I did it!

Tanin · MIP Old Timer

I did it!

Stepchild · MIP Old Timer

Congrats on 90 days.....That's awesome. I'm not going to tell you you can't do it without working the steps or going to meetings....I know I couldn't. As they say in the book...Alcohol was but a symptom of my disease...It was the ISM that I had to work on. When I put down the drink...The problem just started for me....And the solution for that was an entire pyschic change....I had to change my thinking and get some spirituality into my life....Get out of the bondage of self. To do that...I had to work the steps....And I go to meetings to carry the message to newcomers....I give away what was so freely given to me so I can keep it. That gives me a purpose in life....Kind of going from useless to useful. I can tell you you don't have to be religious to make this work.....It's not a religious program. I'm curious if the reason you don't go to meetings has to do with fear?....Rather than shyness. I know fear keeps more people from going to AA than anything else....I was loaded with fear when I walked through those doors. It's one of the things those steps helped me deal with. Whatever you end up doing.....I'm happy for you that you aren't drinking...And 90 days is great...I know alcohol brought nothing but misery to me.

-- Edited by Stepchild on Tuesday 31st of July 2012 10:07:35 PM

flipper · Veteran Member

I made my 90 days sober, and you know what I feel pretty damn good about it. Three months ago I would never have said I would make it, at the same point I'm also 8 months smoke free. These have been some of the best days of my life. I'm happy, my family is happy, kids wife and I are all healthy happy and on our way to the rest of our lives. I want to thank all of you, your comments and post have helped me through some of the roughest times. Here is where I'm getting confused and lost. I have not gone to a meeting, nor have I started working steps. I have however have step 1 under my belt with out a doubt. Many other steps I have done as well, however step 2 I can not get my hands around. I was never raised reliogous with I understand is OK, it can be of my understanding, my be that is my problem. I didhowever become the godfather of my twin neices. It was a very refreshing feeling having my original sins forgiving and a clean slatehanded to me. So can someone live an honest happy sober life without the steps? I love the support, here and another group I have( few oldtimers from work 2 are over 20 years sober, 1 with, nd 1without the steps) or am I doomed? Thanks again for all your help, even if I'm just a shy guy sitting back and watching.

justadrunk · MIP Old Timer

AA teaches me things I never grasped before. It's the constant reminder I need, of what life would be like if I went back out. I've stayed sober many times, for an extended period of time -obviously through both my pregnancies and for a long time after - after I almost died from sepsis, I was sober for a couple years (that's when I met Zach my husband and got married) - I was going to counseling once per week, but as soon as I stopped, I drank. No sobriety - no time actually, in my life, has been anything like these past months working with a sponsor and doing the steps. That's all I know.

Frodo · MIP Old Timer

Congrats on the 90 days. Great stuff.

nezyb · Senior Member

Congrats on 90 days !!! When I first walked into AA and saw the steps, I thought, this isn't going to work for me, I don't have a God of my understanding. Even worse, I had looked many times in many places of worship for God, and never could grasp hold of the ideas I was hearing, being told to follow. So I stopped looking, thought I was defective or something. Today, I still don't quite know what the "God of my understanding" is, nor do I even propose to understand him/her/it. One thing I do know for sure is that he/she/it is there, watching over me, guiding me and directing me. Always has been, at least the watching over me part. It is only through recovery that I have been able to believe in and rely upon the guiding and directing me part. It has taken this simple program called AA for me to recognize this. Before AA, I had tried many times, in many ways to get sober and stay sober. And I never could. Today I can. But not alone, and the best part of all, is all I had to do was ask. Well, and I did have to take some very simple actions. Ok, I'm very tired and rambling so I'm going to sign off, but again, Congrats!!! Peace

Mr_David · MIP Old Timer

Great job flipper. Keep that momentum going.

pinkchip · MIP Old Timer

Congrats on the 90 days. Don't talk yourself out of the steps. Looking back, there was much I didn't understand at 90 days sober. There is still much I don't understand at close to 4 years. Just keep striving for progress. Much of your post sounds as though you are coming to believe something spiritual and wonderful has happened to you and is returning you to a much higher level of functioning - It would seem you are getting hung up on the word "God" and not that you are really having as big a problem with step 2 as you might think.

Mike B. · MIP Old Timer

Congratulations on 90 days Flipper! I can only share my experience on recovery. My experience mirrors Stepchild. So, I won't re-write his post. Keep coming back and help us stay sober.