Hey hey! We have similar roads in recovery in terms of what we are doing to stay sober. I’m a little over 5 months and the first opportunity to go out and socialize at an event has presented itself. This event will have a good amount of people drinking. With all my tools in the toolbox I am going to attend and no matter what remember to “ just don’t fucking drink”. That being said, it took a lot of work to get myself to where I am to be comfortable enough to try this. It will only be 5-6 hours at the most and I can go home if I need to. I would not be prepared for a full week get together, 9 hours away from my house with friends and family all drinking. I know I just wouldn’t have a good time in that space for too long. My advice is I would avoid going to this week long event, keep putting in the good work like you have been, and a smaller event will come up that you can tackle when your ready. Going to this week long event isn’t worth losing all the progress you have made in my opinion. If it’s risking your sobriety then I would pass. That being said my sponsor has told me I can’t be a hermit the rest of my life and just avoid every situation. There is balance to be had but in my opinion, this event is too risky at this time. I wish you the best of luck! You got this! 
@Gorden @Alisa @RosaCanDo @TwoWolves967
Thank you all for your thoughtful responses and making me feel seen and heard. I think everyones sentiment is right, i should pass this year. It makes me sad but hey i can see everyone at a wedding in september. I think i need to come to terms with it and have resolve when family tries to question/pressure me to go.
Thank you so much!!
Brainstorming here…my sponsor wants me to make a list of why my life has become unmanageable with alcohol
1 drink was never enough
Drinking until i passed out
Hungover and useless for a day
Severe depression
Negative self esteem
Lack of self care
Fights with hubby and friends
Isolating so i can drink alone
Liter of vodka a day
Constant thoughts about using
No motivation or energy
Vicious cycle
No personal growth, stuck
Foggy mind
Unable to complete complicated tasks at work
Driving after drinking
DUI 10 years ago
Just to name a few…
My sponsor…ive been with her for a few days, not long. She asked me to call everyday and just checkin and she hasnt picked up the last two days 
i was hoping for someone who would invest in me but thats not what im getting so far. Im trying to be patient…we shall see
@Cjp Sorry that your sponsor has let you down. Hoping that everything is okay with her or him. Nonetheless I know a big disappointment for you and she’s not there when you needed her.
I know you know that this site is here for you 24 hours a day.
I don’t like the way that Question was phrased to you up there… And it may be that that didn’t come from her but just was the way that you wrote it. The word “has” Is in the sentence asking you what alcohol has done to you in your lifetime or however it’s phrased I’m not looking at it right now. To me that makes it very much in the present. I would like to think that alcohol is in your past in which case the question could be asked what “did” alcohol do to you.
I very much like your list and I hope that there are many things on there that you are able to start crossing off.
I see progress in you all the time, I hope that you are seeing it and feeling it. I hope that your sponsor will show up or that you will replace her. Again know that lots of support is here for you. I know that you know that as you are support for many also.
Super proud of you for each day that you have not been drinking. It’s huge. Feel good about it.
Hi! I hope it works out with your sponsor, but if not, probably wasn’t meant to be and you will find a better fit. I hope you’re proud of yourself and how far you have come since you’ve been here, I find you inspirational, and am always in your corner cheering you on! 
Random thought. I grew up methodist but lost faith in organized religion due to hypocrisy. Im currently agnostic. I believe there are energies and we are all connected. I believe everything happens for a reason. I want to believe there is a higher power, God, but im struggling. AA says to find a higher power of your understanding. There is a strong pull to believe in God. I want to have blind faith and “let go and let God” but im struggling to believe. Maybe my faith in a God will grow through my recovery in AA, maybe not. Just random thoughts id like to note.
Perhaps you’d like to look into spirituality.
In my humble opinion one does not have to be tied to a religion to be a believer of God.
I believe in God, the power of salvation and redemption but I don’t hold myself to a religion. I like to live my life with the principles of being of help to others, Always leading my decision with love and kindness. Opening myself to others energy without compromising my own and overall just a kind heart. Btw I have kept up with your journey the short days I have been here very inspiring.
Aww thanks for reading my posts! I never thought i could make it this far and have this fire in me to keep going. I consider myself spiritual but when the AA groups reference God i’m trying to process what that means to me. Maybe your right, its necessarily a being but an energy for me. Hopefully i can grow my understanding on this journey.
Gotta share this! Went to a ladies AA meeting after work. Didnt want to go but glad i did. They were talking about the 4th step and having a sign or “burning bush” and having their obsessive thoughts of using lifted. Lots of good shares. Glad i went.
I wasnt going to jump on my daily 8pm zoom aa meeting because i felt i got my share of AA for the day but the hubby brought it up…plus i wanted the shout out at the beginning of the meeting lol. Love their energy. Then my favorite speaker was the lead. He talked about chapter 2 and the appendix…there is a solution. Anyways the topic was not everyone will “find god” but spirituality and honest and openmindedness. He even referenced a “burning bush”. I love parallelism in my life its signs to me that im on the right path.
Yesterday i journaled about my doubt if i could fully jump on board with aa because this constant talk about God. But the comments ppl shared yesterday here and the reading today lifted that barrier. I dont feel like i have to define the god of my understanding in a patriarichal organized religion kind of way but SPIRITUALITY.
I mean ive heard ppl say the god of your understanding could be a tree or the rooms of aa or etc etc. But just how i was open last night and today i feel an amazing realization.
The god of my understanding is energy, souls, coincidence, love, kindness, honesty, open mindedness, acceptance, and grace.
Im pumped, i want this energy and joy that being sober has brought to my life and im going to protect it!
Peace & love to all, especially if you read all of my ramblings 
I am so happy for you! It takes time to gain more understanding and just to figure things out for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Your doing the hard work and slowly but surely your finding results. Very proud of you! Thank you for sharing this, this boosted my night! 
Love what you’re saying here! It means a lot! Very happy for you!
My husband has no interest in stopping so I’m on my own. But I think I have this. I love the comments on this thread
You arent alone there. My hubby, who has an unhealthy relationship with weed and alcohol, doesnt want to stop. Hes supporive of me quitting and doesnt drink around me. There havent been any fights yet…
“I drank the fun out of drinking”.
I love that. I did that too!
Have a great day.
Awww…drat! I read back and I thought in May he was going to stop. But, at the end of the day it is up to you. Hang in there!
I love this!!! I am glad you found the answer you were looking for. All the things you said were amazing!
Oh this is gold, I’m going to use this instead of “ I drank enough for my lifetime” lol
Hi, My partner quit almost 2 years ago. He will be hitting his 2 year mark this July. I on the other hand did not join him at that time. I said to myself he is out of control and I am not and just because he is doing this doesn’t mean I have to too. I continued to drink regardless of his decision. I did not support him and drank in front of him without a thought. He never once told me to stop and almost 2 years later here I am. Trying for myself what he started years ago. I am lucky to have a partner who is now sober and can understand my journey and is supportive. Still we have lots of family who drinks and my idea of fun on the weekend has been socializing and having drinks. This weekend we have no plans and I am starting to feel anxious of what I will do with myself and the time ill have on my hands. My plan is to make a list of things I ca do to keep my mind occupied. Keep sharing its very helpful not only to let your ideas out but to show others here they’re not alone with their feelings and thought.
ODAAT 
Went to the sober bar for a poetry night. Left feeling inspired and wanted to share my rough draft. Be gentle with me if youre reading this.
“What is this?”
What is this
How did i get here
In a deep dark cave of despair
Same cycle different day
Drink and hide away
One drink is never enough
When am i gonna handle my stuff
Tried AA years ago,
Idk if you can say try
More like go, cry and cower in the liquor hoping my love turns a blind eye
Ive had enough or have i?
20 years of bingeing, black outs, and sloppy late nights
Only to sober up and hate my life
Somethings gotta change, somethings gotta change
Here we come to 2022
Hubby and i decide to dry out
Works well for 30 days then drink to celebrate
I can moderate
Oh wait, i drink more vodka than my bank account can tolerate
Enoughs enough lets do this again
May 2022 second real attempt
10 days in i want this joy to sink in
Celebrating soberly, i feel free
But now heres where the work comes in
AA resonates deeper now, im gonna find my way sober somehow
Fellowship and 12 steps
Working on my mental differently this time
Soberly this time
Momma tells me shes proud
Fuck it man im proud
Proud of me and how far ive come
And this sober journey has just begun