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Small Victories

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 421

Hi K, Jakelad and Kez! I think posting about any victory is good thing. All of you had victories over our well known nemesis alcohol. And any time we win its a win---big or small it's a win for our self esteem and wellbeing.

K--you have a point. I've been in the same frame of mind as you. And sometimes its something we can do (walk away after 1 or 2 I mean) and sometimes we can't. It takes a lot of self control to stop after we've had that drink and by stop I mean not get totally obliterated. That is a total win as I see it. Great job.

Jakelad--I'm like you I enjoyed the super bowl with my family and felt great about it. And no drinking made it better for me and everyone else. And going to bed at a reasonable hour, being home, feeling good about it. Great day!

Kez--love the story about you and your dogs! I can see it in my minds eye. Freedom is a beautiful thing!

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 28

Congrats to both of you for sharing your successes. Helps to know you can "live" and enjoy life without alcohol. Been sober for 5 1/2 weeks now. However, I did have two beers at a restaurant with dinner this past weekend with my wife. I totally didn't look at it as I broke my sobriety at all (looked at it as a success)- for one I didn't get drunk. I looked at it as actually making a responsible and conscious low risk choice and a "choice" to have two beers and stop. Which I did without wanting to drink more and get drunk. I know I will hear this is how it all starts starting slow and then right back where you were or worse. What I don't hear on here is people who drank to much then cut back to a successful level where getting drunk wasn't an option if they drank any alcohol? I learned recently that 70% of the people that drink alcohol only consume 10% of the liquor production- the responsible drinkers. Where as, the remaining 30% of the people consume the other 90% of alcohol. I want to be in the 70% percentile or am I just kidding myself. I feel like right now I have the tools to do it but I am concerned old habits with creep back in if I don't stay "FULLY" aware of my feeling and actions. Thoughts?? K

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 315

Progress rather then perfection.

So Super Bowl 2014, I arrived at the Bar for 1pm. Ready to party. I left the bar at 4am, spent money I should not have, ignored my loved ones, drove home totally loaded and missed work the next day.

Super bowl 2015, AA meeting at 10am, grocery shopping, spent time with the kids, made a nice super bowl style dinner, watched a movie with my beautiful girl friend, 8pm another AA meeting then home to bed.

2014 was a horrible super bowl sunday, 2015 was a great day full of honestly, faith and acceptance.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 94

I think a lot of times the black and white thinking we so often engage in creeps its way in to our quest for success. We want to go from the depths of alcohol to the freedom of sobriety; from despair to happiness; from a feeling of failure to a feeling of success. Change happens slowly and is the result of a multitude of small, positive changes we make which eventually become habits. There are always setbacks, and certainly from my experience, change can be frustrating and sometimes disheartening... but those setbacks don't have to mean we set the clock back at zero. Inspired by another member of AHC, I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread where we can write down "small victories" - the little positive day to day efforts we make and the small moments of joy we feel....no matter where they come, how insignificant they may feel, or whether or not they are directly related to alcohol.... 'cause those little things should be emphasized, blown up, internalized and celebrated. And maybe one person's small happiness will inspire somebody else. And maybe when things aren't going so well, it will be a good place to look for reminders about making positive choices.

My little one for today was taking my dogs out for a jog. It's cold here today, and I didn't really feel like it, but I took them to a big open field that had a two foot covering of untouched snow on it and I let them go. To see them run totally free (all 180 pounds of them), particularly my formerly abused scaredy-dog, through the fresh sea of snow - not stuck inside the house taking a back seat to all the other "important" things that "must" be done, made me feel so clearheaded and happy and at peace - not to mention the energy I burned off trudging through that snow myself. My husband's having people over to watch the Super Bowl in a few hours and now that I've exercised it makes me feel that much more armed to avoid the beers.

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