TRUTH! 
Future tripping too much about never drinking again is a recipe for the fuck itās. If you must think ahead, think about what a future without alcohol would look like @WickedWitchOfTheEast. For me, giving up alcohol has helped me be much better regulated emotionally, my lab work is much improved and I am not living on the couch riddled with anxiety just to name a few of the benefits.
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Iām not gonna go!! 
Iām too fresh with my sobriety! I donāt want to risk it! Iām done being a hungover POS. I felt so amazing today when I woke up at 6:30 and I was productive all day! And my desire to drink today wasnāt as bad as day 1 and 2! I didnāt try to rationalize anything or google anything! 
Iām taking my kids school clothes shopping tomorrow and I will NOT be hungover for that!
Thank you so much!
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Iām here and sober!! Thank you so much!!!
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Thank you so much!
Idk you might? I read some of your posts and I donāt think I know you, but ya never know! PNW?
Iām not going to the wedding. Yes, I can go out and not drink, but itās not fun I havenāt figured out how to have fun and socialize sober yet. Iāll get there!
I can say no! Iāve done it before and Iāll keep doing it!
Thanks for the advice and support!
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In early sobriety there were many days when I was just hanging on until it was ātoo lateā or I was too lazy to start to drink. I wrote on another thread, but I would block out time so I stayed busy, making sure recovery work (reading quit lit, listening to recovery podcasts, online AA meetings) was a big part, and also making sure I was keeping my mouth busy too with mints or sweets.
As time passed and I got more secure in my recovery, I was doing a lot less āwhite-knuckingā and more just appreciating sober life.
One of the first things my sponsor made me do was write down the ways I wanted my life to be, and how alcohol was taking that away
E.g.
Want to be a present and reliable parent - drinking makes me late to pick them up, grumpy when I am hungover, etc
Want to be productive at my job - drinking makes me skip prep, and be just barely functional when I am there
Want to do my hobbies - I spend time drinking or hungover instead,
Want to enjoy being social - drinking makes me sloppy and embarrass myself
Etc
It really made me see that alcohol was a real false friend.
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@WickedWitchOfTheEast Iām Glad to heard you had productive sober day. Sure is nice, not to wake up with a hangover! Keep going, you got this!!
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So happy to read this.
Hangover free mornings are the funnest 
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I spent so much money on powders, supplements, specific brands, organic versions to help my body prepare/recover from alcohol itās insane. Yknow when I could have just stopped drinking 
I was also spending money on psychiatric appointments and bipolar medication when alcohol was just cancelling it all out, throwing the situation into the air and seeing where it lands. Now, I can see where my meds are working and where they need adjusting because the brain chemistry is actually me. Not me mixed with champagne.
I also had two similar situations, the first was a holiday - I broke my sobriety and actually found that I didnāt enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Everyone here had told me not to go but the sunk cost and being with friends was too overpowering for me. I restarted my clock.
The second was around 25 days in and I had to attend a birthday which was a bottomless brunch. Again everyone here told me not to go but I really felt confident. I went and stayed sober. It was pretty dull in comparison to the utter chaos I was used to. Which made me realise I was the chaotic ingredient 
So thatās two experiences with different outcomes. The difference was the confidence I felt inside and whether I could trust it. Iām glad I fucked up the first time because it revealed that I wasnāt actually missing all that much in terms of enjoying the feeling of being drunk. A revelation 
All the advice youāve already received is brilliant. I feel reading and checking in here really has helped me so much. It makes me feel accountable - Iām a people pleaser and always want to do everything perfectly - even if itās for people I do not know on the internet 
I really hope each day becomes easier for you and hope to read lots more of your posts 
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How are you doing?
Tonight is the wedding right? Hope you are enjoying your time at home. We are here if you need support or need to talk 
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Wow, thank you for sharing. That was a very vulnerable post. You can do this, we all can. I was in a bad place with alcohol a little over a year ago, I would drink too much and when I did, all of the things I had been āholding togetherā would shoot out. It was always, that first drink takes the edge off, and the second silences my mind, but it feels so good I want anotherā¦ then another. I took a break and when I was in the ārightā head space, I didnāt have any wasted nightsā¦. Until last week. And until this past Friday. I high priced a point to myselfā¦. Iām playing Russian roulette each time I drink. Am I going to get the version of myself thatās disciplined or the one that canāt get enough. I really want to stop. Iām on day 2. Someone suggested I read more and post on here, so thatās the advice Iām taking. So I donāt feel alone. Alone in my shame, regretā¦ not for the feelings that I released when I was wasted, but the manner in which they were delivered. We are all gifted these amazing lives, we are literally throwing away our tomorrows that we are all so fortunate to have. One minute at a time, one hour at a time, and one day at a time. We can do this.
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Really great thread, hope your journey is still going strong! I have the unique experience of being the spouse that kept drinking after the other quit. My wife quit years ago for health and not really liking drinking. Sheās not an alcoholic like me and I know that because she just quit. If it were that easy for me I would have done it long ago but Iām an alcoholic and Iām not alone 
no one is. As I take my first steps recovering from this relapse Iām with @Dazercat I have never tried meetings. I was almost 2 years sober when I relapsed and I needed to hit rock bottom to reach this point where Iām going to my first meeting tomorrow at church. Iām nervous but I WANT to go thatās what I keep telling myself. Itās not that I need to go for me but that in my heart I want recovery, I want this community back, I want sobriety because alcohol is just so destructive.
Iām glad you joined us here, this community was a big part of my sobriety last time around and it will be again. It was especially useful in the early parts of recovery because I would just whip my phone out when I felt myself struggling and even just read posts sometimes not even responding, just reminding myself Iām not alone.
Keep it up!
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@JazzyS @Dazercat @Cjp @PinkFirefly @Noshame and everyone else with all their support and advice, Iām still here and Iām still sober!! Day 7!! Itās been AMAZING!! Iām even excited for tomorrow, my FIRST SOBER BIRTHDAY SINCE I WAS 15!! Even when I wasnāt daily drinking, I had always āpartiedā on my birthday.
I am so productive and happy now!!! And Iām not in bed at 5:30! Iām making it until like 8:30 now!
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Hey thatās awesome Witchy
I appreciate the tag.
Keep doing what youāre doing
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Sober birthdays are amazing. You feel your day more. 
Happy birthday
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I can so relate to this @WickedWitchOfTheEast No more wasted evenings by falling asleep too early. Many happy wishes for a wonderful sober birthday! Congratulations on a whole week sober! You are actually doing this! 
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Oh Iām so very happy for you. Congratulations on your 1 week milestone. Great to see you checking in with such great news. 
A sober birthday celebration to bootā¦love this! Happy birthday 
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Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy sober birthday to @WickedWitchOfTheEast . Happy birthday to you!
Glad to have you in the community