Less alcohol- February 2018- one day at a time

Count me in. This is the most encouraging and honest group of people. It is a pleasure to be a part of it!

Working in the service industry, it's hard sometimes to turn down almost nightly post-shift drinks with the coworkers! Trying to keep it down to 2-3 nights a week this month.

Hi! I'm in again for February for less alcohol like January has been! Not abstaining completely, just more moderately.

I'm in! I did bookmark and read every post for January. It has helped me a lot. A huge thanks to all that shared their experiences. I read This Naked Mind and plan on reading a few others mentioned in the January thread. I was able to cut down from my daily wine drinking considerably but would like to figure out how to be totally dry as I don't like how I feel when drinking so much. Part of the issue is that I am surrounded by drinkers and drinking in the sport that I do. Just about everyone drinks after the competition hours are over so it is pretty hard not to partake. But, I absolutely do not need to be drinking nightly at home. I have a champagne problem, lol!

I'm in. Thank you Julie for keeping this going. I'm on Day 8 of no alcohol after abstaining Jan. 1-14, drinking Jan. 15-21. So, I'm planning to stay dry for Feb. My biggest test yet will be this coming weekend, traveling to a big family event with lots of drinking. My intention at this point is to let myself savor a nice glass of wine or two when I head to Italy in mid-March but to stay away from alcohol completely until then. It's still a daily struggle at this point, though.

I started re-reading Drinking: A Love Story last night. It was on my Kindle from when I read it about 3 years ago. At that time, I thought, "Wow! She's way worse off than I am," and that reassured me that I was "fine." This time, though, I realize that if I'm honest I identify with much of her thinking if not with the extremity of some of her actions. I can totally relate to a feeling of discomfort thinking that alcohol will be absent or that there will not be enough alcohol. And although her sneaking alcohol into her parents' home seemed bizarre to me the first time I read the book, this time I think, "Yep, that's probably what I'd do, too, if I were "stranded" at my parents' home and was 45 minutes away from the nearest liquor store." My drinking hasn't changed in 3 years; I'm just being more honest this time. One of the perks of getting older, I guess.

For those of you joining this thread for the first time, welcome. You will love it here. A great group of supportive, non-judgmental, and even funny people. I'll miss the hilarious Norminv who completed his dry January and has now joined the "lush February" group.

I'm in again. Honestly I only succeeded on my cut back about 50% of January. This month will be better!

Good morning. I blew it last night and had way to much wine while binge watching The Americans. Now I have to go online and read the recaps because I don't remember any of it. As usual, I feel regret when I overdo it. Sadly, I can't moderate like some of you. I wish I could because I do love wine. I am glad it is a new month soon and am really going to try hard to not drink, not even Valentine's Day. Thank you for this group. It helps me dust myself off and start over when I fail.

I'm in for a Dry February! I joined the previous month's group, planning for a Damp January as I had a few glasses of wine the first couple days of the month. I ended up not drinking at all past those first few days. I generally don't miss it and see no reason now to drink at all.

Good luck to everyone with your goals, whether it's to be Damp or Dry for February!

The Dry January group was key to keeping me on track this month. I'm in for at least a very damp February. Thank you so much, @JulieAL1969, for keeping this going and for setting such a lovely, non-judgmental and encouraging tone.