@Charlie_C thank you for your service! Those pictures are very impressive.
@anon66577191 that’s amazing the gym might open back up soon and good for you for volunteering to clean it. What makes you anxious about being seen if you’re out jogging?
2 Likes
Cockroach checking in. Still on track. Not sober, but on track. Listening to Bye Bye Miss American Pie.
Developing a morning routine has been beneficial for me to. Being able to start my day off with meditation, doing some affirmations, and reading on here, gets my day started off on a good foot. I used to sleep in as long as I possibly could and then rush to get out the door on time. My days would start with me being off and running from the moment I got out of bed.
Slowly rolling into my day is much more relaxing and I can be fully awake and more grounded when I get to the office. Like you said, it helps set the tone for the day.
The regular meditation practice helps a lot too. Most days I can arrive at a state of mindfulness even if it’s just a moment or two and some days not at all. I’m still making the effort every day as a way to build the habit. Getting up and meditating first thing is simply becoming what I do. I also try to drop into a quick state of mindfulness before I open up my emails in the morning. Just a quick pause helps me to not be so reactionary and spastic when I see the flood of emails that can be overwhelming. In an RD meeting a member called it the “Sacred Pause”. That’s one that’s really stuck with me.
14 Likes
That’s what I meant, just couldn’t find the right English translation for it 
so Canada seems to have a similar system to us. That’s interesting. Do you guys have seminars too?
1 Like
Day 30!
I’ve been slacking with my daily check in’s, but I am still here and doing great!
1 month today, and I feel a million times better than I did 30 days ago. 
23 Likes
Congrats on 30 days!! 
1 Like
Checking in on day 110
I need to start checking in more because I feel myself slipping. My mental state is shit. I need to snap out of this.
I am going to do some yoga right now.
Hopefully this helps. I didnt sleep enough last night but I woke up feeling wired and jittery. I think I just have a lot of anxiety and depression. Anyway, hope you all have a great sober day. I will try my best.
29 Likes
Day 65: Woke up in a rotten mood. I’ve let some drama last night affect me more than I’d like and it spilled over into my thoughts today. There’s a lesson in everything, they say. Hopefully with some intention setting and centering activities the day will improve. Reminder to self: not everyday can be your birthday (LOL!) and some days aren’t so great and there doesn’t even have to be one specific reason. Another reminder to self: not every initially perceived crisis requires my attention or response. Better not to react from emotion and decide later if I should respond. (Let it gooooo, let it goooooooooo!)
Last night, for whatever reason, the photo that is now my profile pic popped into my head. I posted it here a while back from my first sober bonfire. Somebody said it looked like a Buddha toad, or something, and that stuck in my head. This little critter had just been through the wringer being pestered by my dogs, nosed and mouthed (but not injured physically) and it’s defense mechanism was to curl up it’s limbs and sit like Buddha, and when I rescued it and moved it to the front yard, it did not move a muscle. Its eyes were open, however, and its breaths were quick but measured. I have thought so much about this! The Buddha Toad - when faced with danger and intrusive attention, goes into itself for self-preservation and healing. The stoic toad remains with eyes open to the world, not playing dead, but remaining calm. This is a new mantra! When I opened TS this morning feeling like shit and saw that Buddha Toad, I smiled and felt a little better.
28 Likes
Your post today is exactly why I come here each day! This was exactly what I needed to read today. A reminder to let it gooooo… and be like the cute little buddah toad. 
Sooooo cute. Have a great day!
6 Likes
I’m glad you’ve come up with a routine that works for you. Like you say, it’s so beneficial to gently ease into the day. I really let things slip over lockdown and am really only in the past few weeks finding my feet again.
I like the ‘sacred pause’ idea, I’ve not heard that before. One thing that has been mentioned in a number of meditations I’ve done recently in ‘3 breaths’ which is similar I guess. I have found it useful when feeling overwhelmed.
5 Likes
There’s a special place in our hearts for the Canadian 1st Army and the more than 7600 soldiers that died liberating the Netherlands from the Nazis in 1945. My dad was somewhere in the crowd when the Canadians entered Amsterdam May 7th 1945. Forever grateful to the Canadian forces, here seen close to where I live today.
27 Likes
Yes, here the family meetings are not complete if you don’t have lots of beer, and you demostrate that you are a real men or woman when you start drinking, I remember that the first time that I get drunk was becouse my uncle give me 4 glasses of wine in a family party… So at the beggining it was something good for me, I know that now he regrets it a lot!!!
4 Likes
Same thing here @Dragonflygirl82 and what I learned (which is hard to apply) is that it’s not that I care to much for others that hurts me, it’s the expectations I put on others that leads to me being hurt. You’re an amazing woman and are such an inspiration, thank you for being awesome Courtney!!!
5 Likes
Day 152 clean and sober today. I have the day off today and am going to take it easy today. My back got really mad at me yesterday and is still kinda pissed this morning. I’m having to rethink what the best thing is for myself and my future, working doing what I do is just making things worse. I hope everyone has a great day today, love you guys!!! 
25 Likes
Great to see this, well done on your 30 days 
1 Like
Your doing great, just keep doing the things that have got you this far bc people like us need structure and discipline and as soon as we relax on our laurels bad shit starts to happen. 
1 Like
I love Buddha Toad and it’s wisdom! most things I worry about endlessly turn out not being as bad as anticipated 🤷 I’ll try to be more like Buddha Toad. Glad it makes you feel better!
5 Likes
Congrarulations on your milestone 
hope you get to have a sober celebration!
1 Like