Checking in daily to maintain focus #35

[Callie99]

I might get one, I hate thinking of all the waste my sparkling water affinity is causing. I’m glad it has the Matt endorsement.

It’s easy to be ashamed by feelings of weakness I think. I spent a lot of time trying to hide them and numb them, and it got me to a place in life where I never wish to return.

Thank you for being being such a great listener, it’s such a gift to have thank you for being a part of my support system

[Englishd]

@anon53116147

keeping up with all this stuff on social media is very hard for me,

Social media is not the place to be getting any of that information. Talk to the girls pediatrician, call the county health department, talk to pharmacist. That’s where you learn about these things.

[Butterflymoonwoman]

Evening Check In
Finished work, came home to pizza already on was starving and having an urge to use. Remembered HALT (something that I will need to refer to more often to prevent some cravings). After eating, I started decorating our Xmas tree. Seasonal stuff always makes me happy. Brings out my inner child and immediately (well… most times) my urges to use stop. Sitting here now eating huge sour keys cuz I can lol. Exercise doesn’t happen on the weekends due to work and having little time. But Monday morning I’ll be back at it. Trying to watch my weight now that I stopped using. My eating has gotten worse honestly but at least I’m clean and sober… focusing on the positives

[Alisa]

Many diseases and some cancers have been well controlled, almost eradicated, thanks to vaccines, in my lifetime.
Growing up, lots of my friends got cervical cancer, a sexually transmitted infection. Now there’s a vaccine for that, for boys and girls.

HPV vaccine: Get the facts

Vaccines are to help and protect.

[4lilcinny]

Checking in 43 days.
Very sore from my booster vaccine I got yesterday, new doctor recommended I get it done. He also upped my blood pressure meds and wants me to track it daily. I was a little surprised as I thought removing alcohol would help lower my bp. Oh and lose 35 lbs. We meet again in 3 months to review all of that.
Did go today and help my daughter and son-in-law with their 3 kids get their vaccination. So that’s good. And it was a beautiful morning here!

[Misokatsu]

Day 460

Being quite active socially, including being the instigator which is not like me. Feel like some fears and overthinking are getting less.
Food is not great. It is pms time, but as that happens every month I am going to have to learn to deal with it.

[Singtone]

Three of my 4 kids are double vaccinated. The youngest isn’t because he’s too young. If he was old enough, he’d be vaccinated too. I’ve recently had my booster shot. I am confident in the science.

[AyBee]

[SoberWalker]

#Day 1152
I saw this artwork today on FB:

“First the man takes the drink, then the drink takes the man.”
Sculpture created based off an old Irish saying. Sculptor Thomas Lerooy.
We have an Dutch saying that looks a bit like this Irish one:
“Wanneer de wijn is in de man, is de wijsheid in de kan” It means “when the wine is in the man, the wisdom is in the can”
I guess every country has it’s own spell about drinking alcohol and the effects on people.
Again this artwork catches my eye…
Glad I’m sober and that artwork isn’t reflecting who I am now. But it is saying enough about my past.

[1in8billion]

Here are some interesting observations I’ve made over time which may or may not interest you:

• Feeling low (self-pitiful, depressed or pessimistic) can become an addiction of it’s own. When negativity is all you’ve really known for too long, your brain wires to accept it as something familiar and in a twisted way positive, as you’re used to it being a form of safety net and thus it irrationally but understandably feels easier than pursuing actually better things which you don’t yet know. It’s a natural defense mechanism gone wrong. How to help overcome it? Insistent meditation, positivity affirmations, exercise, mindfulness, taking a cold shower just to shake off some of that false ‘I can’t’ attitude… Why so serious? The world hasn’t ended yet You’ll be ok - you’re mindset is what’s hurting you most! We can’t even comprehend how lucky we are just to be alive, nevermind conscious of it and therefore so full of unique and beautiful potential!
• Sometimes when I feel particularly hopeless, often after relapsing, and am affraid of not having the strength to change otherwise, I irrationally go into a sort of vengeful self-sabotage mode to deliberately screw myself even more with binging etc so as to have a reason to rise up again in natural rebellion. Similar to how e.g. extreme times might fuel a revolution. But setting all-time lowness as a precondition to growth is obviously a load of rubbish. No matter how strange or demotivated you feel in a given moment, you DO NOT need an excuse to improve! No date or event or anything should be what saves you. What that is, is trying to deflect responsibility from your sole self… It just takes that bit of wisdom and strength to see. It’s up to you ANYtime!
• Having struggled during my childhood as a result of domestic abuse, my life adjusted to this constant fear, distrust, fighting and running… And after leaving the house, all these barriers and reasons to struggle just slowly kind of vaporized. It took and still takes a lot to fill the void of the subconscious extremity my mind grew used to. As if my purpose, which was mostly just survival, was suddenly gone, and then what? After I had to rationally rewire my brain and gradually adjust to what I sadly missed out so much on before, a void grew within me, as I learned just how relative our beliefs, mindsets and perceived purposes can be - which usually comes so instinctively to others… But having taken a 180° turn, it wasn’t instinctive for me, but things had to be really wanted to be attained. That’s maybe the toughest part of being knocked down.

But hey, I’m still here! You’re still here! We’re still here people!! Consider things like this app and our willpower even to search for it - proof of what lies deep within us! Like a seed which has been planted in our mind: all it needs from here-on is committed time nurturing and looking after… And it’s not a question of if, but when and especially how?!

I need to take it easy on myself, ‘keep calm & carry on’, appreciate more, and mindfully manifest what I started sobriety for in the first place. Freedom and happiness. Love you guys!

[Gracie1]

Hey everyone, day 2 of being sober just checking in.
I hope everyone has a lovely and successful day.

[anon74766472]

1106 for me on my journey.
Feeling calm. I am happy I have the cats, learning to read and accept what they want and what they want to give. Not taking it personal. I could take everything personal when I was drinking. It’s getting better and I see this on these tiny things.
I wish everyone a good night and sober Sunday.

I am still thinking about the series I just watched about a hospital in Berlin at the end of WWII and it made me quite emotional.

[Hopeful777]

322 days

Quick check in, as off for a swim in a lake where have not been before, that will wake me up! Having a lovely weekend with my son, we plan on a film day today and I bought some wood and coal for my fire and lots of foody treats.

Have a good day all

[Mno]

890. Coffee. Dark and grey outside. Well, if the weather won’t make my day, I’ll have to do it myself. Will think of something and I’ll tell you later what I did. One thing I’m pretty sure of is it won’t involve booze or drugs. Using those is just stupid. Never again.
     Have as good a day as you all can friends. Start by making it sober and clean. It’s the base for us all. Love from Amsterdam.

[Quinny251]

Went for meal with my wife and parents last night. They where all drinking. My mother on the rum cocktails which was one ofy favourite poisons (I use that word intentionally because that’s what booze is).

Really enjoyed it and the little voice trying to convince me to drink never even tried

[Dmcg1987]

Day 54 checking in from bonnie Scotland

[ShadowFax]

Checking in… Not feeling well since I woke up this morning. Although I had a good sleep I feel tired and like I have a hangover from drinking 10 beers.
Anxiety has been away for almost a week but today it’s back again and I am scared.
This afternoon we have to bring my dad to the hospital, tomorrow morning he will have a Bypass surgery.
I know those surgery’s come with some little risk, so I am stressed about it. Stress and anxiety is not a good combination and normally a perfect reason to have a few drinks. But I am not like that anymore… That’s what I keep telling myself all the time.
Afterwards I am going to the gym hoping to focus on something else.
This is one of those day I have to stay strong and don’t give in. Those are the days that counts double and build up the confidence. I can do this.
Have a nice Sunday and stay strong for the ones who struggling.

[SoberWalker]

I understand your anxiety. I would have that too in your situation. I hope all goes well!
Ik ga duimen!!

[Nordique]

Hey all, checking in on day 518. I hope everyone has a good one today!