First Steps to Solvency

getmore4less

Productive days going to plan, help the head, help the sleep.
Looking like weekend after this one could be less variable, might be a chance to pencil in something outdoorsy

alt80

Day 6. Another good day keeping with the programme in every way. Not looking at the finances until Sunday as we’re away and I don’t want to spoil what should be a relaxing time away just me and my wife. Long overdue couples time lol.

Close to being a new month on the budget that feels good bit of a fresh start also. Therapy going well so far since I’ve made a commitment to engage again.

Plan to just have a chill out this weekend, help wife with some jobs around the house, dog walk, may be seeing the in-laws depending on the weather have spoken to fil on the phone and need to face them at some point. All planned in the cal and if we don’t go to in-laws got a back up of a little drive out and walk. Weekend after does look better weather wise - long overdue haha. Will have to think bank hol too so will be busy everywhere I think unfortunately @getmore4less

alt80

Day 7 

Definitely no chance I’m going to touch the stuff today. 

Just had my cal go off with my list for today. Feels like I have my life sorted and not even working until Monday now. The anxiety over the day I’d usually have when not at work has practically gone and for today I think I can trust myself. 

Had my mate trying to get in contact have been able to ignore the efforts. Shame this is how it is and as I’ve said I’ve very few friends left but I’ve got my family- really don’t want to let them down this time. 

RelievedSheff

Good to see you sounding so positive about things.

Have a good day.

alt80

Thanks @RelievedSheff definitely got a nice one planned. 👍

Sun_Addict

Good to hear you sounding so much calmer, keeping yourself occupied is obviously working. One day at a time...

foxgloves

Morning Alt80 - What a difference in your daily posts when you are not caiught in that horrible exhausting cycle of coking it & the subsequent recriminations. You sound like a different person. There's nothing to say you won't make new friends going forward. I am in touch with just one person from schooldays & that is very infrequent. Just one from university days too. Other friends have come along later in life, through shared interests.
Re planning out your days. Excellent idea. Puts you in control, rather than stressing about less-helpful ways you could spend your time. I haven't experienced addiction, but I did have a horrible spell of anxiety disorder in my late 30s/early 40s - panic attacks, the lot. My key coping strategy was planning - getting everything into my diary so I knew exactly what I'd be doing when, & could prepare for it. Keeping busy, even just a walk, reading a novel, an afternoon of baking.... anything to stop my head going into a meltdown of unhelpful stressy thinking.
You must be a good planner as you have a successful business, so applying the same approach to your home life has to be a winner, I think. 
Good luck!
F
(Bloody cold in NG this morning!) 

Willowtree222

Sounding a lot better the last few days. Hopefully the better sleep continues x

katsu

Hope you are having a good weekend @alt80.

MSE changes our lives in ways we couldn't imagine before we got here so I'm glad you are sticking with your diary as you'll be amazed how things are coming together over time and how much better and better you feel. 

I have a small number of close friends, but I'm very close to some of the people I met here, funnily enough.  I don't have loads of friends from when I was young as I'm not the same person now. I hope I'm a better and nicer one!  My friendships have naturally changed over the years. Happens to us all I think. Friends for a reason, a season etc.

You mentioned your other friend offering you a loan of a car that you could use and store for him (I think MG mate was the nice clean guy) and you were uncomfortable about it as a supportive gesture from him.  I think we all like to do nice things for friends, which isn't a bad thing,  so if you and your son would enjoy it and it doesn't expose you to drug taking, maybe its worth reconsidering?

Of course in MSE style you have to budget for the petrol etc etc 😉

You'll be amazed how quickly you and your wife get back on track with the clean living and selling stuff. In time you buy less when you get used to giving it away which helps your expenditure reduce. I've been filling the car for the charity shop and I no longer know what I put in there! 

alt80

Day 9

Have planned to sit down tomorrow and work out a plan for moving forwards. Not going to be an easy time but I need to do it.

Wife and I have been away as was planned much earlier this year. Went in the Range Rover and actually had a brilliant time. Was good to go in the Range tbf I’d usually want to go in the sports car which I now don’t have ha and it turns into a bit of a drive out rather than time away as a couple. Shared the driving, absolute comfort was actually a treat both of us able to enjoy the journey rather than it being me having a bit of fun with my fast car and wife hanging on for dear life. Seeing another way of going for a few nights break in the UK has opened my eyes tbh have had a drink but not touched the other stuff tbt done that plenty of times in hotels, not all about me and my car either. Complete relaxation and a nice time. Admittedly both of us had a bit too much to drink and indulged in the food.