The Cutting Down / Giving Up Booze Thread (Part 14)

maggiem

12/15 please Shaggy.

Lots to think about reading yesterday’s posts. I am clearly going to fail with annual target - due to a period of s*d it ness in the middle of the year I think and also a reflection of how easy it is to go off target when not posting. However I will achieve 100 days plus which must be healthier than very few AFDs.

Will have a further think about December - lots of events, Christmas markets to go to etc. Think I need to try and change the mindset of Friday, Saturday, Sunday are days when it is ok to have a drink as then if a social event occurs mid week I tend to add that rather than substitute a day at the weekend. Badly explained but I know what I mean. Also need to think about is it better to set a lower target and exceed or will I just rest on my laurels and stop there?

Pleased to see you’ve got to Day 8 Freedom beckons and very impressed Maman that you avoided alcohol after a difficult day.

ElusiveLucy

I'm with you on setting slightly lower targets sukeyboo. In fact my target helped me last night as I was really wanting a drink, but the fact I wanted to get to or possibly beat target this month kept me going.

11/14 for last night for me Shaggy. Not committing to a target yet for December. I really want to get to 150 for the year but I think it will be difficult given December is so social

ElusiveLucy

maggiem wrote: »

.
Will have a further think about December - lots of events, Christmas markets to go to etc. Think I need to try and change the mindset of Friday, Saturday, Sunday are days when it is ok to have a drink as then if a social event occurs mid week I tend to add that rather than substitute a day at the weekend. Badly explained but I know what I mean. Also need to think about is it better to set a lower target and exceed or will I just rest on my laurels and stop there?

Totally with you on this Maggiem, I'm of the same mindset and although I really want to do Mon-Thur AF each week I set my target for 3d per week and the last couple of months have just about met it. I want to get to the stage where I over achieve and will then up my target. December is going to be difficult to predict

sukeyboo

maggiem wrote: »

Will have a further think about December - lots of events, Christmas markets to go to etc. Think I need to try and change the mindset of Friday, Saturday, Sunday are days when it is ok to have a drink as then if a social event occurs mid week I tend to add that rather than substitute a day at the weekend. Badly explained but I know what I mean. Also need to think about is it better to set a lower target and exceed or will I just rest on my laurels and stop there?

ElusiveLucy wrote: »

Totally with you on this Maggiem, I'm of the same mindset and although I really want to do Mon-Thur AF each week I set my target for 3d per week and the last couple of months have just about met it. I want to get to the stage where I over achieve and will then up my target. December is going to be difficult to predict

I could have written both those posts myself - that is exactly what I do - try and be AF Mon-Thurs and allocate Friday, Sat & Sun as 'drinking days'. My target tends to be two weeks worth of 3 days & 2 of 4 days AF - this allows me a bit of room for manoeuvre and the chance to get a 'target beaten' smiley

Thanks Maman - I am having another birthday celebration on Sunday with family but this will be a home-cooked roast so I know I will be safe with that . Well done on resisting after a stressful day:T

Congratulations on reaching your annual target Cathybird :j:j:j

cathybird

Morning all, 22/21 for me please.

cathybird

sukeyboo, thanks, and happy birthday, sorry to hear it was crappy, in my book that means you deserve a second go at a celebration!!

Honey_Bear

I still haven't had time to find that American questionnaire Freedom Beckons, but it's on my list of things to do. Bear with me, please.

I'm sorry around Day 8 was a toughie but that will happen sometimes. They happen less and less as time goes on, but in the early days they crop up every now and again, and at best they're tedious and at worst they can be disasterous.

Dealing with a longterm habit is tough, that's why we put it off for as long as we can, but it can be done. If you can go eight days without physical symptoms the good news is I'd guess you're not physically addicted to alcohol. You have proved to yourself you can do this, so gird up your loins and tough it out. It's something we have to do when we want to make significant changes in our lives, and it's perfectly do-able provided you put support in place to deal with the days when your determination wobbles. I know it's do-able because I did it, and a lot of other people have achieved it, all of us worried that we wouldn't be strong enough at one point or another.

I find posting on here Every Single Day helps enormously. It doesn't cost anything and it's totally anonymous, so there's no need to be worried about negative outcomes by making this commitment. We're all here to support each other and without it I don't know if I'd have made it. It wasn't the only support I used, but if you cave you can be asbolutely 100% certain it was because you didn't have all of the support you needed. No-one can decide for you what that support needs to be, only you. You're here now, so it would be lovely if you could carry on with us.

shaggydoo wrote: »

Me too HB - hoping he/she keeps defying the odds.....

Thanks Shaggy. Devil Cat's ax ex-He and scruffs everything he can get his body on - we had him fixed as soon as we adopted him (he was a stray) but they say that once a cat is habituated, that in itself won't stop the behaviour. Fortunatley I managed to persuade him to transfer his affections from my pillowy stomach some years ago to his Sex Cardigan (a brand new big chunky thing from M&S) years ago which he used to drag all over the house, and he's now obsessed with the sheepskin rug in the dog's basket. He's still reasurring it of his affections. He's quite faithful, in a way.

On a Devil Cat side note, we've had a lovely letter today from the vet whose care he's been under, who's leaving the practice. She's offered to do a personal call-out if the time comes in the fortnight before she starts work for her new practice, which is unheard of - and covers Christmas. She's also written us the most beautiful letter saying he's the bravest cat she's ever met, as well as some other stuff. I've never had anything like that before so I'm blown away today.

Sukey Boo, I'm so sorry your birthday was a disappointment. These things happen, but I think you should have a Groundhog Birthday until it feels right. And I'd contact the pub and let them know how diappointed you were, and why - personally, not using Trip Adviser which I dislike because it's unnecessary to go public to bring out the best in most pubs etc. Can you use your awareness about how much your job isn't fulfilling you to be the motivation to do something about it? (On my 37th birthday I made a commitment that within six months I'd either get a promotion at work, move house or be in a decent relationship. All three happened within that six months. I have to admit I made a lot of changes to ensure the best possible chance, it didn't just happen. And I'm still in the same house and still with the same man, so sometimes setting goals can work.)

24/31 please, Shaggy.

shaggydoo

November 2017

= 7 Days AF

= 14 days AF

= 21 days AF

= 28 days AF

= 30 days AF

= Target Achieved

= Target Beaten



Alcohol Free Days

AlexLK 1/12
Arkers 14/10
Barny1979 22/26
CathyBird 22/21

CuppaTea 4/18
Eltee 15 /18
ElusiveLucy 11/14
GreenKaren 5/5
Honey Bear 24/30
MaggieM 12/15
Maman 11/10
Nicnak 13/20


Paspatur 1/24

Penelopedee /20
Poor Single Lady 16/24
Pricey 13/22

PurpleMumof2 /10
Shaggy 15/13
SlowDown 10/20
SukeyBoo 12/14

Stepuptotheplate 3/10
TakingOneDay 22/30

Tallyhoh /30


WBF 3/7


Everyone Welcome! It's never too late to join....

Please highlight your AFDs in Red

Don't hesitate to let me know if I've made a mistake!

Poor_Single_lady

16/24

Happy birthday Sukey. Hope you have a good birthday weekend.

I love your letter from the vets. HB (not to mention your comforting words on meeting your OH at 37) - and obviously everything else you are posting too. Big thank you. xxx

shaggydoo

December 2017

= 7 Days AF

= 14 days AF

= 21 days AF

= 28 days AF

= 31 days AF

:snow_laug= Target Achieved

:rudolf:= Target Beaten



Alcohol Free Days

AlexLK

Arkers

Barny1979

CathyBird /21

CuppaTea

Eltee

ElusiveLucy

GreenKaren /5

Honey Bear /31

MaggieM

Maman /10

Nicnak /15

Paspatur

Penelopedee

Poor Single Lady

Pricey

PurpleMumof2

Shaggy /13

SlowDown

SukeyBoo

Stepuptotheplate

TakingOneDay

Tallyhoh

WBF


Everyone Welcome! It's never too late to join....

Please highlight your AFDs in Red

Don't hesitate to let me know if I've made a mistake!