I live 10 minutes from the Packer stadium. I can hear the bands and the crowds and see all the lights from my house. I am having FOMO like no other and it’s only Friday. I keep hearing people say this is a once in a lifetime experience which makes this even harder. I am only 2 weeks into by second attempt at sobriety and I know I will be so tempted to drink if I step close to the stadium. Feeling like this will never get easier ughhhh.
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For me, if I feel uncomfortable and tempted I’ll try to avoid the situations. I have a few relapses under my belt. I get it. And it does get better. Go Pack Go!!!
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Congratulations on your 2 weeks!! One thing I have learned is there is always going to be something to drink at…wedding, let’s celebrate! Funeral, drown my tears. Good day at work, let’s celebrate…rough week, let’s let off some steam. Christmas! New Year’s! St. Patrick’s! Baby shower! Football game! I woke up! I am sad! Day ends in ‘y’! Always, something to drink at. One of the keys to successfully being a non drinker is realizing that the fantasy of drinking…must celebrate this occasion with alcohol! …doesn’t really match up with our reality of being a drinker/drunk. It isn’t ‘fun’, we aren’t ‘missing out’ on anything other than a hangover, anxiety, bad decisions, etc.
That said, it can take time for the mind shift to happen and early days are for sure a struggle. I think most of us here will agree that avoiding places where we are going to be truly tested until we have built up some serious sober muscles is necessary. Yes, it sucks to miss something, but it sucks worse to miss making a big and necessary change in your life because we keep putting it off because the next great thing we ‘must’ attend. Learning that life goes on if we miss a wedding or a big sports event or xyz is part of the process. We learn that we can delay gratification, that we can be okay not following the crowd, that we can be proud of ourselves for making it thru a tough situation and not falling into the familiar response to life with drinking.
As we gain some mastery, which takes time, experience and honesty, we find that the pride we feel, the calmness and freedom from alcohol are worth the sacrifices we feel we are making. It is new unexplored world out there for us in sobriety. It is okay to grieve what is no more and baby the eff out of your sobriety until it and you become strong and proud.
So, go out to a park far away and take a walk in nature or a bicycle ride or scramble on some rocks or something to remind you that you are alive and rocking sobriety, despite the pressures otherwise.
And it does get easier and better. We get better. 
My US $.02 and worth every penny. 
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I love every bit of you $0.02 ! thank you Sassy. Such great advice. 
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The post from @SassyRocks is amazing my friend and some great advice. You aren’t missing out on a good time because it won’t be a good time for you. It’ll be a disaster. And you’ll have to start all over again.
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