Hi, checking in. I meant to yesterday, but had some difficulty trying to post on just the check-in thread. I’m feeling better, so now the real work and determination must come into play. Not the, I feel better, I can handle A drink on Friday. I’ve been trying to keep my guilt alive today, but it’s a horrible place to live in. So, I’ll need to focus on each day, and remember that alcohol is not a solution.
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Here is the link for the check in thread.
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“The solution”
That’s definitely something I’ve said before. Even now with the best motivation I’ve had in my entire life, I’ve still thought how terrible it might be to permanently raw dog life, as I like to put it. Meaning all of life’s struggles with no way to numb myself from it. But I’ve asked myself, and I’ll ask you, what’s the problem? The solution to what? If I could tell my twenty year old self all of the love and greatness I have in my life right now, he’d have been ecstatic. Yet I ignored it through my addiction. Focused on the negative in life. And if you’re looking, there’s always negative in life. It takes a little work sometimes to really see and appreciate all of the amazing things not only around you, but also inside you. Close your eyes and take a breath. You can do this. One day at a time.
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Hi… so silly question, do I click on any of those links? Also, when I do, how Toni post to that specific thread? I click on the little pen in the top right corner, and it prompts me to put a category and title….
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Click on the top link for the current posts. The other links are older posts. Once a topic reaches 2500 posts it creates another continuing thread. Does that make sense @Blueskies12 ? Once you click on the topic and scroll to the very bottom there is a blue curved arrow and if you click on that you will be able to create a post within the topic.
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I assume this thread will probably get moved at some point since the main check in is available but I wanted to offer some love here anyway!
I went to my first meeting this week and one of the big takeaways is that alcohol use is really a symptom. The thing I learned about my last sober stretch before this is that I took away the habit but I never really worked on why it developed in the first place. As someone else put it alcoholism generally develops over time, usually it doesn’t just wake up one day and all of a sudden you’re in a terrible place.
Beneath the habit there is a deeper thing each of us needs to discover or even multiple things. Getting the habit out of the way physically helps to open the opportunity to find what’s inside that made alcoholism a symptom in the first place. It could be anything, everyone’s life and past is different. Some people it’s trauma, some people it’s simply a selfish desire for instance to just always do what we want to do but we can’t see that with alcohol, whatever that thing or things are that’s the real journey and finding that deep inner self that you may not even know or realize is a way to unlock not only sobriety but a better life overall because once you address the root cause, the symptoms can then be controlled.
The other discovery I made this week is you have to be selfish with your sobriety in that it’s got to be for YOU! There may be things that lift your spirit in your battle, things you love and hold dear, but your primary motivation has to be your desire to be sober and in turn as you work your plan and work through it, it’s going to benefit everyone in your life but it starts with you 
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Yay! Day 5 and you can see…its getting better day by day! Focus on your future, not the past. Always remember why we stop drinking and why only one drink isnt possible!
I also had some flashbacks yesterday…i recall the feeling of the next day when i get a craving.
It is simply poisoning your body and it makes every little bad thought even worse.
Take care of yourself and keep going 
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Day 37 – Clean
Check-in for the second time in the evening.
I had intense cravings in the afternoon. My mind started thinking about getting two beers and drinking. I even called two friends, pretending it was just to gossip, while asking them, “Do you have a drink?”
Then I realized what was happening and recognized the trigger, so I returned home as soon as possible. I went to sleep for about 1.5 hours, and when I woke up, the cravings were gone.
I’m very proud that I’m sober now. If I had acted on those cravings earlier, I could have gotten myself into trouble. I know my brain keeps playing tricks on me and finding ways to convince me to drink, but today I recognized the trigger and didn’t act on it.
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Yes exactly this is the point that we should remind ourself each day. Today i had craving and i remembered this to me.
Congrats on your day 5 
Keep going my friend.
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Glad you stayed strong !!! Day by day!
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Yes, just did a quick test. Thank you so much!!!
Thank you! Thank you for sharing this with me. I’ve found that the root of why I have had my stints of drinking to oblivion, are during points in my life where I feel isolated and alone, and not seen. It initially helps me quiet my mind, but then I love the release I get, and keep drinking…. Because my brains says I don’t want this feeling to end…. Until it all catches up to me and hits me like a ton of bricks. Congratulations on your sobriety… each second, minute, day, week, month….
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Thank you @Promilla1987 ! I truly appreciate your kind words and motivation! Happy thankful Thursday!
Thank you! Yes, each moment is a victory. My most challenging times are the evening, when I want “a glass” of wine to unwind, or during the weekend by the pool, because those have always been the rituals…. The thing to do. Congrats are getting past your moment, I’m realizing…. They truly are just that.
Absolutely, last night I was doing some reading in the Big Book. I’m fascinated by the history I would at least look into the literature of AA, or other groups or authors. Last night I read the story of one of the founders of AA written in the 1930s. Here I am almost a hundred years later and that dude’s words were so powerful still to this day just simply sharing his story and how he overcame alcohol to live a better life than he ever imagined.