going to be a long painful exhausting day today unfortunately.

Sorry I am not commenting individually to everyone but I have caught up on all the posts and you are all always in my thoughts. I do have to say Welcome Back to LBH!! I've missed you!

Will check in later.

:l

[Chillgirl]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

What wonderful posts to start off our week!
I can relate to everything you all say and I love so much about my AF life.....

Star you mentioned the honesty and this has been a huge awakening for me, being sober has given me a chance to get to know the real me and acknowledge the things that need improving. I have gone from a girl who was terrifed of being alone to a girl who loves her own company. They say you are never lonely if you like the person you are alone with.

I love going to bed at night fully conscious, going through the ritual of everything from brushing my teeth to moisturizing my face, then into my lovely white linen bed, being able to reflect of the day gone by, listen to some gentle music or read a book I will actually remember in the morning! Drifting off into proper sleep instead of a blackout. And Jolie what is it about AL and 3.30am!?? I remember it well together with the anxiety and self loathing which came at that time.

I love waking up most of all! To actually have the space in my mind to think pleasant thoughts instead of wondering how the hell I am going to make it through the day.

I love being fully present instead of constantly finding everything an effort. I love the new awareness I have for what my body is telling me. I love that everyday I find something else to be grateful for. My life is so much more peaceful and calm.

Papmom - sorry you are feeling under the weather and so well done to you for being in the company on Sat and feeling normal! :H Isnt it wonderful when you start to look at drinkers and think they are all the insane ones for a change

[Lavande]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

Do we have to have 5 weeks in March??

Star, chill, Jolie, papmom, Dewdrop & everyone - I agree with all the things you've mentioned about living the sober life. My new found inner peacefulness & calmness is much appreciated & disturbed only by the occasional YB visits. Everyone else around me seems to like the new me except him! He obviously can not tolerate the honesty!

Papmom & John, hope you are both feeling better very soon! Springtime viral things can be tough.

Grandchild #3 is due next week so I'm staying close to home (as usual). I'm on call to watch EB while his parents go to the hospital to bring their new guy into the world
EB has no idea of what's coming ~ guess he'll be surprised :H

Have a great AF Monday everyone!
Lav

[caper564]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

Day 7
Monday Monday so good to me.... Monday mornin' it was all I hope it would be....

I am so happy to get through my first AF weekend. I hope to sail throught the week, 1 day at a time.

Things i love about being AF.
1. not living in an AL induced fog
2. Sleeping
3. not having to make the desicion every minute of every day to drink or not to drink.
4. Knitting, I stopped knitting about 2 years ago because I only had time for 1 pastime.. AL (I actually finished a hat on the weekend)

Enjoy an AF day everyone.
Caper

[mario]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

Afternoon march marchers,

What i love about my alcohol free life is the freedom to get on with whats important in my life now and to deal with them in a responsible and mature way.have a great day everyone.

[papmom3]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

Oh Lav-I remember as if it were yesterday instead of 17 years ago the morning I got the call from my sister saying they were heading to the hosptal to give birth to their second child. I raced over there to take care of my nephew and spent the whole day with him. We played on the swings, I made him breakfast and lunch and we talked about his new brother or sister that he'd be meeting soon. he was so excited at only 18 months old!! It was a wonderful day and even better he and his brother have been best friends since day one!!

Chill-What struck me on the way home Sat nite was how much and hard I laughed during the short time I was there! No inhibitions, no worrying if I were slurring my words or saying something stupid because of the AL or wondering what kind of impression I was making. It was so freeing and it was so awesome to be totally in the moment and enjoy the company and not be thinking of me me me or if I could get away with just one more glass of wine before I hit the road.
I just want anyone who is worrying about how in the world they'll be able to socialize without AL to read this post. I had never met these people before except through a camping bulletin board. They were out in the middle of nowhere and I suppose it could have turned out differently but because I was sober and sharp, not hungover and horribly fatigued, I had all my wits about me and my intuition was humming along and protecting me. They did like me, I liked them so all is well but if it had turned out there was no connection, oh well!! C'est la vie!!

[Chillgirl]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

papmom3;1085859 wrote:
Chill-What struck me on the way home Sat nite was how much and hard I laughed during the short time I was there! No inhibitions, no worrying if I were slurring my words or saying something stupid because of the AL or wondering what kind of impression I was making. It was so freeing and it was so awesome to be totally in the moment and enjoy the company and not be thinking of me me me or if I could get away with just one more glass of wine before I hit the road.
I just want anyone who is worrying about how in the world they'll be able to socialize without AL to read this post. I had never met these people before except through a camping bulletin board. They were out in the middle of nowhere and I suppose it could have turned out differently but because I was sober and sharp, not hungover and horribly fatigued, I had all my wits about me and my intuition was humming along and protecting me. They did like me, I liked them so all is well but if it had turned out there was no connection, oh well!! C'est la vie!!

What a great post! When I was 1st AF I was very self conscious in this kind of company but now, like you, I love being fully aware of what im saying and love that the laughter is true and heatfelt instead of alcohol induced and mindless. I love my new confidence without replying on my courage from a glass and am suprised and delighted that I can hold an intelligent and interesting conversation with no need for cringing shame the next day. C'est la vie indeed!

[universal]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

What I love about being AF:

Spending time with my daughter at night and putting her to bed, cuddling with a story and enjoying every moment instead of getting frustrated and angry with her because my drink was waiting for me downstairs.

[Newgrange]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

What great uplifting posts from everyone!

Best about AF is Feeling alive, clear headed and energetic! (previously half dead, fuzzy brained and sleepy especially in the evenings).

I give thanks for every day I am sober.

[sooty]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

Evening everyone, I'm sorry but in my keeness to catch up with posts I mistakenly posted on the 4 week thread.

I'm tired cos of unsettled night last night so am just logging on to say goodnight.

Will be more present tomorrow after a good nights sleep, fingers crossed

Sooty

[Guitarista]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

Hi all,

I love the sense of freedom i now have. There are no more chain's. I am also now a man of action, not just talk. I follow through. Life is so full of endless possibility now. The feeling of calmness, a clear head, and control over what i do and how i react and feel, is sensational.

Have a marvellous day everyone.

G-bloke. x

[Dewdrop]

Marvelous, Magnificent March - Week 5

Nite everyone,

I'm off to bed with a book and a relaxation tape, tired after a busy day and a 5 mile walk after dinner. Papmom I'm still not sleeping well either after all this time and I think it's something I'll just have to get used to, however I'm hopeful that my new exercise routine might help.

See you all tomorrow and I hope those of you who are a bit run down and/or sick have a peaceful and restful night.

Dewdrop :h