Please share your experiences, strengths and hopes.
Describe your thoughts and feelings of the day and reflection of where you used to be.
Dont forget to add your milestone date. This is to hopefully encourage others that recovery is possible and that we are never alone.
My early milestones were all about me, the 30, 60, 90 and 180, I wanted attention and recognition for being able to stay sober that long cause it was like truly a miracle, I was roadkill, left for dead by anyone who ever really cared about me aside from my wife who never stopped believing in me even when I had long ago given up on myself.
My 1 year anniversary was just a feeling of accomplishment, all I did was reflect on what life was like 1 year before. We had just had the kids taken by the state, were subjected to possible criminal charges, I was on the brink of losing my job. It was a total abyss of deep seated self loathing, pity and nihilism. The complete opposite 365 days later, I enjoyed life, I could feel love and give love genuinely again. We smashed through the plan outlined by the state and courts to get our kids back from foster care, no criminal charges as they were dismissed due to our diligence and compliance and work was back in the black, no longer teetering on the edge of being fired for attendance or a Failed drug test. The days leading up, total conviction in sobriety forever, the days following I did deal with some of the “what ifs” and how I could get away with a slip but I used the tools I had, played the tape, hit the meetings and continued to work through the feels without isolating.
Monday is 2 years sober, been reflecting some, but mostly just kind of going with the rip and roll of life. I’m in the most comfortable position in life I have ever been in, mentally, financially, occupationally. And it’s all thanks to being sober, I’m not fond of looking gift horses in the mouth.
Milestones have become more about others now, they inspire hope and a sense of belief in self. I like to celebrate milestones because it shows that if an abusive, bi polar, every day drunk like me can get sober, fucking anyone can.
Life’s to good to spend in an endless cycle of stepping in and eating my own shit, I like being sober, it’s kind of cool… makes me different than everyone else I know lol
Thanks for your sharing. I also would hate to think where I would be without my recovery. I mingled with dangerous people and high risk situations most my life. I neglected all I loved and befriended those who never mattered. Finding myself has been the biggest gift all thanks to recovery.
Great post! I’m at 160 days and keep thinking what it might be like when I’m at 2 years like you. You are an inspiration my friend. Please can I ask a question?..now that you’re 2 years on (awesome achievement ) do you think about not having a drink daily. Do you ever have days where you don’t think about booze? I hope you don’t mind me asking. It’s just some of the books/memoirs I’ve read do say that as the years pass there are times when they don’t even think about it.
Need a few pages to share mine but i no longer crave drink it was removed from me when i started to work the program ,Im 68 next week on the 23rd for this guy thats a miracle, keep on trucking
Daily, no. I would say more days than not I don’t covet a drink. Alcohol is almost always near the forefront, cause I’m constantly in contact with people here and meetings, so I think about it sure, but I don’t miss it or wish I could drink like I used too.
I’m glad to know THIS CaptAZ, I can’t imagine you like what you described!
Thanks. It’s not the wanting a drink I meant it’s just the thinking about it. Congrats on your two years, hope you celebrate lots
Today is day 66 for me. After 19 years of almost daily drinking(a few breaks here and there but nothing to write home about). For me it got to the point where I knew I couldn’t have just one long long ago but was never ready to stop. At least not for long. But this time has been extremely different for me. There was some kind of switch flipped in my brain. I tell myself that I killed off all my alcoholic brain cells bc I cant relate to all these people who have constant cravings they cant get thru. I have no desire whatsoever. I know exactly what will happen if I drink and its absolutely nothing good. Things began to get stale a couple weeks back, but still no desire. Just the desire to figure out how to live this new life. I finally took the advice I’ve gotten since day 1 to try a meeting. I had it on the back burner in my mind and finally decided it was time. A life changer. Today was my first women’s only group and it was amazing. One lady was getting her 3 year chip. Like CaptAZ said, those milestones are used as hope and inspiration for the rest of us. I strive to keep going and become that inspiration for others in the future. Thanks for letting me share. Everyone here has been such a blessing. All the best to you all
It’s pretty rare that I want a drink now, like I can recall maybe twice last year I wanted a drink, not enough to start a craving but actually just romanticizing it. Right after the 1 year anniversary and during the summer before I took the plunge to buy a place.
That is very inspiring!! I am constantly amazed at how we can and do turn around our lives in getting sober. There is so much grace and gratitude available for us when we let go of that which holds us down and stifles our souls. You are a beautiful example of what awaits when the veil of alcohol is lifted. Bravo!!
Way to go bro’
Preach it man ‍♂
Proud of you
The early milestones were like
" wow 30 days I can’t believe this!!"
Then the same for each one. I’d watch my counter avidly celebrating each one and knowing I was achieving something momentous.
My 1year was something awesome and by then my life has been such that I feel as @CaptAZ does.
It’s hard to explain how I feel without it seeming superficial.
But it no longer rules my life but it is still the first thing I think about every morning.
" Today I will be sober"
I know that I can never drink again and this doesn’t bother me. Or very very rarely, if it does it passes very very quickly.
I consider myself to be in a totally different place to where I was this tast year.
I’m quietly celebrating 10 months today. As i was telling a friend, they asked how I’d celebrate my first year of sobriety. I came here to see how others celebrate these milestones because i couldn’t think of anything I’d want to do for myself. And i really like the idea of just spending time reflecting. I think that’s really cool.
Firstly, congratulations on your 10 months, that rocks!
Like you, I didn’t know whether/how to celebrate my 1st year sober and I settled on getting myself a small ornament, as a reminder and because I think it’s beautiful. You can see it here:
(Technically, this one is for 11 months, but I prefered this color over the 12 months one)
Quietly congratulating your 10 months. I think you should be shouting OH YEA!
I love the idea of having something materiel that you can see or hold on to. That’s beautiful
Thank you! I feel like I’m still coming to grips with being sober. It still feels foreign…