Day 1 again - how has your life improved?

Hi everyone, I’m new to this forum and am starting back at day 1 for alcohol. Early this year I gave it up for 40 days and brought it back in “moderation”, turns out I don’t do moderation. I know I can do this, I have my husband who fully supports my journey and a written out laundry list of reasons why sobriety is my best and only option. I know that this is the best and only route for me to thrive in life.

As ready as I feel, I am a little nervous. I would love to hear success stories of how others life’s have changed for the better since kicking out alcohol. What tools outside of support groups have been instrumental to your success?

Thank you to anyone that shares. I know community is a huge key to success.

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Buddhism, Stoicism, meditation, therapy, exercise, long term, mid term and daily goals; journaling, taking responsibility as much as I possibly can. I’m not even kidding. Yesterday I hung out with a dear friend of mine who still drinks and I was left with a little sadness; we are not in the same place at all and we used to be at the same level in many ways; I wish he would sober up but that’s in a realm outside my control.

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Life improves if you work at it and have patience; you get what you put into it; no more,
No less.
I was almost in tears recalling how much things have changed for me, it is, simply put, beyond my wildest dreams. Don’t want you to have expectations, just do your very best and things will get better over time

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Great thread! Welcome! I am six months sober after struggling for years. I can’t even begin to list all of the benefits. I had to make some major changes professionally, and that all worked out wonderfully. I’m not physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually sick anymore. I have authentic relationships with my friends and family. I’m a present mother to my two kids. I’ve lost 28 pounds. I could go on and on. I met local sober peeps at AA, and I joined The Luckiest Club and love their online meetings. Sober living is beyond the best. And you are worthy of this life.

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What is the luckiest club?

I was hugely inconsistent. Highly anxious. My skin was oily. Constantly getting sick. I was fat and unfit and my self esteem was non existent.

Sinceni quit drinking i show up for myself on a daily basis and for the people in my life. Im a better friend and partner and family member and i rarely let people down anymore. My sleep is exponentially better. I make better decisions and people respect me more. I am better and more confirdent in social situations and just generally way happier.

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I have been sober for over 3 years.

The thing that has improved for me the most is self awareness and self reflection.

There were obvious issues that my soberness has helped, my relationship with my wife, family, and friends.

There were so many other issues I wasnt okay with in my life that I didnt even know about until I removed the drunken veil. Becoming sober didn’t give me the life I wanted. It gave me the ability to see problems in my life and the confidence to know I could fix them. I no longer blamed anyone else for my problems and realized I was the only one that could fix them.

I have collected my 3 years of sobriety by reading and posting daily on this website.

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Thank you for this! These are all thinks that I want to see improve. I love the podcast idea for inspiration, looking some up but if you have any you suggestions I would love to hear them :slight_smile:

Congrats on 3 years! I appreciate you sharing this, it’s so motivating!

I love this, my anxiety is a big on I want to correct, this helps!

I’m going to look up the luckiest club. These are all things that I wrote down today that I want to improve, such affirmations :slight_smile:

Thank you so much! I just finished a book on stoicism so I love those suggestions!

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I wrote down today before I posted this, I want a life beyond my wildest dreams and I know sobriety is the door to that life :slight_smile: so amazing

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Welcome to the community and to your journey, buckle up, it’s going to be a fantastic ride!

I quit almost 3 years ago. I was what many considered to be a “functioning alcoholic”, which really means I was not yet homeless and jobless, but I was on my way. In the past 10 years of my drinking, my priorities changed from success in life and career to getting wasted as fast and often as possible.

In my 40th year, I lost my final grandfather. He was an alcoholic with decades of sobriety. After we buried him, I swore I would never drink again, in his honor. That lasted about 2 months. I relapsed over an argument with my wife. About 4 or 5 months later, I quit again.

This time, I changed my view on alcohol. There are a few documentaries on youtube that helped.

The truth about alcohol
Risky Drinking
(The third escapes me)

I also watched people’s 1 year videos on YouTube.

I joined this community. I read people’s advice and applied it to my life. I took what worked and left what didn’t.

I’ve met some really cool people here, many I’d consider mentors.

If it’s one thing I’ve learned throughout this journey, it’s this, sobriety is a lifestyle, it’s not just something you do. And in order to be successful, you need to dive in 100% with a willing heart and an open mind. If you can do that, you will be successful.

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I’ve been experiencing synchronicities quite a lot lately :bulb:
I guess our exchange was needed in both ways
Thank YOU for sharing :raised_hands:

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This is really helpful and such great suggestions and going to watch all those things, I want to stay motivated. Thank you for sharing your story. I relate to it as well, as a “functional” alcoholic, many people around me don’t notice any issues but I know it can only get worse. Thanks for the great advice

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Sobriety saved my life, because it saved my marriage. Had I lost my marriage, I would have crawled into a bottle and likely drank myself to death.

Things got better as I got better. It showed the foundation of the marriage was strong, and my drinking was our only issue.

And I continue to get better at getting better, each and every day. Better today than I was yesterday and tomorrow better still.

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@Dolse71 , The Luckiest Club is an online sobriety community. Laura McKowen wrote “We Are The Luckiest” (great book) and started the community thereafter. They have several zoom meetings throughout the day.

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Awesome, thanks so much!