Can't drink whatever doesn't make it into your hand. My first holiday season was weird...not quite six months sober and no experience doing the holidays without that escape. Really fear of boredom than fear of drinking. Stick close to loved ones who are most supportive, hit some meetings, watch a lot of movies, do something for others. In my experience, meetings on holiday mornings will give you perspective and gratitude unlike any other...you meet people whose only sanity during this time is that 60 minutes.Anyone else nervous about taking a drink at the holidays? I'm a little fearful, only because I know the bad judgement that I'm capable of,and I'm just starting the steps this week. I've also got that social anxiety thing hanging over my head. Glad to have the people in my groups, @8ball and this thread just a phone call or PM away!
Sobriety Thread
- Thread starter zama80
- Start date
Here are a few helpful ideas that work well ANYtime in sobriety.Anyone else nervous about taking a drink at the holidays? I'm a little fearful, only because I know the bad judgement that I'm capable of,
• If you have to go somewhere that there may be drinking, bring a sober battle buddy.
• If you have to go somewhere that there may be drinking, drive yourself so that you can leave at any time, rather than riding with a drinking family member/co-worker etc.
• Make a plan to be at a meeting right when you think the temptation might be the strongest. Better yet, make a plan to pick up a new(er)comer and take HIM to a meeting!
• Call your sponsor!
• If you're really worried about it, skip the things that are the biggest triggers! (don't go to work supported drunken hootenannies!)
Here's the deal: none of us could keep ourselves sober (not happily, at any rate). The thing that keeps us sober is a miracle. It's some sort of higher power. So for us, we have to be in "fit spiritual condition" to meet these challenges. So do a lot of…whatever it is that you do to aid your spiritual condition, and make sure you are being honest with yourself! Don't lie to yourself and think you're going to be OK when in the back of your mind you are planning to have a "whoopsie." You know how in college you start classes at the 101 level? Well, this is AA 101. Which means read page 101 (and however much following that which you feel is relevant/beneficial). And most importantly, talk to your sponsor! Enjoy your first sober holiday!
How's everybody doing? I got a new sponsee last week. He's not calling me when he says he will, and doesn't call me back when i reach out to him until two days later. Sigh. Otherwise, life is great! (Except it's 7° outside and i can't smoke lol) (edit: make that 4°)
Doing fine here brother; haven't been tempted but still being vigilant! Sounds like your new sponsee wants to do things his way (?) Everyone keeps warning me against that..."half measures availed us nothing."
Sounds like your new sponsee wants to do things his way (?) Everyone keeps warning me against that..."half measures availed us nothing."
That half-measures thing is true. If you took a cake recipe and scaled it by half, you could still make a half-sized cake. Not so with sobriety. My own experience with half-measures brought me a volatile concoction that resulted in a year-long dry drunk. Lost everything: no friends, no job, girlfriend kicked me out, and i had decided it was time to kill myself. Luckily the hand of AA was there, again and as always, to save my ass.
My sponsor asked me to work on a gratitude list for our meeting tomorrow. Conclusion: my first-world life is an embarrassment of riches! So grateful for:
-My family, which gives me a sense of purpose
-A healthy son who actually listens to me
-A special-needs daughter who teaches me everything I need to know about life (patience, humility, compassion)
-A wife / teammate who supports me and forgives my endless shortcomings
-A house that greatly exceeds basic human needs
-An overabundance of food and water
-Warm clothes
-Sunny days
-Hobbies
-My education
-My car
-The crap-ton of brothers who would stop on a dime to help me
-The knowledge that I'm an alcoholic, and that there's an answer...
-Alcoholics Anonymous
-The ability to self-examine and (occasionally) call bullshit on myself
-Cigars
-My family, which gives me a sense of purpose
-A healthy son who actually listens to me
-A special-needs daughter who teaches me everything I need to know about life (patience, humility, compassion)
-A wife / teammate who supports me and forgives my endless shortcomings
-A house that greatly exceeds basic human needs
-An overabundance of food and water
-Warm clothes
-Sunny days
-Hobbies
-My education
-My car
-The crap-ton of brothers who would stop on a dime to help me
-The knowledge that I'm an alcoholic, and that there's an answer...
-Alcoholics Anonymous
-The ability to self-examine and (occasionally) call bullshit on myself
-Cigars
ChefBoyRG54
BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Crazy when you put it into perspective, isnt it?
I was on my way to my favorite meeting in Denver (which i have been missing/haven't had a Wednesday off since July) when BLAMMO!
My plans exploded. So instead of going to a meeting, or sulking about not going to a meeting, I stayed home and cleaned up and got the plumbers over and did the right thing. Just another part of sobriety/life. Helping my wife and being responsible. Who would have ever thunk it? I mean, I shouldn't even be here! Grateful to have a plumbing problem today to keep my perspective positive.
My plans exploded. So instead of going to a meeting, or sulking about not going to a meeting, I stayed home and cleaned up and got the plumbers over and did the right thing. Just another part of sobriety/life. Helping my wife and being responsible. Who would have ever thunk it? I mean, I shouldn't even be here! Grateful to have a plumbing problem today to keep my perspective positive.
BigSkySmoke
Lanceros, Cowgirls and Burritos
Well Fellas....18 days sober today. Taking a deep look at my drinking was pretty hard. Its literally a culture within our group of friends/family. I threw myself into work and the idle time is insanely hard.
Telling my wife didn't go as planned at all. I got the "I don't think you have a drinking problem"...I chock this up to my drinking over the last couple of years has drastically reduced. I hated my job and drank ever night. I had a motto that I would only show up hungover when they were paying me. I now love working for myself, but being on the road and eating in bars has caught up to me before....And I don't want to be there again.
Being in control 95% of the time just isn't working anymore...Thanks for this outlet. Reading this thread was able to put some things in prospective for me.
Telling my wife didn't go as planned at all. I got the "I don't think you have a drinking problem"...I chock this up to my drinking over the last couple of years has drastically reduced. I hated my job and drank ever night. I had a motto that I would only show up hungover when they were paying me. I now love working for myself, but being on the road and eating in bars has caught up to me before....And I don't want to be there again.
Being in control 95% of the time just isn't working anymore...Thanks for this outlet. Reading this thread was able to put some things in prospective for me.
Man, 18 days is a really long time for someone to not drink. Good on you. And when people say, "you don't have a drinking problem" I tell them, "you're absolutely right. I have a sobriety problem." Which is the honest truth. It's what happens to me without a drink that keeps me coming back to AA after all these years. Sure, I can't handle my liquor, but i REALLY can't handle life without drinking… I had to find a way to stay sober without killing myself or going crazy. AA works.
Dude not a fun problem to have. Usually an easy fix but damnI was on my way to my favorite meeting in Denver (which i have been missing/haven't had a Wednesday off since July) when BLAMMO!
My plans exploded. So instead of going to a meeting, or sulking about not going to a meeting, I stayed home and cleaned up and got the plumbers over and did the right thing. Just another part of sobriety/life. Helping my wife and being responsible. Who would have ever thunk it? I mean, I shouldn't even be here! Grateful to have a plumbing problem today to keep my perspective positive.
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Congrats on 18 days and thank you for letting us know you have decided to get sober. AA and the people in the meetings showed me how to stay sober and enjoy life sober. If you should find that you can't stay sober by yourself, I highly recommend seeing what AA has to offer. In the meantime, I am rootin for ya.
Man, what happened?I was on my way to my favorite meeting in Denver (which i have been missing/haven't had a Wednesday off since July) when BLAMMO!
My plans exploded. So instead of going to a meeting, or sulking about not going to a meeting, I stayed home and cleaned up and got the plumbers over and did the right thing. Just another part of sobriety/life. Helping my wife and being responsible. Who would have ever thunk it? I mean, I shouldn't even be here! Grateful to have a plumbing problem today to keep my perspective positive.
Pipe blew up in the wall. Had to tear out the wall. Both there under the sink and the back of my bedroom closet.
Wow, I have never heard of such a thing. What causes it?
I think there was a clog or something, and when I turned on the garbage disposal some connection popped off.
Sorry to see such a mess to clean up. But it is much easier to do sober than drunk.
Hell yes it works. Was tempted to drink this weekend in NYC. Doubled-down on my higher power and read my devotional every morning. 63 days now and so glad I have this program.
NYC is, kind of, the home of AA. General Service Office is there. Lot of history. Good people always happy to have visitors. And meetings. Did you go to any meetings there? Not that I'm checking up on you or anything. Just curious.Hell yes it works. Was tempted to drink this weekend in NYC. Doubled-down on my higher power and read my devotional every morning. 63 days now and so glad I have this program.