Hi all! New(ish) here. Lurked, deleted, lurked, deleted. Finally hit a week and want to keep going, so figured it was time to say hi! 
Have to celebrate these 7 days and waking up on a Saturday without a hangover. Last time I remember going a week without a drink was July 2020 when I was at a month long military training exercise where I COULDN’T drink.
Now that I got a week under my belt, I’m looking forward to engaging with the TS community opposed to just lurking. Feel like creating this thread will help keep me more accountable as I’m not just in the shadows.
Waking up with 7 days today was a big accomplishment. My husband and I went out to a little hole in the wall bar (my favorite type of place to tie one on!) last night for a fish fry. I was worried it was going to be a big trigger, but was not going to let anything ruin waking up to see that week on my sober time! We both happily ate our fish dinner with a side of soda, instead of drinking whiskey after whiskey with a side of fish. (He’s also drying out) It ended up being a good thing listening to some of the patrons… this is how I act! These people sound foolish. Ooof! Tonight I am glad I’m not the evening entertainment or annoying ass chick everyone has to listen too… and damn the fish was good!
Anyways… thanks for listening to my rambling on! Happy Saturday y’all!!!
Congratulations! Way to go through the whole week, now, rinse and repeat! Yeah, I always thought going to dinner would be hard without a drink until I did it. Once the food hits your stomach, the craving for the drink goes away. And I find that I actually enjoy my meals more. When I was drinking, I realize now, alcohol was for dinner… with a side of fish. Welcome and keep coming back! Best wishes!
Thanks, Bobby! Rinse and repeat is the plan. You are correct, I have had more “liquid dinners” than I can count, so it was great to actually enjoy my meal.
Welcome and congrats on your first week! 
I’m sure you’ve probably seen it already since you’ve been lurking but doesn’t hurt to mention it again. If you get cravings, try the HALT method:
H - hungry
A - angry
L - lonely
T - tired
If all of the above are in check, let that craving wash over like a wave.
Wishing you the best on your journey.
Excellent work. Well done you 
Thank you, Lisa! I’ve seen it, but appreciate you putting it here! Anger is the big one for me, I have depression and anxiety, so irritability is constantly there. When shit gets me irritated, the self prescribed fix is alcohol. Which we all know, doesn’t fix the irritability or anger. 
I have been sick and tired of being sick and tired for a couple months now. So cravings usually come with an internal argument. I don’t even want the drink, but still pour the drink out of habit, boredom, and routine. Then it’s off to the races because I fed the stupid little monster. So I’ve been trying to change up my evening routine and practice telling Gretchen to shut up. (Gretchen is my drunken alter ego) So Q and Gretchen do a lot of arguing in my head right now- luckily this week, Q has been winning! 
Thank you!!! 
Anger is the big one for me too. I’ve put quite a bit of work into that area in my AA program. What helps me is to look at what’s in my control and what’s not. Serenity prayer comes in handy. What action can I take to release that anger whether it’s meditation or a walk. Pausing before I react. Also, evaluate the situation from another perspective. For example, if someone’s actions are making me angry, maybe they’re experiencing some life challenges and it’s really not about me. I hope you find what works for you. 
Huge accomplishment! Well done…the first days are the hardest IMHO, glad you found us and posted, welcome aboard!xx
Thank you so much, Kelly! I appreciate the support! I have repeatedly self sabotaged in the first week. So today, I’m proud of these 7 days AF. 
You deserve a sober life xx
Welcome and way to go!!!
Saturday morning with a clear mind and decent sleep is the best! Enjoy it and pay attention to how wonderful it is.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you!!! Feel way better about the process after getting day 7 in the books.
Thank you! Great advice, I will try to be more mindful of my quiet, peaceful mornings while I enjoy my coffee!
Welcome to the community Quin and congrats on your 7 days of sobriety. So grateful that you did decide to finally post here and share your journey with us. This si a wonderful community - you will find a ton of support and love here.
Grateful that you and your hubby are working on sobriety together. A good support system is key in our journey.
Looking forward to reading your posts.
Thank you, Jasmine!!
It just kind of happened. It’s easier since we are both doing it. But my journey/sobriety is my own. We didn’t stop drinking for each other. But I know, we’ve both been ready for a couple months. So we will see how it goes. I’m feeling hopeful and positive! 
This is so true. When I first saw it, I didn’t pay too much attention. I am in education, so I see a ton of acronyms lol. And at first I thought being hungry, had absolutely nothing to do with it. I don’t know if it’s just me, but as soon as any food hits my stomach. Somethings physiological changes and the cravings go away. It’s been over a year so I really don’t have cravings anymore. But I swear it’s almost like a chemical reaction in my stomach where it turns my brain off. Also, in my drinking days, I actually used to avoid food maybe because my brain wanted to keep the cravings alive.