Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

[Thankful]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

The only thing I can think of ....... and don't hit me...........is saying 'day 1'. You may never feel 'ready'. But with all the courage you can muster......you have to scream....... NO MORE!!! in yourself. You have to fight for every hour if necessary. It WILL get easier. If you think about it - what is a few days of agony, followed by a few weeks of 'squirelly-ness', if the payoff is, as you said, getting your health, self-respect, and joy of life back?

I wish we could sleep through the withdrawals, but to be honest, the withdrawal is part of what's keeping me sober. I don't EVER want to go through it again. And that's why I feel so much for anyone in the first days. You know - you're going to get through the next few days one way or the other. What would it be like, if next week this time, you are 8 days AF, instead of 1? What kinds of changes do you think you might see in yourself? I know I said 'focus on today', but here is a 'positive' exercise in daydreaming for once ! Anxiety, Fear, AL the dumb beast, all tell us it's hopeless and don't bother. I couldn't disagree more.

Absolutely brilliant post, Wonder. Every single word, so true.


Love, Me
:l

[wonderworld]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

And hi Roamer!!! Good to meet you too !!! And welcome!!! :welcome:

:H:H:H Good one LVT25!!!!
Interesting about the socializing. I do not like being around AL right now at all, so I'm not. A couple of work situations and one social one I felt I needed to attend, and that's been it. I say if you feel safe and content at home while you go through some changes - so what? It's worth it. You are taking a very healthy step here. The rest will fall into place when it......... falls into place . I think we are taught that being alone is somehow 'pathetic' or 'sick', but you know what? There's some very healthy kinds of being alone too. And it's for YOU to determine - no one else. So for now Netflix and MWO it is!!!! (notice - no dumb ugly stupid slimy smelly rotten beast?)

For myself, as the AF time is passing, my social world is expanding again. VERY slowly, because that's comfortable for me. Some old people, some new people, some old activities, some new activities, and it's ALL GOOD

Love WW xox

[Ollie]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

Great post, Wonder. It really hit home for me.

Ollie

[livingfree]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

WW - you ROCK woman!! You don't just "do" you "do what you say your going to do"!! I love ya wonderful woman! This is a great thread!! Best of luck to everyone here - a great no drama zone - a wonderful support system - and a family all in one!!

If I can give one piece of advice for getting that first 30 under your belt it's to focus with everything you have in you to get those first 3 days behind you. Then let the momentum start to get you through the next 4 days so that you have one week. After one week - you KNOW you can do it for another week. So the formula is
3 days - FOCUS LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT
+ 4 Days - Use the momentum of the 3 days to give you 4 more
= 7 days. You now can do it twice. Get it? Strange thinking but it WORKS!

Love and Best Wishes to you all

Liv

[wonderworld]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

Love your formula Liv!!! You're so right.

What a day of posts on this thread. ALL right from the heart :h. Just amazing.
I hope to see each and every one of you tomorrow - no matter what.

Much love to all :l-

WW xox

[Wooflet]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

Hi everyone

I was very glad to wake up and find that this isn't my own little 30 day AF thread - was feeling a little lonesome there for a while!

In a rush so I don't have time to respond properly - slept very badly without my 'sleep juice'. But who cares, I got to put a big fat zero in the drink tracker this morning

WW thanks for the encouragement but I feel compelled to say that it was my first AF day in 15 months, not years - so perhaps not such a big achievement, but for me still glorious:danthin:

Hope to check in properly later on today

Wooflet

[wonderworld]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

WOO HOOO !!! Yay Wooflet !!

And don't even START with it's "only been 15 months since I had an AF day" .........
YOU DID IT!!!!! Day 1........... DOWN!!! :goodjob:

Here you go AL !!! : :moon:

Yes - when you have time - we want to hear more please !

WW xox

[keeta]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

Hi all,
back from work, and having a peppermint tea...one more hour until the store closes, and I will be 1 day AF. whew!

This time out I bought the L-Glut in power form (as opposed to capsules...simply because it was all they had where I was at the time). Wow, is it GROSS. And for a while after it makes me feel very pukey! Has anyone else experienced this?

Wooflet...awesome on day 1...GREAT job!

Wakeupmom...I can relate to the romatic notion of a drink. I am really having a hard time accepting I should never...will never, have another beer. I can not moderate...I have turned into an all or nothing girl. So once I sober up, NO AL for me.
I don't know why that bothers me so much...any thoughts any one????

Everyone else...welcome...we CAN do this.

Wonder...you are an awesome woman for starting this thread...for caring...thank you so much...big kudos and virtual hugs for you...

going to go see if anyone is in chat.

love and hugs,
K

[Ripple]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

Its ME!

good posts by all. have to say its a tough thing to do. no doubt. it's holy fricken hell on the body is wot i am finding the most. getting relief since sleeping better. i have my nites i am up, like tonite. i must say....it does get better. :thanks:

[wonderworld]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

Good morning friends-

I have a crick in the my neck, I didn't sleep well, and I'm cranky! There! Now how's that for a happy Friday morning !?!?! :H. I'm getting moving anyway. I'll find some kind of groove, I'm sure. Going to get as much done in the early part of the day as possible, so I have the afternoon to relax and ease into the weekend.

Hey keeta - I have never heard that about the L-Glut - but I believe you! I know some people swear by dissolving the powder under their tongue for super fast effectiveness (including opening up a capsule and doing so), but I had no idea what it tasted like. ew.

As much as I hate and despise AL, and as relieved and happy as I am to have the beast off my back, and as much as I know about what AL does to my body and my life, I also get a weird pang when I think "Never Again !?!?". I can't really wrap my mind around it. And I have a sneaking suspicion that that "scary thought" is also a result of the brain going through physical withdrawal. It's calling to it's lover.......... "Don't leave me !!! What will I do without you !?! I love you!!! (and if loving you is wrong - I don't wanna be right !!! :upset ). Poor brain :l. It's going through a breakup !

Hi Ripple!! Hope you eventually got to sleep and had some sweet dreams . Very nice to see you here!

How is everyone?

love ww xox

[roamer723]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

well, all day yesterday I told myself I wouldn't drink last night. we were almost out of the bottle we had, and wifey wanted wings for dinner so I took daughter to go get some.

on the way out the door she says, "hey, get some more stuff if you want to". Well of course I want to. I had a moment of indecision, but said ya sure I'll get some.

So I told myself, I'll just not have any, or only have a little. Well, I was moderately successful in that I only had 1 drink, filled mostly with ice. Whiskey on the rocks.

so, that's less than the usual two, but a departure from what I was trying, in that I was doing two whiskey & waters. I dunno.

damn this is hard.

[meditation mama]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

FANTASTIC THREAD!

Wonder - you are an angel for starting this. It is so inspirational and heartfelt.

1-30 is a fantastic journey. Looking back, finally making it past that mark - and then continuing on, is one of the hardest, most fullfilling life experiences I have ever had. Don't get me wrong, this is not one I would like to repeat, but I wouldn't change anything. You must remember that this is a journey, not a race. Keeping track of these day in the begining is crucial, but it is more important to really stand outside of yourself and OBSERVE what you are doing. Watch each day, let it sink in. Feel your feelings. See yourself crave, get angry, feel weak. Watch what you are doing and put a tag to it.. "I am craving" and know it will pass. The craving WILL pass, the feeling WILL pass. WE HAVE BEEN THERE AND KNOW THIS AS FACT - IT PASSES. The world goes by weather we do somethng or don't, so don't. The more power you give it the stronger it will become. It is like adding gas to a flame. If you ignore a flame it will burn itself out.. You have to watch it to make sure it doesn't get out of control, but just watch, don't jump in.. that is where you get burned. I have plenty of scars to prove it...

Stay strong, my friends.. stay here, stay connected, stay steadfast, and never, ever, ever give up!

Namaste,

MM

[Ollie]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

Great job to everyone!
Roamer-my spouse also drinks, but is able to do so moderately. It is extremely hard to quit when there is alcohol in the house. All day yesterday I saw the half full bottle of red on the wine rack and saw the chilled bottle of white everytime I went into the fridge. Good job on only having one.

I did get through day 2 AF. It was not super hard but not easy at all. I did not get agitated until 5:30. At that point I made some tea. Of course my 3 year old wanted tea like mommy. So, we had an impromtu Tea Party! It was so nice spending time with her, instead of pouring a glass of wine and disconnecting from everyone.

WW-I can not think about never drinking again. I would fail quickly if that was my goal. I know in the back of my head that that is probably my future-but I just can not face it yet.

I'll keep on with my Kudzu and work through tonight when it gets here. I do have inspiration to not drink tonight as I have a 3K Charity Walk tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a great day...I'm off to put a big fat zero in my drink tracker as well!

Ollie

[bestlifeldms]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

Good morning all!

This is 25 days AF, for me! I feel better and better with each day. WW, your analogy of AL calling out to it's lover, "don't leave me!" created the mental image of the "Bad Witch" in the Wizzard of Oz when they threw the bucket of water on her. "I'm melting, melting!" then - gone! Well, AL, may you melt away and evaporate into thin air, never to return again. I think I will use this for my new visualization tool. LOL! This thread is a great place to come each day for continued encouragement. Thank you!

Best

[keeta]

Days 1-30: Hello Sober Living

on to day 2

morning, afternoon, evening all, where ever you are!

Wonder...blech, about putting it under your tongue (the L-glut that is) Unless because this is a "health powder" that you dissolve in water, something in it gives it that....well, GROSSNESS, for lack of a better word :H

I agree with everyone, that wrapping my poor little brain around the "never drink again" thought, gives me butterflies. I think part of it is me mourning the fact that I am realising I simply don't have what it takes to drink in a healthy way. Meaning moderately. I can't have one ice cold beer on a hot summer day on my porch....I will want more more more...:upset:

After work last night I went to chat. WOW....met a great group of people, and the time I need to kill until the liquor store closed flew by, instead of being a clock watching struggle. THANKS to all who were there.

Ripple, I sure hope you got a good nights sleep. I know how bad things can get when insomnia strikes!

Wonder....sorry to hear about the crick in the neck thing. Probably from tossing and turning all night. :upset: You know those microwavable majic bags, you can warm up and put on achy muscles???...well, a cheap home made version...take a clean tube sock (long white sock)...fill with dry rice, leaving enough room to knot it at the top. Test the times for heating in your microwave...warm it...and place on back of your neck...VOILA!!!! It lasts indefinately...and is so handy to have around!

roamer....my hubby also drinks...though not to the degree I do. I know if there is alcohol to be drank, I almost never can say no! That said, having one drink and stopping is a huge leap forward, don't you think! Focus on the positive. :goodjob:

MM....feel your feelings and accept them...living in each moment...You are correct! The trouble is, I have used AL for so long to escape life, for numerous reasons, I really am going to have to stay vigilant. I love something Chief always says...(sorry if I misquote a bit here Chief)...but basically he says, the one way not to lose a battle with AL, is to never get into the ring with him...in other words...DON'T TAKE THAT FIRST DRINK. Atleast that is what it means to me!

Ollie...GREAT job on day 2, even with wine in the house! How strong you were! How nice your AF evening led to a tea party with your daughter! Keep up the good work!

bestlife...WOW...25 days, what a super star you are! I love your visualization of AL being the melting witch! HA! Take THAT, AL!!!!!!

I feel positive thus far, though it is only 8am!

Will check in later, after work!

:l:h,
K