Hello, its saturday night, I missed the meeting tonight for someone reason I fell asleep at 830 after making myself too big of a dinner and just woke up now at almost midnight.
(i might be getting old)
I've been sober for awhile now , two or three weeks, I don't count, i have it written down somewhere. but I wanted to share an experience i had today. I was walking to the local bakery to buy some fresh bread for my dinner, I remember thinking to myself as I walked to the store maybe I'll grab a some beer, I thought to myself i've been so good i haven't had a drink since I can remember, it doesn't hurt, then I though to myself, you know what why don't I do some whiskey, I can watch tv, sip on a glass that would be such a nice saturday night!
Then I stopped myself sat down on the bench , opened my wallet and pulled out a note that I had written to myself the day after I last drank, I opened it and read it to myself. Thank god I wrote myself this note, because at first I felt stupid opening this note from my pocket to read it, but its just what I needed. I went to the bakery and then straight home. I am so glad I had that note on me to remind me of the way i felt when I last woke up from a night I regretted.
now waking up after my little power nap all i can think of is i am so greatful i didn't grab a drink tonight... Sober, now time to start watching Game of Thrones that my parents let me borrow ( no spoliers please! )
I LOVE IT!! What a great idea! I must add that I laughed out loud when you mentioned Game of Thrones. I had never seen this show until a friend of mine suggested it to me. One of my only 'pre- sober' friends who I mentioned my sobriety to very early on-maybe 3 weeks in like you, suggested I watch the first 2 seasons to fill up some of my time. Being an alcoholic, I watched both seasons within 2 days! Love that show! Now, every Sunday I go to a morning meeting, go home to do step work, meet with my sponser, go to my home group at night to give out chips... Then home to make my favorite dinner (not going to say what it is for fear of getting made fun of haha)- then watch Game of Thrones. It's funny, when my friend originally mentioned this, I thought 'oh lord, I'm going to be one of those people who plans their day around freakin tv shows! What has become of me?'. Now, it's the perfect ending to my AA sundays and I wouldnt trade it for all my Sunday's spent at the bar :). Great post, mandm!
First off, congratulations. I imagine it is universally agreed upon that you made the right choice :) I once tried something similar and chose instead to just ignore my note because the self-deception was so overwhelming ("It's just ONE drink. C'mon!"). I have been in this space so many times and it makes me angry that these deceptive thoughts still creep into my head because I know they're total bullsh. Just this past week I had a brief fantasy of eventually "celebrating" 90 days sober with just one great beer. I then needed to remind myself that this one step forward would take me off the cliff and I would have to start all over again. Game over. Booze wins. Your story is inspirational. Keep up the phenomenal work. -Adam
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When every situation which life can offer is turned to the profit of spiritual growth, no situation can really be a bad one.-Paul Brunton
Good stuff mandm....Hang on to that note....Whatever it takes...We don't drink....No matter what. Sip on a glass of whiskey and relax?....I know that's not the way I drank....That idea has been smashed.
I had a similiar experience yesterday. I was walking down the street, all the patio's are open because of the beautiful weather. Everyone was on their respective patio's enjoying the day with a drink or two. I thought to myself that one or two would be like a never ending week or month or year of drinks. Totally not worth it! I will admit that I had so say a little prayer to my HP for giving me the strength to make the right decision. So glad you shared this! And so happy you had your note!
-- Edited by evoliroc4178 on Sunday 5th of May 2013 12:43:21 PM
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"Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves.They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision."
thanks , I'm waking up sunday nice and fresh , and very happy with my choices as well.
I've written the note before and fail beause i failed to read it and it caused a cycle of me drinking agian.
As I was walking I wrote it for a reason.
in the note it says my personal reasons why i stopped drinking, I also have listed all the costs accosited with drinking thus far, which made me sick reading and put a real damper in my "celebration of soberity" with a drink.
then it end with what I will achive with being sober. Plus some quotes that I really love.
I have heard that people use their chips in a similar way. I kept my chips in my pocket for the first several months. When I reached in for my wallet or keys, I would feel the white chip (or 1 month, 2 month, 90 day one after that). It works.
You have to gain some more distance from your last drunk to really appreciate how much you are changing for the better.
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Around here, you'll occasionally hear that if you develop the desire to drink for any reason, just grab your token (some are plastic and some metallic) and put it on your tongue ... after it melts, THEN you can have your drink ... LOL
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'