My NEW Story Starts Here...

[Sunbeam]

My NEW Story Starts Here...

DoggyGirl,
Congratulations to you on that one-year milestone! But I am mostly posting to thank you for posting your journey under this Tell Us Your Story section of MWO. It has inspired so many, and I'm sure has enabled success that would have otherwise not occurred. I wish more successful people here would post their stories, although most journeys lack all the turns of yours.

[Evie.Lou]

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Well done on that ONE YEAR !!!!!!!
It sure feels good doesn't it. I just celebrated my one year on May 14th and it hasn't been the easiest year but it sure has been one of the BEST YEARS of my entire life !!!
I WISH you the rest of your life......happy, healthy, sober and to continue to go out into the world letting everyone know that there is no shame in being an alcoholic. The only shame could come from not facing that fact and doing something about it !!! You are a shining example of how facing it head on has amazingly powerful positive results....YEAH for your continued success !!!!

[DeeBee]

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Congrats on your one year sobriety DG!
I just love coming back to your story again and again -- it really has inspired me:-)

[Doggygirl]

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Wow - thanks everyone for stopping by and for helping make this milestone so special for me. I am one very happy girlfriend to be sober today!

DG

[ThatGirl]

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Wow! one year, well done DG!

[ceprise]

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Way to Go!

Congrats DG! You are an inspiration to us all!!!

[SAUSAGE]

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DG

Many many congratulations on your one year sober!! This is fantastic, a huge well done, you are such an inspiration to us all - I owe a lot of my own success to you - you have really inspired me.

What are you doing to celebrate?

[Doggygirl]

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SAUSAGE;619417 wrote: DG

What are you doing to celebrate?

I am enjoying many of the newfound benefits of sober living today. It was fun to celebrate this morning here with you all, and also with the gang at AA. That one year coin feels really really special and good in my fingers.

I wore a new outfit that makes me feel "pretty darn good for a 50 something."

After taking care of some stuff at the office and getting the crock pot going, I had a nice leisurely work out. On my own today, it was cardio for warm up, lower body weights, abs abs abs, then more cardio and stretching. It felt really good. The gym was quiet and I wasn't in a rush to finish by a particular time or anything. Sweet!

I tended my garden and am amazed by how everything is growing. Soon we will have lettuce and spinach and radishes from the big garden. The stuff that's been in for awhile - brocolli, brussel sprouts, etc. all looks good. I'm babying some of the newer stuff like the cucumbers. My porch garden with the herbs and strawberries and leaf lettuce and peppers and a grape tomato plant is coming along too. I can start using some of the herbs now and there is enough lettuce for a BIG salad tomorrow.

Now I'm going to finish dinner. It's pulled pork from the crock pot and home made BBQ sauce and home made cole slaw. Then I'm going to fire up the Vitamix for an ice cream treat.

And you know what? This is a pretty typical day now and I love it!! I don't need to go out and do something out of the ordinary to celebrate when regular life feels so good.

I'm going to re-visit my gratitude list too. I have much to be thankful for.

(and of course "regular days" for me are much more peaceful than for you folks with little kids!! I would be off somewhere getting a massage and a pedicure and dinner out if I had kids I think!!)

DG

[Cinders]

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Doggygirl;463704 wrote: Wow - what a walk down memory lane it has been to re-read this thread! The hope and optimism, the bad choices and conseuquences, the successes and failures over the last (almost) year and a half. And the friends who have supported me along the way! I can't believe I haven't posted anything here since Day 15 sober. Now I'm only two short weeks away from six months sober!

I truly feel like I will never choose to drink again. By working on broad lifestyle changes - not just "not drinking" I feel I am moving further and further away from a life where alcohol has any sort of logical fit.

It is said that a picture says a thousand words. I believe that's true. I'm about to share a "before" picture that was taken on 5/31/2008 - Day 10 of this final journey into sobriety. In this picture you will see the exterior of a middle aged woman who is bloated and over weight from many unhealthy lifestyle choices and no exercise. The puffiness from daily drinking remains on her face - years of that don't disappear in 10 days. Everything you see on the outside is reflected on the inside. This woman is miserable in her body. She is scared of getting old and going to pot. She has aches and pains in many places - including pain in her soul from wasting so much of her life with her head in a bottle. She is wondering if she can ever look and feel good again, and enjoy life. And this is just the summary version.



In the five months between Memorial Day weekend and Halloween, she made many changes in addition to stopping the madness with the booze. She exercises 6 days a week, and really works to make each workout productive. She sought testing and bioidentical treatment for hormone imbalances. She eats a low carb diet which agrees with her. She is making healthier choices with organic foods and antibiotic / hormone free meats. She has taken up cooking as a hobby and finds gratification in managing and far healthier household. Booze just doesn't fit into the new picture. She is happy and feels good on the inside. She has lost 49 pounds along with the bad habits. She recently bought her first pair of "low rise" jeans since she was a teenager. She is feeling good at 50 years old, and feeling good about the years to come and so many possibilities in life.

She has found her "fun" side again! She had a presentation to give on Halloween morning, so she painted on a GothWitch face complete with purple glitter paste on tattoo and matching eyelashes!



She even has some muscle tone now from those workouts. :b&d:



I'm glad that picture was taken on 5/31 and I'm glad Mr. Doggy wanted a picture of the Halloween get up. *I* couldn't believe what I saw in those pictures. I don't know (and don't care) whether anyone else can visibly see what Lifestyle Change has meant to me.

I have a choice every moment of my life to drink booze or not. I can choose booze at any moment. It's up to me. I know the consequences. Photo #1 is where ONE DRINK will lead me. I choose not to go there and I will keep choosing not to go there. I cannot be the person in picture #2 with booze in my life. It is not possible as I have conclusively proven to myself.

So there you have it. Just like I can't imagine ever EVER choosing to smoke a cigarette, I can't ever EVER imagine choosing to drink booze. I have nothing to gain and everything to lose. My life. My health. And the "vanity" stuff too. I'm a girly girl again!

When I first started this journey back on July 11, 2007, I set a goal. My goal was that at 1 year sober, I would find a way in my local commuinity to publically speak out about alcohol addiction and find a way to encourage people to seek help - not hide in shame. That is still my goal. I finally believe I will reach it!

If even one person finds inspiration from this post then it's worth revealing the old, bloated and miserable woman that I was. Giving up booze CAN be the first step in changing your life in many other ways.

I am currently working on my "thinking." You know - those conversations we constantly have with ouselves in our heads. As part of my alcohol addiction recovery, I have learned to identify "irrational thinking" that is part of the daily battle with AL. Learning to identify and interchange irrational thoughts with rational ones has not only helped with AL, but with other areas of my life - especially my marriage. I still have work to do in this area, but I'm enjoying the process and the improvements this is making in the "peace of mind" department!

Thanks to all of my friends at MWO who have helped me - many who still post and more who have moved on.

DG
Bumping this up for a newbie who wants inspiration for changing her life.

Cindi

[Doggygirl]

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Hello Cindi and hello newbie! If I can do it, believe me, you can do it too!

Strength and hope to you.

DG

[Nics99]

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WOW - that my friends is inspriation personified !! :goodjob:

DG - you have done do fantasticly well! Hope life continues to treat you the way you deserve. Thanks for bumping that Cindi

Nics

[lostagain]

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wow Doggy Girl that is amazing, and thanks to cinders for "bumping" it up. you are an inspiration and as i am very adamant that this is day 1 i will hope to look like you in 6 months!!!

well done

[wine lover]

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My oh My, have just read this and it has given me oh soooooo much encouragement.
DG, I thought the second and third pictures was your young daughter, before I read it. Thanks you for all your encouragement, it really helps, I am now on to day 3 AF. and starting to clean up my act domestically already. Big :thanks:



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one hour at a time

[CS04]

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The spring pictures of DG are even better than the Halloween ones (IMO, Doggygirl!) (The ones where you are standing in front of the mantel.)

Glad to see this thread, and all its honesty, continue to inspire.

[Tulipe]

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Cindi, thanks for bumping.
DG you are an inspiration. THe way you have analyzed the whole thing is inciteful - maybe you should write a book. And congratulations on your achievement.