Moving thru May - Week 1

[Stargazerlily]

Good morning all...was up early and just decided to start the new thread...we really had little discussion about titles, so figured I would just make something up....hope it's OK.

I spent yesterday at my new job, fixing up my office, decorating it, and taking care of business. The energy there was so positive, it set me up for health and wholeness. At the end of the day, I was tired but feel hopeful, looking towards the future. Get to go back today to finish up a few things.

I was thinking that all of us who are continuing to figure, "My Way Out," with significant AF time, are so positive and hopeful. :h Life hits us with challenges, but we are able to strategize, and manage because we are AF. Our various interests show our zest for life, real life. I liked what Doggygirl said on another thread, "we have choices." Now we do, compared to the past, when our only choice or activity was to drink, or recover. I for one am so happy that I have four months totally AF. Is my life perfect? No, of course not. However, I am able to feel calm and in control, managing and moving thru my life with integrity and respect for myself. I can read that the rest of us who are farther along on this journey are doing the same.

This is the reality; being AF is a mindblowing gift we give to ourselves. After a certain point, you don't feel deprived, you feel free!!!! Free to live, pursue interests, have loving relationships, be healthy, and love life. I read alot of people loving their lives on the Monthly Abstinence threads.

To all, have an AF Sunday.:h

[mylife]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Good morning all!

Star, what a positive post to start May with! You are so right about the choices. I was reflecting the other day on how much time and energy I spent recovering or feeling guilty about AL. It is a wonderful and liberating feeling to have that whole black hole lifted out of my life! Congratulations on your new job, it sounds great!

Have a wonderful AF Sunday all!

[Lavande]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Good morning May Movers!!!

Star, I'm very happy for you
I wish you the best in your new job & hope you continue to reap the AF benefits!!!

GM mylife & everyone!
Thinking about John & wishing him much luck in today's run :cheering:

Guess I'll be spending another day putzing around outdoors. My allergies absolutely peaked yesterday but what can you do :H

Wishing everyone a Happy May Day!
Lav

[rustop61]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Hi everyone

Star - thanks for getting us started off this wonderful month of May and what a positive start. You sound wonderful, hope this new job turns out to be perfect for you.

We do get so much done when AF, I cannot believe all I have achieved these past two weeks. When I think of all the days I wasted hungover and barely existing never mind living!!! Ugh makes me shudder.

John - Good luck in the race.

Everyone else have a great Sunday and looking forward to catching up properly next week when the girls are back in school.

Rustop

[ladybirdheart]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Thank you Star for the fine start. I like the title for the month, it is good to just be moving rather than stagnant or spinning from drink, to be awake and aware and moving. I just read back over the thread and saw all the new homes and jobs and activities and the fresh looks at those things we have chosen to remain with. Health will do that. Love, Ladybird.

[Jolie]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Good morning everyone,

Star - love the new name and the message! Life for me does just keep getting better and better the longer AL is not in the picture. Now that I'm able to sit outside and enjoy my deck I'm finding that a glass of iced tea is truly just as satisfying as my old glass of wine. I used to think I was just so grown up and sophisticated sitting out there drinking my wine but I feel like I've grown a whole lot in the past couple of months and I'm feeling positive about myself and don't need the darn wine to make me feel that way!

Star - glad you are feeling so positive about the new job - good luck to you!

Mylife - you are so right - AL did take up so much of our time - where in the world was just "living life" when we were reaching for that next glass? IMO it wasn't living at all.

Lav - of course the sun was shining in our neck of the woods when I hung my blankets out on the line this morning - now it's cloudy Go figure. My car is covered with the yellow crap (pollen) and I'm feeling it as well. Doesn't seem fair that we can't fully enjoy the beauty of spring with our allergies!

Rustop - you nailed it - "barely existing, never mind living" - that about sums it all up when AL has control over us.

Happy Sunday to LBH and John - good luck in the race! (it's probably over by now so I'll check back tonight to see how it turned out)

Hope everyone has a super AF Sunday!

[InChains]

Moving thru May - Week 1

hey all, leaping in on all the monthly AF threads today, made it a week and am now super excited to add a month onto that! flying by now to introduce myself, will catch up with the happenings later

[paguy]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Hi Folks:

Star - What a great way to start the month. Your messaging is spot on and your strength is admirable. Good luck to you this month as you start a new job.

Well, I really was MOVING this first day of May. Finished my 10-mile race in 1:35:54 which is 3/100 seconds faster than last year! So, I was delighted with the outcome Setting new personal records is always fun and satisfying.

I hope everyone has a pleasant evening. I am a bit 'pooped' and plan to have a rather quiet dinner and relax this evening....

Here's to a splendid May!

[cyntree]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Thanks, Star for the move into May! You sound peaceful and happy. John, congrats on the run! I came back onto the thread last fall just as you were dreading your surgery -- what an incredible journey you have had to this day, and a personal best time at that. Very heartening. Lav and Jolie hope the allergies let up for you -- Jolie, I love putting wash on the line; it seems like a meditation to me...I don't have a line right now, looking forward to the next house. In Chains, well done on 7 days, a major hurdle -- keep at it. Rustop, so glad you have been feeling productive, it is a special gift. Newgrange, I think I missed you on the last post - sorry, and hope all is going well for you. Hello MyLife, and LBH thanks for shining your light. All to come, I wish you a happy Sunday evening and a good return to the work week. Rusty - when is the exam....soon, right? Sending you extra energy --

Cheers all -

[Lavande]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Good Sunday evening Maysters!

It's a bit chilly now that the sun's gone down & drizzling - I was kind of hoping for a somewhat drier month but my new veggie plants will be happy

rustop, I'm at the point where I just refuse to think about my past wasted time & shitty behavior - it happened but it's long over! My focus is staying on this current path, determined not to let anything or anyone throw me off - ever again!!!!

LBH, there you are! Hope you are well & seeing signs of Spring!

Jolie, the sun has played peek-a-boo all day, hasn't it? Now it's drizzling a bit but not enogh to wash away the pollens. I didn't know until a few years ago that hanging sheets, blankets, etc outside is a no-no for allergic people. Never thought about it but we bring all sorts of allergens in with our clean linens, sleep with them & increase our allergy symptoms - duh! So much for the 'solar dryer'!

IC- CONGRATS on your 7 AF days! Love it

John - You the Man!!!!!
Congrats on your excellent time today - good for you

Cyn, are you having any Spring weather or are you already into summer heat??
Rusty's exam is May 10. I hope she gave her brain a rest this weekend

It's almost 8 pm & my chickens are still out in their yard playing. They remind me of my kids when they were young - wanting to stretch out every minute of daylight possible & I just want them to go to bed because I am tired :H

Have a good night all!
Thinking of you Shelley & sister Dill.

Lav

[Chillgirl]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Good morning Movers
They say if your not moving your not living and when I read about the lives of you all on this thread I see people really living, who have all reclaimed their lives back and its wonderful! If you want to improve the world start with improving your own little corner and boy are we doing that. You guys are all such an inspiration and I've missed you. I have no internet apart from on this new phone which I'm struggling to master.

Its like I landed on another planet somewhere in the future, life is so hightech compared to what I'm used to. I look the same as everyone else on the outside but inside I'm like as kid in a candy shop.

I'm still in a motel but ordered a bed which arrives in my new apartment today so I will sleep there tonight. Its very very small and the bed I'm bringing won't fit so will need to go into storage along with so much of my things. Its a big disapointment but I'm choosing to focus on all the good things that are happening instead and there are plenty of them.

[Stargazerlily]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Greetings to everyone this Monday in May.

Chill, so happy you have moved to Scotland in the spring, giving you time for all the changes with decent weather. I never thought before about how different it will be to live in an apartment versus a house. Alot less maintanence and worry with downsizing. We are here for you for support. :l I know change is exciting but it is hard too.

I am just exhausted. I really need a day off, but can't as I have to go to work. Yesterday I spent five hours at the new place, trying to finish setting up (we did) and that left no time to relax at all this weekend. However, I slept well and will do my best today.

LBH, so great to hear from you, thanks for stopping in.

John, good on your running time. I love the way you set goals and complete them. You progress is ongoing.

Lav, sorry about the allergies. I used to have them growing up, and had to stay inside throughout springtime. It was tough. Loved your description of the chickies.

To all, have a great day AF.

[Dewdrop]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Well I’ve had another lovely, relaxing yet energising long weekend with lots accomplished. The grandchildren were a delight and I was exhausted by the time I took them home, we went to a local farm which has a huge children’s play park and they really enjoyed themselves. There were trampolines, go-carts, swings and sandpits alongside the animals. An old friend came by on Saturday night and I cooked a Moroccan chicken and lemon tagine which I was really pleased with. We sat up till after midnight blethering away and putting the world to rights! The best though was that we got up early on Sunday morning and went for a long walk on the beach, although the sun was out it was still cold and breezy so we had warm croissants and hot chocolate after.

I spent the rest of the day in the garden and in the evening did a real thorough spring clean on my lounge and dining room – they are sparkling Today is another day for pottering in the garden, catching up with the ironing and the kitchen floor badly needs scrubbed along with my 5 miles walking/jogging. Unfortunately it’s back to work tomorrow :upset: but only for 3 days as I am on holiday from Friday for a couple of weeks. I’m so very grateful for all this time off.

Star thank you for starting us off and for such a thoughtful and positive post, and I so agree with you that often life is not perfect yet it is immeasurably easier to deal with AF, and we do have choices now that we did not have when we were drinking. I really appreciate the peace and calm that I now have and while I still have the pressures and stresses of work I am now in a position to put coping strategies in place to deal with them. The crippling anxiety that I used to suffer has disappeared. You asked what honesty seeds are, it’s a biennial flower (Lunaria annua) and has purple flowers that change into large flat dics of seedpods that are translucent, and they self seed but the kids like to scatter the seedpods around the garden.

A quick hello to everyone as we move along through May quietly determined and with a spring in our step.

Dewdrop :h

[Jolie]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Good morning all!

It's Monday:no: and the start of another work week - a long one for me. Anywho -

Lav - I can't believe I never thought about hanging my clothes out and the affect it would have on allergies - geez - I'm 48 years old - you think I would know better. Anyway, threw them in the dryer cause it had started to rain a little. Hope that will help - and if not, guess I'll just have to suffer the consequences.

Good morning to everyone else - hope you all make it a great Monday!

[Lavande]

Moving thru May - Week 1

Good morning May friends!

It is morning, right? Kinda dark looking out there.......

Jolie, sometimes the simplest concepts seem to just float right over our heads! I think we spend so much time & energy trying work out the complex stuff we just totally miss the easy stuff, oh well :H

Chill, honestly, the thought of a nice, compact living space has been on my mind a lot lately. I spend way too much time keeping up with this house. Just think of the free time you'll have & what you can do with that free time

Dewdrop, watching the grankids is so much fun & so exhausting at the same time!!!!!
Over here we also call the Lunaria - Money Plants! I had one years ago - pretty cool!

Time for me to get something accomplished this morning!
Wishing everyone a great AF Monday!

Lav