Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

[retteacher]

I just read yesterday's daily thread...great stuff there! Deter, you're doing so well. Just watch out for those pub visits w/your drinking colleagues. Remember to stay on guard all the time...we don't need alcohol to live or even to enjoy ourselves.

One of my strategies when I feel tempted is to remember some of the drunken incidents that brought me to MWO in the first place. That seems to take the romanticism out of drinking & put it in the addiction category (for me) where it belongs.

However, another of my strategies is to really appreciate the great changes I feel when I stop drinking. Yesterday's thread about becoming free of guilt when we stop drinking was so uplifting. Today, I just wanted to mention that when I don't drink I can be myself so much more:
-I can say what I want wo/fear of slurring.
-I can go anywhere in my car at the spur of the moment.
-I can make mistakes wo/worrying people will think I'm drunk.
Please share any of the gifts of sobriety you've felt w/some AF time. It doesn't have to be many, many days of sobriety. Just a few days brings rewards. Mary

[charlee]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Confidence has always been an issue with me.....Although I still wish I was more assertive, I am finding I am speaking my mind a tad more both at work and at home. Coworkers have noticed and say "about time!"....Home life another story....not sure hubby is comfortable yet, with my new attitude, I still get those "have you been drinking" looks, as had a tendancy to get a bit mouthy when drinking...poor guy is confused!!!!......He'll come around eventually!!!!!

[Cinders]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Charlee,

:H :H :H

Love to all, Have a great day. On day 15 here, with special thanks to Charlee, Hart and Mags last night. You all really helped pull me through a rough patch!! Whew!!

Love,
Cindi

[cowgal]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

made it!

I made it through day 3 AF, thought I might drink cuz of all the stress here at work.......BUT didn't!!!:clapclap:

Just wanted to check in w/ you all and say hi and thanks for all the support and kind welcome!!:thanks:

Love,:h :l

Mary Anne

[retteacher]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Char: I too have trouble being assertive...esp. w/hubby. Conversely to most people, when I drink, I get more passive. My husband has noticed the new me standing up for myself. It feels good not to be carrying a lot of emotional baggage around w/me. I get it out, & it's over. Keeping it all in is a reason for me to drink.

I'm still nursing the crabby, sick family. They all got this flu in succession. It's amazing that I haven't gotten drunk or lost my sanity.

Mary

[rustop61]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Hi everyone

I am reaping one of the benefits of being AF at the moment and that is having so much more energy!! So many days wasted feeling crap, nursing a hangover. Am on a roll at the moment and intend to keep going. Have just finished painting the office and cleaning it all out. Am exhausted but feel great.

Rustop

[indiamike57]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

May - Yes. Guilt.

I am on Day 18AF and the "guilt" relief is so there and only seems to be getting stronger. I don't have to worry about alcohol in the house, in my briefcase, in my garbage, hiding in a closet. I am thinking with all cylinders (well most), and functioning like an adult. No worries on driving, talking on the phone and slurring, etc!

It's awesome....so much to be thankful for.........

[Determinator]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Happy Thursday ABerooonies! yeah! I get to fly home to my dear Dx tonight. it will be late but great.
lots of good points you guys...I agree with all of the above and add the "brain fog" there was this insidious creeping "fog" feeling in my head I couldn't shake out when I was drinking or recovering from drinking during the day.
Cowgal and Indiamike congrads on staying AF in the face of adversity!

I had another booze-infested evening last night but at least I wasn't the one drinking it they were giving away free drinks at the trade show, then I went with workmates to the hotel bar where one of them showed some sense and was a true moderator, but the rest got totally plowed. I'm sure they won't be much help today. It's so much easier to fly and deal with airports and travel when AF. i can actually trust my brain! what an odd but true thing to say.
Be well friends

[Determinator]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Happy Thursday ABerooonies! yeah! I get to fly home to my dear Dx tonight. it will be late but great.
lots of good points you guys...I agree with all of the above and add the "brain fog" there was this insidious creeping "fog" feeling in my head I couldn't shake out when I was drinking or recovering from drinking during the day.
Cowgal and Indiamike congrads on staying AF in the face of adversity!

I had another booze-infested evening last night but at least I wasn't the one drinking it they were giving away free drinks at the trade show, then I went with workmates to the hotel bar where one of them showed some sense and was a true moderator, but the rest got totally plowed. I'm sure they won't be much help today. It's so much easier to fly and deal with airports and travel when AF. i can actually trust my brain! what an odd but true thing to say.
Be well friends

[madisonmay]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Hi All

Yesterday was another AF day, which makes 4, look forward to another AF day today. Hope you all have a good day.

Mary :h :l

[Thankful]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Hello all! Again what great attitudes today!!! Yipee!

Cindi, may I say how proud I am of you? You sound so different compared to a few weeks ago. My heart goes out to your and your family. You are an inspiration. You can do this, Cindi. It seems your time has come and you deserve it after all that hard work. It's still alot of work, but it gets easier everyday. Your confidence just "jumps" out of my monitor.

Congrats to all of you who are holding strong! It's another great feeling when know you can make through a rough patch without the booze. We do get tested with sobriety thats for sure. Stay strong, my friends.

Please share any of the gifts of sobriety you've felt w/some AF time.

My gift is getting closer with my niece. She hugs me for no reason, gives kisses on the check as she walks by. It just makes me want to well up when she does those things. She has lived with alcoholics her whole life and she is an only child and only grandchild. She finally sees someone trying to quit and she seems so appreciative of that. Poor thing. She's going to college in the fall and it was so important to me to show her alcohol does not control us. We control it. For now she hates alcohol so much because of the relationship she has with her mom. I hope when she's at college she will continue to hate it. That's definately my biggest gift from being AF. Thanks for asking, Mary.

Arm yourselves against the battles of today folks! We will win! Day 58 here.

Love, Me
:l

[retteacher]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Thankful: Thank you for the wonderful story about your niece.

Cindi: Keep on taking it one day at a time. You're doing great!

Mary

[Mackeral]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Good evening Abbers...

Day 4 here..

My best gift from being af in these short but long 4 days is the way my family look at me..Respect..Admiration..and a fair amount of shock and surprise lol...My eldest child is 14...She noticed i hadnt been drinking for a couple of days..and she knows my routine, sat here on mwo with cigs and bottle of coke..and even at that age where she is supposed to be too cool to speak to dad for too long, she still had the time to say well done dad..your doing good...
That meant a hell of a lot to me..

To all here going through the same battle as me...I admire you..and want to take the time to simply say...well done..your doing good..

Love Macks xx

[Thankful]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Macks, that's so awesome! What a great feeling, huh? Especially when they are teenagers, I agree.

Det, have a safe trip home! So glad you stayed strong, but I never had a doubt.

WTG, Eveyone!!

Love, Me
:l

[retteacher]

Thurs. - Feb. 21 - Daily Thread

Macks: Well done...you're doing good.

BTW everyone: If I can't start this thread early tomorrow, please do so. OK?

Mary