Less Alcohol ~ JANUARY 2022 ~ One Day At A Time
Replies
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I hear you. When you have a day where you know you struggled not to drink, it's easy to feel weak or vulnerable or focus on how close you came to drinking and feel discouraged. But really, it's those days where you are SO CLOSE to drinking, but you don't, those are the days where you are really flexing your sobriety muscle and getting stronger. It doesn't feel like that when it happens, but if/when you get to a point where you feel you have total control over your drinking, you will look bad at those moments and know that THOSE are the moments, the hard decisions, where you stood your ground and changed your life.
For me, it was the first week sober, I think just a few days in, and I went to my sister in law's and then the next day to a party with a bunch of strangers. I so badly wanted to delay my start until after those two events. I was miserable at both, and left both early because I was so unhappy forcing myself not to drink. I really felt like a lost cause after those events, knowing I was so close to giving in and drinking that I did not feel string at all.
Yet, those two days now feel like the turning point. Whenever I scan back over the last two years of sobriety, I always land on those two events and remember that I came so close to drinking, but I didn't, and that's what showed me what I could do, even in the face of massive temptation. Even on the knife's edge of saying yes, I said no.
It didn't feel like strength at the time, but in retrospect, doing that proved that I could say no whenever I set my mind to it.
Remember, every time you drink when you planned not to, you have trained your brain to believe that you can't say no. So every time you do manage to say no when you feel like you really, really want to, that's a huge win in training your brain to realize that you CAN say no. The more of those you build up, the more you will believe in your own ability to decide when to drink and when not to drink, as opposed to feeling like giving into cravings is your only option.
The more you believe in yourself, the more you can trust yourself. So it may not feel like a big deal, but it really, really is.
Strength is not finding things easy, strength is finding them bloody hard and doing them anyway.6 -
Jan3-9th-1 Light beer
Jan 14th=2 glasses of wine
Me and alcohol/drugs....
There are signs that can help you understand what is going on and if the love you are feeling for someone is being reciprocated. Some people describe feeling as if they are getting "mixed signals" from a love interest only to find that it is, in fact, unrequited love.
https://www.verywellmind.com/unrequited-love-41753622 -
I hear you. When you have a day where you know you struggled not to drink, it's easy to feel weak or vulnerable or focus on how close you came to drinking and feel discouraged. But really, it's those days where you are SO CLOSE to drinking, but you don't, those are the days where you are really flexing your sobriety muscle and getting stronger. It doesn't feel like that when it happens, but if/when you get to a point where you feel you have total control over your drinking, you will look bad at those moments and know that THOSE are the moments, the hard decisions, where you stood your ground and changed your life.
For me, it was the first week sober, I think just a few days in, and I went to my sister in law's and then the next day to a party with a bunch of strangers. I so badly wanted to delay my start until after those two events. I was miserable at both, and left both early because I was so unhappy forcing myself not to drink. I really felt like a lost cause after those events, knowing I was so close to giving in and drinking that I did not feel string at all.
Yet, those two days now feel like the turning point. Whenever I scan back over the last two years of sobriety, I always land on those two events and remember that I came so close to drinking, but I didn't, and that's what showed me what I could do, even in the face of massive temptation. Even on the knife's edge of saying yes, I said no.
It didn't feel like strength at the time, but in retrospect, doing that proved that I could say no whenever I set my mind to it.
Remember, every time you drink when you planned not to, you have trained your brain to believe that you can't say no. So every time you do manage to say no when you feel like you really, really want to, that's a huge win in training your brain to realize that you CAN say no. The more of those you build up, the more you will believe in your own ability to decide when to drink and when not to drink, as opposed to feeling like giving into cravings is your only option.
The more you believe in yourself, the more you can trust yourself. So it may not feel like a big deal, but it really, really is.
Strength is not finding things easy, strength is finding them bloody hard and doing them anyway.
@Xellercin Thank you again for such excellent advice. Yes, each time I resist it makes me stronger.2 -
Posting for accountability. Day 21 AF.
12/25 - 12/31 AF
1/1 - 1/14 AF
I saw a comment from Annie Grace today that if you are a daily drinker and just do Dry January you will drink 8.5% less this year. I like thinking about it that way.
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@globalhiker sorry to hear you have been.so ill. Healing thoughts your way 🧘♀️4
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Mid JANUARY
I am feeling like it has flown by already. Went out yesterday for lunch before hitting the grocery store( always a good idea)
Ordered raspberry iced tea and jalapeño Poppers! Now if that wasn't an odd combo. Both were delicious and it helped keep the grocery shopping bill down.
Taking my time this blistering cold morning before going to work out. Because I have told myself I don't need to get my workouts done before 7:00am any more.
I am being kinder to myself in more way than one.
AF
14/14 January
21 day streak
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@globalhiker - Sending you healing vibes!
@cowgirlslikeus86 - You faced one of the hardest challenges ... doing what you planned instead of giving in to the people you are with and the surroundings! CONGRATS! And wonderful that you found out how you thought someone would react to you not drinking ... was only a fear but not a reality.
@sarah7591 - YEAH! You didn't give in to the old "Why Not"!
@crb426 - I agree. A lot of people think drinking helps them sleep better. But in reality that sleep deeply for an hour or two then the rest of the night is very restless sleep. Sleep is very important for our health! @dawnbgethealthy posted a wonderful chart on the benefits of sleep or really all the health issues due to lack of sleep on another thread. Very insightful4 -
@GiveHerGrace Congrats on your 3 weeks AF! I find a lot of things Annie says very inspiring.
One that I really liked this week was
"Take care of your incredible body it is the most amazing thing you own, and it is the only place you truly have to live."
@globalhiker Hope you are feeling better soon.
@Sarah7591 Good job and sticking with it, I had a night like yours last night. I was sorely tempted, so I made a bargain with myself that I would watch the next TAE video and do the journal, and if I still wanted one after that I would go ahead, but by the time I finished I was past the craving.
Day 15 AF - Half way point on the dry January that I didn't really set out to do, we shall see, still one day at a time.
67% of those who complete dry January report that they drink less during the rest of the year than they did the year before, and 8% stay AF.4 -
Hi, all, just checking in.
Running total including today:
8 normal drinking
1 much reduced drinking
6 AF
AF will continue for a couple of days since I'm working, so I can't count that as a win, since I wouldn't drink anyway when working nights. What will be a win, however, is if I get to Friday with only a couple of drink days and not go crazy next weekend!03 -
My usual goal, 16-20 AF days per month.
My schedule pretty much dictates my AF days.
I will be AF on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for the next few months.
Diary style is how I keep track
Thursday Jan 13th - AF - Hopefully skating in the morning if I can muster it. Pretty sure the tenant had/has Covid, and I have been powering through but haven't been well all week, so likely have it too. We are both double vaccinated. The play that I was set to see on Sunday has been cancelled (due to Covid?). Probably will have a few drinks Friday and Saturday night.
Friday Jan 14th - 2 drinks. I got my booster shot after work and had ordered a beef Korma from the restaurant that I work at in case I had side effects from the booster and didn't want to cook. Just a sore arm. I am staying away from friend's houses because I am pretty sure that I have had Covid all week. Everywhere else masks and social distancing are in effect. At work I wear disposable gloves on top of the other measures. Yay to 2 days off. Planned drinks for Saturday. We went up 20 degrees in 24 hours and all of that beautiful snow and conditions are gone. Ice everywhere from melting all day and freezing up over night. No cross country skiing or the like for me this weekend, but I need to rest anyway.
Rolling total: 8AF days out of 14 days.5 -
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11 days AF /14 days. No planned drinks for today. Went to bed last night with chills, popped some vitamins, slept 10 hrs, sweated a bit, and am pretty useless today so am going for an early nap now
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We went out for sushi last night so I shared a Sapporo beer and some nigori sake with my partner. I am planning to be AF tonight and until at least next Friday. I'm at the point of my weight loss where I'm at the high end of my healthy range but want to get to the low range because of my particular body type. Even when total calories are within my deficit range it's slow going. Every calorie counts.
AF 11 of 15 days this month.6 -
Woo hoo Friday, as if at my age Friday is any different than Monday LOL.
@lmlmrn how is the sock family doing? Thinking we could incorporate our painting into bottle covers?? Two beers is a small detail, and naps? Well I take naps without having ANY alcohol. The body knows better than the mind. So go with it.❤
The choice to drink the beer (Thur & Friday) I know two days in a row but I don't regret it, really. I talked with DH before we went out and I felt good about this decision. I also took a nap both days LOL. However in my past (and I mean every single time without exception) I would take that nap and get up around 5pm. Then wait until 6pm to start drinking until I went to bed. I not only have not done this, this past week. I remember the first of the month when we had a lunch out. Same scenario but I did NOT drink any more that day. So I consider that a win for me.
So far then this month it will be 11/15 days AF. I am on track to beat my best.
Oh the "sock family" should be showing up in the next day or so. Clothes were dirty so they are in the wash LOL
Ok back to my cup of hibiscus tea and a movie!
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A few pages back someone asked about kombucha. This is my favorite brand and flavor, so far.
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Posting for accountability. Day 22 AF.
12/25 - 12/31 AF
1/1 - 1/15 AF6 -
Feeling good so far about my choices this month though I did go over the limit and drink 3 glasses of wine. Easy to do when you have 2-3 bottles of wine open and available. So far though so good on AF vs A days for the month. I'm not staring down 15 days of drinking and thinking how the heck am I going to get my 12-16 days in this month. LOL I'm more than half way to that goal!
January accountability: 7/15 days AF
Alcohol: 8 days (18 drinks)
Goal: Limit 1-2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days per month. Aim to drink no more than 2 nights in a row.
1/1 - AF
1/2 - 1 wine
1/3 - 2 wine
1/4 - AF
1/5 - 3 wine
1/6 - 3 wine
1/7 - 1 wine
1/8 - 2 drinks - 1 beer @ lunch + 1 wine @ dinner
1/9 - AF
1/10 - AF
1/11 - AF
1/12 - AF
1/13 - 3 wine
1/14 - AF
1/15 - 3 wine4 -
dawnbgethealthy wrote: »
Eastern Ontario, much, much colder here2 -
AdahGreen2022 wrote: »
Just kidding!:)
I really haven't had any issues with the recommended amounts of drinking alcohol...For women, not consuming more than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week. So, I'm going to move on to something a bit more challenging for me- month of less sugar! The American Heart Association’s (AHA) recommended daily sugar intake is 36 grams for men and 25 grams for women. I'm going to start today, and try to stay under 25 grams per day up until Valentine's Day.
Good luck with your challenges!5 -
Lilylady, we're in a very similar position I think. Drinking usually involves 3 wines for me, so on "reduced" days I aim for just one.
I'm AF again today.
Running total:
8 days drinking
1 day reduced drinking
7 days AF
Still aiming for 12-15 AF days, and like you, I'm on track 😊7 -
Jan 1-6 AF
Jan 7-9 Had wine
Jan 10- 12 AF
Jan 13-15 had wine but not too much4 -
So great to see we still have a large active group here.
All of your posts have a positive effect on us reading them. We can see ourselves or perhaps someone we know that has gone through or is going through the same course of events.
Knowing that we are not alone in our private less alcohol journeys helps so much. Damp, wet, misty or dry we do not judge your count for having LESS in your life.
Thank you all for continuing to share your accountabilities as we head into week 3 of January 2020.
😊
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My usual goal, 16-20 AF days per month.
My schedule pretty much dictates my AF days.
I will be AF on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for the next few months.
Diary style is how I keep track
Saturday Jan 15th - 2 drinks. Time to rack up some more AF days.
Rolling total: 8AF days out of 15 days.4 -
So great to see we still have a large active group here.
All of your posts have a positive effect on us reading them. We can see ourselves or perhaps someone we know that has gone through or is going through the same course of events.
Knowing that we are not alone in our private less alcohol journeys helps so much. Damp, wet, misty or dry we do not judge your count for having LESS in your life.
Thank you all for continuing to share your accountabilities as we head into week 3 of January 2020.
😊
@MissMay...I hope we don't have to relive week 3 of January 2020. That was the start of this madness!
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GiveHerGrace wrote: »
@MissMay...I hope we don't have to relive week 3 of January 2020. That was the start of this madness!
Good catch @GiveHerGrace. It was past an hour edit time when I noticed it too.
Correction: 2022 not 2020
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Day 16.
Friday night was really tough!!
I am not completely sure why, but I didn't cave, and Saturday was fine.
@MissMay I kinda wish they would get rid the 1 hr limit on editing and just go with the option to have a button for showing edit history. I often type something that I think makes complete sense at the time, only to realize hours later doesn't really say what I thought it did
Anyway, I have high hopes for 2022 and feeling optimistic! It encourages me to see everyone here being mindful, next month I will be back to less alcohol, not no alcohol, and I love that there is a place to come share that right here.
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@MissMay You are a great steward of this monthly group. I appreciate the regular participants here because it is such an encouraging space.
Yesterday I made a double mojito mocktail (aka as nojito) using this recipe as a guide:
https://www.culinaryhill.com/mojito-mocktail-recipe
I used simple syrup rather than sugar. I do a 1/3 sugar to 2/3 water when I make simple syrup as it's otherwise too sweet. For my double I used only 2.5tbsp of simple syrup which provided the right balance for me. I'm more of a savory person and don't have a sweet tooth.4 -
Posting for accountability. Day 23 AF.
12/25 - 12/31 AF
1/1 - 1/16 AF
I'm not sure why going AF has been so easy this time. I do think the daily drinking of 1 or 2 drinks had just become a habit and not so much an addiction. I rarely drank more than 2 drinks in an evening. I think I am getting to the point that not drinking is becoming the new habit.
Now to start on the damn Diet Coke addiction! I think this will require a taper. I normally drink 4 cans a day. I will try to cut back to no more than 2 starting tomorrow. I like Diet 5 Cranberry with Sprite Zero or sparkling water. I also like plain water, but once I get the sweetness in my mouth for the day I keep drinking it. Goal for tomorrow to first drink at least 16 oz of water before drinking anything else.
Have a great week everyone!8 -
Only 1 bottle of wine when my sister came over for dinner tonight. That is a win. Usually it is 2-3 bottles for DH, my sister and I.
I had 1 glass + a little more ... started to round it up to 2 but doubtful since there are only 5 glasses in a bottle and splitting that with DH & my sister it was likely closer to 1. I didn't pour more. Plus I started drinking water and DH finished my glass of wine.
January accountability: 7/16 days AF
Alcohol: 9 days (19 drinks)
Goal: Limit 1-2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days per month. Aim to drink no more than 2 nights in a row.
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