Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site
Turnagain isn't around too much but when she is, she has great things to say. I saw her name as a new post and found this gem.
Who wouldn't want to quit after reading that 
???
Turnagain isn't around too much but when she is, she has great things to say. I saw her name as a new post and found this gem.
Turnagain;1647059 wrote: .... I remember feeling that fear. It certainly exists - but you can overcome it. Here's how I started out my AF decision process - I 'tried it on'....like trying on a jacket to see how it fit. After all...abstinence was the only thing I hadn't tried. What I had been doing - trying to control an uncontrollable addiction - sure as hell wasn't working. I was already failing pretty regularly and miserably at that.
I took some time and really visualized what a 100% alcohol free life looked like in glowing, glorious detail.... How I would feel about myself and being able to be free of addiction and how that would positively impact every area of my life. I saw the pride and relief in my kids eyes. I saw myself exercising without joint pain, being free to go out and enjoy hikes and dinners. I saw my skin looking alive again and I saw the beer belly and butt shrinking away. I saw my friends feeling admiration for me for overcoming addiction (after getting over their surprise that I was addicted!) I saw myself being very productive - getting things done...getting my house back in order...being productive, clear-headed and creative at work...being able to drive anywhere...anytime because I had no worries about being over the limit. I felt relief of not being enslaved by the compulsive need to get a daily fix. I felt the freedom of being in control. I felt the joy of no longer feeling isolated by my secret.
I liked what I saw so much that I decided to try committing to abstinence - despite my fears.
As it turns out, the reality of being free goes even beyond what I was able to imagine. There is a hell of a lot of power between our ears. Harness your brain and make it work for you. Think of your brain as being the ultimate test simulator. When the negative self-chatter starts up....crowd it out with those thoughts of what you are getting by healing your body after years of addiction. When depravation thoughts pop up....counter them with thoughts of gratitude for all you are getting and that you are no longer damaging yourself each day. This isn't just happy - psycho babble blah blah. You actually start building new neural pathways in your brain and the old negative pathways begin to go dormant. It takes practice and persistence, but each positive thought is one more step forward.
Finally...I found ways to really reward myself beyond the intrinsic goodness. I started a side bank account online and transferred the money I saved from not drinking and smoking into it every day. It was great to see it grow! And it was fun to spend. After week one, I treated myself to a mani-pedi. As my fund grew, I started making a monthly donation to the local animal shelter. I got a new puppy for myself. I took my whole family on an amazing raft trip down the Grand Canyon. I'm now setting aside part of that money to help my son through law school and to offset the cost of building an off-the-grid home in Arizona.
To date...my total monetary savings since I 'tried' on my quit and kept it is now up to $21,802 (991 free days and counting x $22 a day) And the most important savings - my life - is incalculable. I can feel my dopamine pinging like a slot machine right now!
Today, I am proud to be a non-drinker. I absolutely refuse to label myself or any other former addict as an 'alcoholic.' As I told my friend LifeChange earlier, I consider those of us who have chosen abstinence over addiction as heroic. It makes a huge difference in how others view me and most importantly - how I view myself. I am far from a fragile, damaged, powerless, diseased person who can't have a drink and has to worry constantly that somehow a drink will get down my throat. I am someone who knows that alcohol is toxic and addictive and I now have the power to confidently choose not to poison myself ever again....no matter what.
It's time to openly and actively challenge the status quo -
Of our drinking culture, The alcohol industry, the alcohol recovery industry....and.....ourselves.
You can live....without alcohol....without addcition....without fear....without shame...and that life is better than the best you can imagine.
I took some time and really visualized what a 100% alcohol free life looked like in glowing, glorious detail.... How I would feel about myself and being able to be free of addiction and how that would positively impact every area of my life. I saw the pride and relief in my kids eyes. I saw myself exercising without joint pain, being free to go out and enjoy hikes and dinners. I saw my skin looking alive again and I saw the beer belly and butt shrinking away. I saw my friends feeling admiration for me for overcoming addiction (after getting over their surprise that I was addicted!) I saw myself being very productive - getting things done...getting my house back in order...being productive, clear-headed and creative at work...being able to drive anywhere...anytime because I had no worries about being over the limit. I felt relief of not being enslaved by the compulsive need to get a daily fix. I felt the freedom of being in control. I felt the joy of no longer feeling isolated by my secret.
I liked what I saw so much that I decided to try committing to abstinence - despite my fears.
As it turns out, the reality of being free goes even beyond what I was able to imagine. There is a hell of a lot of power between our ears. Harness your brain and make it work for you. Think of your brain as being the ultimate test simulator. When the negative self-chatter starts up....crowd it out with those thoughts of what you are getting by healing your body after years of addiction. When depravation thoughts pop up....counter them with thoughts of gratitude for all you are getting and that you are no longer damaging yourself each day. This isn't just happy - psycho babble blah blah. You actually start building new neural pathways in your brain and the old negative pathways begin to go dormant. It takes practice and persistence, but each positive thought is one more step forward.
Finally...I found ways to really reward myself beyond the intrinsic goodness. I started a side bank account online and transferred the money I saved from not drinking and smoking into it every day. It was great to see it grow! And it was fun to spend. After week one, I treated myself to a mani-pedi. As my fund grew, I started making a monthly donation to the local animal shelter. I got a new puppy for myself. I took my whole family on an amazing raft trip down the Grand Canyon. I'm now setting aside part of that money to help my son through law school and to offset the cost of building an off-the-grid home in Arizona.
To date...my total monetary savings since I 'tried' on my quit and kept it is now up to $21,802 (991 free days and counting x $22 a day) And the most important savings - my life - is incalculable. I can feel my dopamine pinging like a slot machine right now!
Today, I am proud to be a non-drinker. I absolutely refuse to label myself or any other former addict as an 'alcoholic.' As I told my friend LifeChange earlier, I consider those of us who have chosen abstinence over addiction as heroic. It makes a huge difference in how others view me and most importantly - how I view myself. I am far from a fragile, damaged, powerless, diseased person who can't have a drink and has to worry constantly that somehow a drink will get down my throat. I am someone who knows that alcohol is toxic and addictive and I now have the power to confidently choose not to poison myself ever again....no matter what.
It's time to openly and actively challenge the status quo -
Of our drinking culture, The alcohol industry, the alcohol recovery industry....and.....ourselves.
You can live....without alcohol....without addcition....without fear....without shame...and that life is better than the best you can imagine.
???
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