Newbies Nest

[Pavati]

Newbies Nest

MAE, All:

Byrdie, those words from KTAB are SO true. I wouldn't have believed it until I tried it. When I took alcohol completely off the table - not even an option - my whole perspective changed. A lot of my mind is free from the chatter - how much, when, with whom, who will know, I feel so awful, have to quit, well maybe just one, this is a special occasion, I drank yesterday might as well today, is that ONE drink or two, blah blah. No thanks, I don't drink.

In the words of June3 that I often quote - if only one, why not none?

Happy Saturday, Nesters. Lots of family stuff today and lots of baseball for the kids. Stay sober!

Pav

[Byrdlady]

Newbies Nest

Pavati;1640521 wrote: MAE, All:

Byrdie, those words from KTAB are SO true. I wouldn't have believed it until I tried it. When I took alcohol completely off the table - not even an option - my whole perspective changed. A lot of my mind is free from the chatter - how much, when, with whom, who will know, I feel so awful, have to quit, well maybe just one, this is a special occasion, I drank yesterday might as well today, is that ONE drink or two, blah blah. No thanks, I don't drink.

In the words of June3 that I often quote - if only one, why not none?

Happy Saturday, Nesters. Lots of family stuff today and lots of baseball for the kids. Stay sober!

Pav

Pav, those words from 3J were immortal! I remember when she wrote it I thought, YEAH, why NOT none? Acceptance really IS where the journey gets easier. It is almost a relief. Xo, B

[Dottie Belle]

Newbies Nest

MAE all,
Off to do some therapy shopping. Curling iron is not getting hot so that is on my list and still shopping for a stove. I hope just one appliance dies at a time to spread out the $$$$$
Cooler here again but it is Ohio and anything is possible.

[trademan]

Newbies Nest

Hi all,
I am still without al for 17 days now. I would say I feel better, and I do, but I now have a massive cold of some kind for the past week. It is on its way out too, (almost over it). I could only imagine how bad I woulda felt if I thought to "treat" it with al. I Know It would take longer to get rid of, etc. So I have been just getting rest and plenty of liquids and eating lots of soup. I am thinking way clearer, even though I do feel bad from the cold, but it will go away and I will feel even better.

[New Dreams]

Newbies Nest

DreamThinkDo;1637724 wrote:
Yesterday, five months ago I would have been, if not drunk, then certainly on my way there. (And I started this at 11 am :blush:.)

.... I really can?t remember when it became a problem ? because I never saw my drinking as a problem. I should have seen red warning lights and heard alarm bells when I started opening a bottle of wine earlier and earlier each day ? i

So, there I was, constantly filling my cup with nectar from the Cape?s vineyards, reading, planning how I would mod, with Byrdie and the other Nest Mothers insisting that moderating was impossible. Byrdie, Lav, all of you ? my apologies ? I thought that you were sour spoil sports ? telling others that modding was impossible because you were not capable of modding. I, however, I thought, would be the poster child for modding. .....And then the small issue of the 30 day challenge came up in the Nest. That seemed like an absolute impossibility. I thought that I might make 7 days, but not more than that. Stubborn Dreamy decided to accept the challenge ? and to reward herself with a huge bottle of champagne after 30 days. The thirty days was long enough for me to know that I did not want to drink at the end of it ? but, for a while, I kept that option open ? and then discarded it altogether. And, obviously, the temptation of modding has been flung out the window. I'm a drunk, plain and simple, not a moderate drinker who sometimes have one too many.

The first few days AF were the usual hell, although I didn?t have any withdrawal symptoms, and the cravings were bearable. In fact, I?ve been incredibly lucky in that department ? I?ve had one or two cases of cravings that were so bad that I was paralysed, but on the whole, I sailed through things, compared to what other people here experienced. (And I'm neither complaining nor bragging!)

.....And let?s be honest ? wine played the starring role in my life. I?m happy with the fact that I miss it ? but it?s in the past, and that?s where it will stay.

So, I?m sober. And I?m happy. I?m happy that I?m sober.

And to each and everybody on this site: thank you. Your stories and experiences ? good and bad ? keep reinforcing the fact that I won?t ever drink again. I would not have been able to do this without you - and can't tell you how much I appreciate you.

And to the Newbies: it's incredibly scary to think of never-ever drinking again. It's a lot easier to just not drink today, and to then do the same thing again the next day, and the next and the day after that too. That is how I reached today - ODAT.

Dream,
This post has stuck with me(couldn't remember who posted it...so I went looking for it)...my story is much like yours....no alcohol/or little in the house growing up,

not remembering "when it became a problem ? because I never saw my drinking as a problem. I should have seen red warning lights and heard alarm bells when I started opening a bottle of wine earlier and earlier each day..."
This really became an issue as I work from home...so the liquor cabinet/ever present bottle of chilled wine in the frig, were only steps away.

Next to nothing in the way of withdrawal....minor cravings....first week was tough...but it's been getting easier. Also when I look at my life with AL compared to the many stories that are shared, I was one of those that could drink others under the table & not even seem drunk, very high tolerance ( I suspect I have one of those metabolism with the extra enzyme that allows me to process ETOH more readily)....it was truly the scenario of
opening a bottle of wine earlier and earlier each day, that has finally been my wake-up call....

I too went through the fantasy thought of modding in 2009....
"Byrdie, Lav, all of you ? my apologies ? I thought that you were sour spoil sports ? telling others that modding was impossible because you were not capable of modding."
This was me too! Over this past 3 weeks I also can identify with some that were having trouble with the thought of never again... this week I am finally starting to GET IT...even though I don't have hangovers, get only slightly impaired comparably... AL was isolating me and my DH and we are not normal drinkers & never will be. My husband was starting to have severe issues, blackout nearly every night, has developed Barret's esophogus, among other stuff...he's a pleasant enough drunk...but the memory issues were starting to annoy...we both need to eat better & lose weight...which was never going to happen with the amount of empty calories consumed.
So long story short We're sober. And I?m happy. I?m happy that we're sober.

I have to say the ODAT is hard for me to grasp...for me it's like those people who set their watches 10 minutes fast so they won't be late.....I alway know it's running fast...so that doesn't work....One day at a time....saying I won't drink , today... with the implication ...that maybe I will some day, just not today.....feels like a lie. I have had to come to place where I can except....I don't drink...PERIOD...and be GRATEFUL for that, and I am truly.

[Petrelhead]

Newbies Nest

Jane, no problem, and glad to hear you're on the mend. Sounds like lots of rest and TLC for yourself will go a long way.

The missing Malaysian flight has become a huge issue. I'm surprised they don't have any modern detection technology to locate the plane or parts of it. It seems they can only rely on visual, and that's in heavy seas. Needle in a hay stack. It's a terrible tragedy.

Hi tradesman. Glad to hear your hanging tough.

[aeg]

Newbies Nest

Hi all, thank you for your posts. I enjoy reading them. Day 8 for me and so far it's good. There is alcohol all around me since my business is entertainment with a fully licenced restaurant and bar. I'm glad I'm not drinking. Getting a lot more done and feeling on top of my game.
Night before last was tough though. I opened a non alc beer for me and a beer for hubby and we settled in front of th TV. He fell asleep right away, had not touched his beer. I was so tempted to drink it. Proud of myself for not doing it. Very greatfull for this forum. Thank you all for the support I feel here.

[aeg]

Newbies Nest

day 8 and doing well.

Hi all, thank you for your posts. I enjoy reading them. Day 8 for me and so far it's good. There is alcohol all around me since my business is entertainment with a fully licenced restaurant and bar. I'm glad I'm not drinking. Getting a lot more done and feeling on top of my game.
Night before last was tough though. I opened a non alc beer for me and a beer for hubby and we settled in front of th TV. He fell asleep right away, had not touched his beer. I was so tempted to drink it. Proud of myself for not doing it. Very greatfull for this forum. Thank you all for the support I feel here.:thanks:

[aeg]

Newbies Nest

Hi all, thank you for your posts. I enjoy reading them. Day 8 for me and so far it's good. There is alcohol all around me since my business is entertainment with a fully licenced restaurant and bar. I'm glad I'm not drinking. Getting a lot more done and feeling on top of my game.
Night before last was tough though. I opened a non alc beer for me and a beer for hubby and we settled in front of th TV. He fell asleep right away, had not touched his beer. I was so tempted to drink it. Proud of myself for not doing it. Very greatfull for this forum. Thank you all for the support I feel here.

[KENSHO]

Newbies Nest

Hi to the Nest! What a warm, cozy place this has been to come. I'm noticing so many positives to being AF. Food tastes better and my body in general seems to be working better. Even forming words - seems like the nerve connections are firing in a more precise way. Biggest change is my attitude. I'm much slower to agitation and confrontation. Calmer. And I thought AL was doing that for me before – HA! It was the opposite! I think I had fried my nervous system.

Test #1 today - Going with the family to a brewery to say goodbye to some friends who are moving. I used to wonder “WHAT would people THINK if I don’t have a drink?” Well, I feel very confidently now that I really don’t care. I’ll just tell them I’m givin’ the liver a break. I’m quite sure that my drinking status will not affect their day. I will order a root beer and focus on enjoying the conversation. And if it gets really hard, I will excuse myself and visit the nest on my phone. I have begun to learn that I am a nicer person without AL, and I am looking forward to a sober evening.

These recent posts will help – “If just one, then why none?”, and “Alcohol does not help us in ANY way.” (Thanks June3 and Byrdie!)

Just mentioned in casual conversation to hubby that "I'm giving my liver a break lately," and much to my relief, he just said, "That's a good thing". In his way of minimal communication, that is support. Whew! Was dreading that one!

[roxane]

Newbies Nest

That's a good plan kensho.

Strange place to say goodbye though I must say.

[KENSHO]

Newbies Nest

It's a place we always went to have a beer and listen to live music. We live in a micro-brewery mecca and my hubby is into craft beers. One of our friends is a brewer. YES, much of our social life has revolved around alcohol. So this is something I have to overcome. I can still support their "craft", as I don't think they have drinking problems (but you never know, right?). It's an interesting science - just one I cannot critique.

[roxane]

Newbies Nest

Ahh ok, I understand now. A social meeting place. That makes more sense than going to an alcohol factory :H

[Rahulthesweet]

Newbies Nest

Hello Nesters,

In Amstradam at star bucks ... enjoying coffee and using free wifi to check posts on MWO. Sorry due to so less time am not able to read many posts.

But I must thank you ALL for insipiring me for stay sober especially last 4 days of internation travel in paris, Minsk and amstradam. I crossed today the same bars where I have had beers on my last visit.

I am sooooo glad to leave AL behind. I rather saved.money and invested in a rather great shoes for running. Plan on going early morning jog tomorrow before catching afternoon flight back home.

Take care ... chow !!

[New Dreams]

Newbies Nest

lead366;1637572 wrote: RIGHT ON New dreams.....You tackled it! The next time will be easier...and easier and easier. Use that tempt moment to build on for the next time. For me?...every time now MR. AL come into my brain I simply tell him to "FO!.. Im on a mission!"

The more you utilize these aggressive words..the more your brain gets trained to pipe down and the craves decline. PROUD OF YOU

No truer words....I have recently stumbled onto the Ladies on a Mission thread....after those sage words of advice, I expected to see you there Lead!