I just wanted to make a short post to say how GREAT it is to be sober! I love not waking up with a hangover, feeling queezy and woozy all day, headaches, palpitations, sore lungs from smoking my brains out, and the self-loathing. I think that's the worst...worse than all the physical symptoms is the overwhelming sense self-loathing.
I LOVE being sober!
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Better days are in the cards, I feel. I feel it in the changing winds.... ~ Jimmy Buffett
Sobriety is SO much better than drunkenness. That's something that I used to think only sober losers would say. Losers who weren't strong enough to control their drinking, so they had to "console" themselves by saying they were "happier" sober, even though they really weren't.
But I am learning that that pre-conceived notion was simply not true. I like life better sober. It's not even a comparison. I have no desire to be a drunk. None. It's not fun. It's nothing other than slow suicide.
Sobriety is sublime.
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Better days are in the cards, I feel. I feel it in the changing winds.... ~ Jimmy Buffett
When I first came to AA I never thought that I would be able to be happy or to enjoy myself again. How wrong I was.
Sobriety is a very precious gift that I have been given and I cherish it. It is so important to me. Instead of the horrible emptiness and self-loathing, I am now starting to get some of my self-respect back and that feels great. Thank you for reminding me how wonderful my sobriety is.
Take care,
Carol
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss
Self pity was a big part of my drinking problem. Today, I can deal with stress differently and let a lot of it go.
And YES the morning times are wonderful. I'm becoming more of a morning person. i can now stay up til 12am and get up at 6 and feel rested, without a hangover, dry heaving deep coughs, heaving up yellow bile in the sink, etc.
There is no comparison. The way I engage with people is totally different now. I no longer "dismiss" people as a standard behavior. I'd look away if I was not interested in their conversation. I now can have a disaster in my life and not be as obsessed in thinking about it. I've also learned to listen to people more.
Me too all of that! I feel SO MUCH BETTER when I dont drink. No contest.
I was at a meeting last night and didn't get a chance to talk, but it was a Living Sober meeting about the different types of meetings and all that. I was just thinking how wierd it is that I had this big group of friends that were totally accepting when I'd drink and would totally just allow me my indiscretions and would just laugh when I got all screwed up and did something stupid, and how now I have this big group of friends* that are totally accepting that I'm trying to get sober and allow me to come to this place where they can help that happen.
Different. Plus- where else are yopu going to get therapy, counseling and a shoulder to cry on/ear to listen for a couple bucks. ;)
*dont get me wrong- I still have those friends. I just have a whole bunch of new friends now.)
Robert: I've been sober off and on for about 7 months. I've had a number of ups and downs throughout that time, including a very, very bad "down" in late October.
I don't tend to count days the way that a lot of folks do. Part of that is because my alcoholism primarily manifests itself when I walk into a bar. I've never had a problem controlling my drinking outside of a bar (i.e. at home or at a friend's house, etc.). For instance, I had a glass of wine during Christmas dinner, and that was all I had, and it was all I wanted. The thought to have a second glass didn't even cross my mind and certainly wasn't a "temptation."
I rarely ever buy beer at the grocery, and when I do, I buy non-alcholic (there are some quite good NA beers out there now!).
For me, learning to not go to the bar was how I learned to overcome my alcoholism. When I was in a bar (which was quite often), I would drink until I was plastered. Every time. Without fail. No matter how much I promised myself, beforehand, that I was only going to drink one, I ALWAYS ended up closing the place down.
So now I don't go to bars anymore. I've been drunk three times since October, and all three occasions were times when I broke down and went to the bar.
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Better days are in the cards, I feel. I feel it in the changing winds.... ~ Jimmy Buffett
Isnt it a great feeling. I am almost 90days clean and sober. Never thought I would see the day. But, I am so happy I had friends that owned a rehab and sober living in Malibu. It saved my life. And, life could not be happier. Okay, yes it could. Due, to the move from Utah still in search of that job. But, my God can handle that one. And THL so true where else can you get all that for a couple of bucks.
I lead a meeting a couple days ago. And, the sec'y was surprised at how I handled it. It was a great feeling to have women come up to me and thank me for the share. I feel like I am doing something right for the first time in my life. And, its a wonderful feeling.
Thanks Scott. It has been a blast and a joy so far. I do have those days of ups and downs. Well, who doesn't. Thank God I have friends like to guys to keep me clean and sober. For me its reading the literature, working with a sponsor and having sober friends. Life is good as a sober woman and I would not trade it in for anything.
