Hey!

MDC · Senior Member

Hey!

FlyingSquirrel · Senior Member

Hey! Try to keep an open mind about whether your input will help or not. My own thinking got me where I was, which was nowhere and no help to anyone. Lately I've been forcing myself to read more stuff that people post (like this post right here) and searching my thoughts to see if there's anything at all I can say. Then saying it, regardless of whether I know for sure whether or not it will be helpful. That part is not up to me. I have no idea whether or not what I just said will be helpful to you, but I'm gonna hit "Submit Post" anyway. smile

P.S. I completely identify with you when you say "trying to struggle through life" - and I notice our sobriety birthdays are pretty close together so I hope you're experiencing the same thing as me as far as life becoming less of a burden the less I struggle, and more of a gift and a miracle.

Can't believe ol' negative nelly me just said that. In case you missed it, here's a link to a post where I recently talked about a new thing I'm doing to try and combat depression.

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=42735&p=3&topicID=33533735

-- Edited by FlyingSquirrel on Friday 5th of February 2010 10:28:42 PM

MDC · Senior Member

I guess sometime what I feel is so negative, I don't want to respond....I don't want to slow other's progress. If that makes any sense...

FlyingSquirrel · Senior Member

Hey, glad you're here I just edited my post so you might wanna read it again. Dang, if I spent too much time worrying about whether I might drag someone else down, I might never say a word! Also, when I help others I am helped myself - this sounds so cliche, but it's actually becoming a truth for me because sometimes I'll go look something up in the big book to quote to someone, and it reminds me to apply the same thing to my own situation. So even if you post something negative, it opens the door for someone to help you, which in turn helps them! So you can't lose, unless you just don't talk at all and stay in your head.

Hang in there!!!!!!!!!

-- Edited by FlyingSquirrel on Friday 5th of February 2010 10:34:49 PM

MDC · Senior Member

OK. Now I fell like I need to make another thread about my sobriety date... I'm still in the fight!

FlyingSquirrel · Senior Member

Woohooooooooooo!!!!!

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

Hey Mark, nice to see you posting, don't be a stranger. smile

Azul · Member

Emotionally this an an up and down process at least for me. There are times when I feel great and incredibly positive about staying sober. This is particularly true in the morning. In a few short weeks I have come to love how good it feels to wake up each day. Indeed that feeling is something that I try to hold on to as I go about the tasks of each day.

At the end of a work week, though, I can feel very negative and put out as I stroll past the pubs in the financial district on a Friday evening and think "Why me? How come all of those other people can laugh, relax and have fun this evening? Heck, I even do the same job as these people....." Of course this is silly, but in my head I can throw quite the pity party. It is also a good reminder of how powerful and seductive alcohol can be.

During those low times this board is most helpful. You realize that your feelings/fears/experience are not unique. A lot of folks on MIP have "been there, done that" and their perspective is useful in getting through those down moments. This is a long way of saying "hang in there" and keep coming back particularly when you are feeling low.

ljc · MIP Old Timer

Glad you are here MDC and posting. Ya know .. I often tell my sponsee's that I cant read their minds. If they are thinking or feeling something no matter how negative it is, if its bothering them, they need to share it with me or someone. Keeping things to myself is dangerous for me, I must tell another AAer or my sponsor what is going on inside my head. That is what AA is all about .... very simply put its just one drunk talkin to another. This is how we help each other to get healthy.

pinkchip · MIP Old Timer

MDC, I did quite a bit of complaining in my first few months in AA. I don't regret it. I needed help bad and I asked for it. The hardest part is listening to the suggestions when you do ask for help and not just poopooing everything. I've never really seen you do that in terms of totally crapping on suggestions given....you listen and try...it's all good. In either case, I have seen you come up with great suggestions for others who are brand spanking new to this process, so don't listen to that disease telling you that you are no good. In fact, I was just thinking about you and hoping you were okay the other day. If you had nothing to add, why would so many of us here be wondering how you were doing?

Mark

Aquaman · MIP Old Timer

MDC,
RUN DMC? Please don't Run MDC.

Not every share in a meeting is experience, strength and hope. Sometimes shares are "dammit! This sucks!" And then the rest of the group gets to enhance their daily sobriety helping that person with their personal ES&H.

AA needs and wants us all, even when we don't think we're worth being needed. You're needed, no matter what you feel of yourself.
"The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking."

Peace and welcome back - looking forward to getting to know you,
Rob

Jerry F · MIP Old Timer

Nice to see the check in Mark...I am reminded daily from the first time I was taught it.
Learning comes in silence and action. Seems like you've been doing both. When you
share it is always supportive for me. Keep coming back (((((hugs))))) smile

leeu · MIP Old Timer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change....for me, that sometimes means accepting what seems to be my essentially negative nature. I work & work & work on a zillion ways, using tools & God & surrender & & & etc, to change internally and externally when I am feeling/thinking negatively...sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. So I go back to the basics-willingness, acceptance, progress, amends, prayer, gratitude lists (very helpful) etc.

Dave Harm · Senior Member

Hey Mark,

By not letting go of the negative it has a way of becoming bigger and growing more inside of us. We had a meeting about this a couple of weeks ago at my group... and how at times some of us don't want to respond when everyone seems so happy.

I've been going through some changes in my life... I moved out of my house and left my wife of 13 years and moved into a small apartment. The negative feelings of it all hasn't happened because I get rid of them as soon as I can whether it is on a board or at a meeting... but I won't give them a home in my mind...

SoberSteve · MIP Old Timer

Keep coming back it works if you work it so work it cause your worth it!