What is your go to thing in your keeping sober tool kit? I am working on mine, I am new to this and want go get some ideas on helping me stay sober.
4 Likes
Daily self-care list that I print out and check-off each day (or at least weekdays) This is my latest one. I usually only hit about 70-80% of it, but it’s better than 10% when I was drinking!
Daily self-care list:
▪ Morning weigh-in
▪ Shower and shave first thing in the morning
▪ Take my daily vitamins & supplements. (Use a daily AM/PM pill organizer)
▪ Track my calories (I target 1700-1800 daily)
▪ Block off at least 3-4 hours for productive job-search / skill-building activities, try for more
▪ Walk or bike for 20-30 minutes at some point
▪ Stay connected with family, and reach out to one other person daily
▪ Spend time on the forum (but not too much!)
▪ Read recovery-related book or other resource for 30 minutes
▪ Attend at least two AA meetings per week
▪ Aim for 6-8 hours sleep upstairs in actual bed
4 Likes
- Good quality sleep
- Getting up early in the morning (5am)
- Working out in the gym
- Vegan Diet
- Hard Work
- Running
- Reading books
- Music
- Water
- Friends and family (no isolation)
- Gaming
3 Likes
Plan, plan, plan. Most people don’t relapse bc they choose to. They relapse bc something triggers or ambushes them.
To deal w triggers, know what they are and avoid any and all that you can. For that you need a plan. If it’s your fave liquor store, plan a different route home.
Have a plan for ambushes. Getting a call from an old drinking buddy, or when someone offers a drink or when you feel like you can handle a situation or possible temptation and can’t.
I had to change a lot of things. My residence, my roommate, my social circle, my fave restaurants even.
Have a plan, then have Plan b when the oroginalplan fall apart.
Plan, plan, plan.
Best,
Chandler
3 Likes
So many great tools here. Great question.
O … write the obituary is powerful! Chandler- change yes.
Just finished a six week workshop. Mannnn, just when you think you got things, a new set of sobriety life issues appears!!! But that’s the learning and growing part of it.
I began getting up at 6 a.m. EST instead of 7.
Read and have coffee 20-25 minutes. All adult kids nowadays!
2 hours of house chores.
Volunteer 2-3 times a week
Babysit or visit with my grandkiddos at least 3 or 4 times a month.
Just recently changed my diet over to nothing strict but definitely more heart and hip healthy!
Sleep- how I treasure my sleep after years of agonizing lion wrestling with sheets and comforters. If I do have an occasional 3 a.m. wake up I just go with it now.
I journal at least 20-45 mins a day. You’d be surprised how fast that time goes once you get started!
I STOPPED watching the news (the blews) about a month ago. Love it.
I make sure I laugh at least twice a day more hopefully.
I feed the birds! One cardinal couple have been returning for four years now!
I go to bed with gratitude. I enjoy hot and cold running water.
I try to learn one thing new each day
It may not happen in that order after coffee and self care reading but each happens pretty much every day!
I really should be doing this…I feel like I totes so many times while drinking with no success. Now that I’m not drinking this could probably
Increase my quality of life quite a bit!
Thank you 
Wow some great tools here I hope more people add to this…personally I have an line up of recovery related books to read especially during high risk times, this forum, and a variety of worksheets from SMART and around the web.
Also this online course for building better boundaries: https://www.ualberta.ca/medicine/departments/anesthesiology-pain-medicine/staff-wellbeing/-/media/e44e46425a004562b7e54068d56fb62e.ashx
Bullet journal
A nutritionist
Supplements ( b complex, D, chromium, 5-htp, GABA , omegas, etc.
Therapy
Exercise
My work projects lol does that count ?