On A Mission To Moderate or Absolutely Abstaining? Join us for encouragement, support and non - judgemental chat CONTINUED....

[Determineddoris]

Hi all,

Can't believe the last thread has already filled up!

Thank you to all of you for the incredible support shown in the last thread especially @amdone123.

Everyone is welcome! This is a safe, non judgmental space.

Sorry about my inability to tag everyone but if others can that would be great!

Morning!

AF#4 more likely to do full oral hygiene routine when not drinking.

My daily reasons aren't particularly related to the current day - but as I've written this today I'm going to make it my focus. I'm still not doing my full floss/interdentals routine (basically just doing the bigger gaps at the front) like I used to before I sunk into almost daily drinking again. I spent a lot of money and time on my teeth this year and was in a good routine...today is the day to start being consistent with this again.

Last night was another easy one - I had to drive at 10 pm, so drinking not an option.

As far as 2024 resolutions go - I think it is summarised by 'make the changes needed to live the life I want and can realistically achieve' . Within this resolution are too many to think about at once but I know I cannot do that without seriously changing my drinking. The alcohol one is 'I'm not going to drink today'.* *

No NYE plans for me other than prepping for the new year and one that note, today might be the day for the decorations to come down...

I'm not feeling too good. Drank prosecco ( 1 bottle) then some beers. I had no intention of drinking but it was there, tennis was on, we were winning......story of my life.
Today we're going to a cottage with family for new year. It's a 3 hour drive and I'm not looking forward to it ( the drive, not the break).
The good news I won't drink today so I'll be fresh tomorrow. Which will be lovely actually because I'll go for a 3 hour hike in the morning. A lovely start to New year's eve.
I think 2024 has to see me abstaining not moderating. But I already knew this. I just need to tattoo it on my forehead.

Well I had a bottle of wine last night and will do it again tonight. I dont celebrate new years eve anyway but may drink again tomorrow night then back to AF for the week.

Hi everyone, sorry have been absent - the last week has gone completely to pot! I didn't actually drink Christmas Day or Boxing Day but more than made up for it on every other day.
But - for the first time ever - I visited my parents and actually left some drink with them instead of taking more back with us!
I am now ready to start Dry-ish January a couple of days early! Feeling in need of some kind of detox, really sluggish and generally "ugh". Working early shifts New Year's Eve and New Year's Day anyway so early nights on both.

@Freezingfeetwarmheart that's good that you're ready to start a few day's early.
Also, it's a difficult time of the year for those of us who are trying to moderate - you can only do your best, so don't worry about it going to pot !

Great to hear from @Swannyb and @Freezingfeetwarmheart sounds like some wins amongst the festive season, and I think it’s so important to count the wins!

@Coppergate7 ty for sharing the by intentions! Love the daily intention!

Today will be my day 5! Son is out, that bottle of rose is calling but I’m abstaining! Much like @Amdone123 im thinking really I should be completely alchol free as opposed to moderating, but then I love the odd glass of fizz on special occasions but then end up doing the mental maths of how many is too many bla bla bla.

quiet NY for us…. On pick up duty of the teens so cosy dinner in and I may have one glass of fizz early in the night with tea but am going to use tonight to explore my plans and goals for next year….

so for me AF#5 feeling in control and ready for a new year xx

Good morning everyone (good evening to those of us in Australia!).

I’m not doing too well with being AF but moderating is going well. As @Swannyb says - the hangover is the deterrent. Before I would drink so quickly that the Wine Monster would wake up and make me forget all about the consequences but now I drink more slowly and I get to a point where I don’t want anymore. I still feel like it’s not very secure and I’m still scared that I could succumb to the wine monster at anytime but so far so good. Even previous triggers I have navigated moderately.

Really I would like more AF days and that is what I need to work on. I want to lose weight and get healthy this year. Back to the 5k I used to be able to run and I once did a half marathon. I’m out of breath going up the stairs now!

im really going to focus on health and then hopefully less alcohol and less weight will follow.

I hope everyone has a lovely day/evening

Morning all, just had a quick catch-up read. Well done to all the AF days.
Here I've been really busy, between entertaining, being entertained and looking after DGCs.

Last night went to bed at 20h00 with a hot chocolate and a big glass of water, listened to my audiobook for a while. Got up a few times for the loo (must have the world's smallest bladder) and then woke up this morning at 08H00. I think that is called a good night's sleep. This evening I'm going to do the same. I've refused several invitations, pleading tiredness and too much food lately. To be honest I don't want the temptation to drink too much. Mustn't forget to switch my phone off, otherwise will be woken up by the damn thing pinging away around midnight.

Tomorrow I've offered to host a very late lunch or early dinner with lots of leftovers to several NY party goers, so will be busy tomorrow but AF to start my dry as much as possible January.

I'm sitting typing this message with a face mask on (thankfully you cannot see the pretty sight), well wishful thinking perhaps helps even if the mask doesn't.
My NY resolution is to maintain my health and beauty hence the mask. Keep off the wine as much as possible. I don't think that I could manage going completely AF (yet). But I have diminished my intake so much it's incredible. With long slots of days completely AF. Haven't had a whisky in ages. So even if not perfect, I'm pleased that I'm moving towards a healthier relationship with the poison.

I've really upped swimming and walking so physically maintaining my aging body as much as possible. It might seem funny but my aim is to be able to put my shoes on by standing on one leg and not bending down. I read somewhere that being able to keep your balance as you get older is very important. Soooo... can only but try.

My birthday is creeping up on me and if I'm not 70 yet (only 69), it does sort of frighten me. Not the actual age but the inconveniences that go with it. I'm a bit frightened of losing my physical capacity of doing what I want to when I want to. Especially travelling. So I must really treat my brain and body with respect and not feed it poison.

Well! That was an essay.

My encouragements to you all. Won't tag everyone but I am thinking of everyone. You cannot imagine how much your successes and failures have helped me. I feel less alone in my battle and also less guilty to have such a battle.
So, wishing you all a very happy last day of the year. Stay Strong and Sober. X

I hope you're out now enjoying that hike @Amdone123 and the drive up was painless. What a lovely way to spend Hogmanay!

I'm having a quiet one tonight too @Mj20 . Hope you managed to continue resisting that Rose!

My thinking too @Bigbus - less alcohol is definitely a key starting point for less weight and more fitness!

That does sound like a good night's sleep @Nowstrong ! Hope the hosting goes well later! Sounds like you're doing a great job at keeping fit - that is an impressive aim with the shoes!

Good luck with dryish January @Freezingfeetwarmheart and your AF week @Needtokickthehabit !

AF#5 I've never regretted not drinking

Last night wasn't very easy. I didn't help myself either - lots of sitting around and time wasting. I did watch the film 'Saltburn' which I enjoyed though. Still I got there and now don't regret not drinking. I just regret slumping into such an unproductive evening - that is what I need to work on now.

The plan today is to put some thought, and action, into diet changes. Oh and do something productive this evening, even if it is just for 20 minutes...

Still no booze. Not bought anymore. Gosh what a glum day this is. Regretting not buying any fizz now.

Happy new year all!!
I’m drink j20 spritz and settling down to to dinner with hubby!

Ty all for another year of support… even if I was awol for most of it 🤣
AF#6 feeling excited and happy by my choices

Happy New Year everyone!

F##k it, I’m calling it, I’m going to do ‘dry January’.

Is anyone else up for joining me?

Happy new year, folks! A lovely time was had in the cottage, laughed a lot and the hike was amazing. Glad to be heading home though !

Yes @Swannyb let's go for it.
I didn't drink yesterday so I'm feeling fine today, but I have drank steadily over Christmas so definitely need a break.
Day 1 today.

Happy New Year, and day 3 for me - it's lovely not having a hangover! 🎉

Going to see how long I can go this time, I actually think DH is on the same page for once but would never admit to wanting to do Dry January!

I think the new start feeling of a new year always gives me a bit of a boost so hoping I can build a bit of momentum with good habits 😁

Hapy new year all and happy new livers! I did have a bottle last night but just the one so thats something!

Happy New Year everyone!

I did drink last night - started just after 5 pm on the wine. I woke in the night with a lot of thirst - 3 pints of water in quick succession at one point, think that just about kept a headache away. That was when the regret started! Yes, I regret it especially now I'm reading about all your lovely alcohol free days.

I said I wasn't going to make declarations but yes to dry January @Swannyb !

I did my first of the month weigh-in too and unsurprisingly I've gained even more weight in the last month and I'm now officially at my heaviest weight ever. That is sobering and I definitely need to do something about that, in a serious way now.

@Coppergate6 I’m with you! I’m starting 2024 with….a bit of a hangover :-(

However it’s not the worst and I didn’t do anything stupid and I wasn’t the drunkest one there (not that it’s a competition but I certainly would have been the drunkest in the past).

BUT I don’t want to be like this anymore. I’m not doing dry January but I’m definitely doing less soggy January - I feel like I’ve learnt a lot in the last year and done much better with moderation thanks to this group but I clearly still have much to learn!

Happy New Year everyone

Good morning everyone!!!
love that everyone has shown up this morning to post!!!!

First and foremost…. Happy new year all!!!!

Im in the sober ny gang too… after many years of being in the very unsober gang!
day 7 here…. And I told myself I’ll just see how I go…. But…. I’m ready for a change!
I will join you @Swannyb @Amdone123 @Freezingfeetwarmheart @Coppergate7! Let’s do this!

sounds like everyone else is in a good mindset too, to moderate @Needtokickthehabit

AF#7 clear minded

Good morning and happy New year everyone. A while since I posted. Things have not been good throughout December. Lots of anxiety that led me to drinking far more than I wanted to. Hoping to manage a dry January from tomorrow, we've got 1/2 a bottle of red that we'd saved to have with our New Year's dinner today, then that's it, and I've just about persuaded dh to join me.

Happy New Year to you all ☺️

Can I join please...?

My long-standing red wine habit is a biggie for me to tackle, and Dry January is my first step in the right direction on that front. I'll be blogging about my experience by the day (and beyond?) and would be made up if anyone on here wants to read along with me!

https://wellitywellness.com/2024/01/01/dry-january-1-hello-world-again/

Day 4 here.

Feeling rather melancholic; it’s best I stay off the booze when I’m feeling like this.

I’m crawling back in. Sorry for not being around for a bit. Thanks for the tags @Amdone123 - hoping you and others are okay.

recapping for posterity really and a self reminder. My aim was to only drink fri/sat/sun max, and keep the other days clear. On the run up to oct half term hols I was managing that, but after that holiday I’ve pretty much drunk daily barr the very odd day off. I don’t know what’s wrong with me and it’s so bloody destructive. I know it doesn’t solve anything. I can find excuses and it has been a tough couple of months, but I badly need to reset. So onto
the dry January wagon I’ll go.

I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again. I might pop up on a specific dry jan thread too, but I’ll also hang around here as it feels safe. I think a fair chunk of people do DJ who don’t really drink a lot anyway, I need to be around people who understand better.

Today should be easy as I feel hungover to hell, but instead I’ve just got that horrible hangover agsty type feeling, which ridiculously some wine would probably help. I’m just going to get
today over with then tomorrow try to formulate a plan and be positive.

@wellitywellness I'll read your blog. Sending you positive vibes.
@Touty I was like this a few months back. I was feeling terrible about it. I wouldn't say suicidal - but definitely deeply depressed, especially during the night. I don't want to ever feel like that again, that's why I try so hard tackling it daily. Well done on Day 4.
@Mykittensmittens it's so destructive, I agree. When I'm hungover, I can sometimes carry on and that's danger zone for me. It's like self sabotage, or fighting yourself. It's awful that feeling. How are you managing today ? Have you resisted ?
Definitely try to get through this evening and tomorrow, day 2 and get your plan formulated. I do a daily plan, and a weekly one. But definitely one day at a time.

Thank you @Amdone123 - have to confess it's like letting people see me naked, but cathartic all the same!