The Brave Babes Battle Bus - All Going On A Sober Holiday! <crosses fingers that it stays sunny>

[Mouseface]

Hello, tis me, mouse

Welcome to The Brave Babes Battle Bus, grab yourself a seat, they're really comfy and a , oh and a home-made chocolate chip before they all get eaten!

We're a Bus full of alcohol abusers/addicts, some of us say it out loud, some whisper it and some aren't ready to say it at all just yet.

That said, there are a few of us who just have the occasional drink and that's something that they can handle. There are a few of us who must NEVER have another drink because that first one will lead to many, many more which will only ever end badly.

We're open to all....there are no requirements to join us on our journey to sobriety, there's support, great laughs, tears and tantrums here and that's just me!!!

If you'd like to see how we got here, follow THIS LINK

Hope everyone who has planned to be is sane and sober

My plan has worked so far and I have been to club and run. Cross country tonight which I don't like but 5 muddy miles done and I am home for my shower and tea.

Interesting about the wine witching effing off at 9pm. I think mine goes around 10pm. She is usually really only in situ from about 7 or 8pm. Can be earlier though if I have had a stressful day but mostly not. Put it like that and it is only 2/3 hours out of 24 that I need to be strong. Why does it take over my life to that extent and the feeling of 'depriving' myself of alcohol pervades every thought throughout the day?!

Joey - And after that, back on track... until the next bad day at work, or a stupid comment from MIL or an argument with my mother. I must find an alternative way of coping with the stress - er, yep, you must. Well, as long as you want to kick the booze into touch. I guess that's the bigger picture, maybe focus on tonight and how that glass with make you feel?

Meditation is easier than you think, Saf is good for this sort of thing, and has really helped me in the past. I'm sure she could point you in the right direction but breathing IS a huge part of calming down, getting through a situation. Well done on not getting any more tonight, and for feeling proud of yourself, you should too! xx

Gugg - Keep posting, only 20 mins left until 9pm and then you could go to bed? You know that if you do give in, you'll only feel bad about it all in the morning and not only that, you'll feel pissed off that the booze beat you tonight.

I'm not trying to preach to you but why not try and give yourself a rest tonight? No head fuckery, no 'what ifs', no reasoning with yourself, justifying...... fooling yourself. I've done it so many times....... you're better than that Gugg, you really are xx

HERE is the new thread. Same as always, fill this one up so we don't miss anyone new please. Thanks xx

Hello to the new Babes who have joined us recently and who I've missed!

Joey like you I am not one for meditation, but I find the the steady pace of regular walking or swimming allow a state of semi self hypnosis, especially if I count the steps or lengths. It sounds a bit OCD but I do find it relaxes me keeps my body and mind busy and helps me sleep as well.

Hi all. Am just about to pour second glass. I will allow myself to feel pleased if that is my last glass. The cravings for ciggies are so strong tonight - I am tucking into the chocolate too!

Bproud - I used to count steps and will try that tomorrow when I walk. Thank you, in my search for better coping techniques I had utterly forgotten that (I used to count lengths too when swimming :))

Ko - I think you are very patient!

Oh yes I agree about the hypnotic effect of swimming. Probably also a bit with my running too. I often count my steps when I am running. And the pain of running helps me too. It stops my head from working too hard and for a while it does stop the gremlins

Yes I do have booze in the house. Can't ditch the beer as my BF is taking it with him at the weekend. He will be back on Thursday so I have to leave it here until then. I am ok tonight and tomorrow is another day. You are right tho - I do need no booze in the house. And once this has gone I will not be replacing it

It reminds me in a lot of ways of how I was in my anorexic days. I couldn't stand being at home in my parents' house because of all the food that was there. I was terrified I would start eating it. I hate the fact that I am now feeling the same about alcohol. I feel like I am such a weak person...

I do meditation stuff, but I never found it easy to do the 'breathing' thing - always felt so unnatural. But I was then taught to focus on the sounds that you can hear - everything that is near, and distant - a car driving past, or a clock ticking in another room. All those sounds are happening NOW, and being fully present in the current moment is part of meditation and mindfullness. Then whenever you find your mind wandering to things that happened yesterday or last year, the might-have-beens, or the if-onlys, or if you find yourself worrying about what might happen next week or next month, then just focus back on the sounds that you can hear NOW - phew, back in the present moment.

I also had a lovely teacher (young and fit and gorgeous and very, very kind [swoon]) and he said that we should not strive to have an empty mind if you are practising mindFULLness you just have to fill your mind with the right things.

NoNo you are NOT weak It takes great strength of character to recognise that things are not right in your life and to try to tackle them. You have obviously done that before in your life and you have devised coping techniques, you can continue to do that Keep on keeping on, that's all we can do.

Thank you babes. Day 6 complete with your support and now off to bed. Sleep dreams all x

hi babes

The witch did indeed fuck off by 9 pm.

thank you lovely mouse, nono the witch starts up at 4, then 6, gets really loud at 7 then chunters away till 8.30 /9, then I can do what I like. It isn't always that bad but it doesn't always help that I understand the pattern either, because the cravings are still strong.

nono I'm still in awe of your fitness, incredible!

mouse glad to hear that Nemo is sleeping a little better, better sleeps for you too I hope. How is Seth?

Night babes

Morning all

Day 7 plan in action. Off to work ...

Morning Babes and hello Silver over there

The new thread came up first and I got !!!!

Hope all is well with everyone this morning.
xxx

Actually it is day 8. Doh!

glad the witch f'd off gugg

joey have you ever tried guided meditations? that way you have a voice to listen to and give you guidance which can be easier for some. there's a page of free ones here

do you like singing? i find singing/chanting mantras lovely - singing automatically sorts your breath out and your head is filled with the sound and vibration. i like the om tare mantra catch myself singing it when i'm walking along and want to clear my head and just be in the moment sometimes.

there are so many different methods. there is yoga if you prefer to focus on movement and breath with movement. there's walking meditation, mindfulness, self compassion practice - all sorts. everyone can meditate honest!

feeling back on form this morning after strange wobbly afternoon yesterday.

occurs to me that i'm posting this (with links that might be useful for ideas) on the old thread that possibly no one is reading anymore. hmm

SAF I'm here and reading!

Thank you for those links. I have always wanted to meditate, but found "clearing my head" incredibly difficult. I do, as Bproud has said switch off when I go swimming, and just count the lengths in my head over and over and then the next one, I find it very calming, and I really do not think about anything else.

When I read "East, Pray. Love, one part struck a chord with me. The lady was telling someone at the Ashram? how her mind, even when trying to meditate was always busy, busy, and he said that it didn't matter it would come, and to focus but not worry. Now when I say my prayers at night, if my mind jumps all over the place, I mentally think of a sort of paintbrush gently sweeping the crazy chattering thoughts away, and sometimes it even works!!

Still here too SAF, Day 17 alcohol free for me, don't know if it's my imagination but my trousers seem a bit looser round the waist this morning:)

woohoo for loose trousers and well done on day 17.

thurso - yeah it's not so much about trying 'not' to think but just letting those thoughts float through and out again rather than grasping hold of them and following them if you see what i mean. so think of a blue sky - the thoughts are like clouds passing through that sky, you won't stop the clouds passing but you can choose to just notice them and let them pass whilst remaining focused on the sky (so they pass through your focus) rather than staring at them and becoming entangled in them.

ooh saf I love the green tara mantra - I've got a lovely version of it with a choir singing. And I love the gayatri mantra. listened to through headphones gives 8 minutes of 'something' (at least for me).

that's interesting about meditation sAf. i have always been rubbish at it too - and at relaxation. my thoughts seem so loud and there is too much noise going on in my head. the only time i can manage to relax is at the end of yoga. by then it's 8.30pm and i have already done an hour of pilates followed by an hour of yoga and i think i am just buggered!

am in hemel now at work and feeling a bit hungover - even though i definitely am not!

Blasted wine! Someone on here described it as the new mother's ruin. That is so true.

You ok Greyhound?

Greyhound sorry I'm echoing obrigada, but if you're reading, are you ok?

Greyhound I take it had a bit too much yesterday? Are you suffering?

< wraps Greyhound in snuggly blankie at back of coach and leaves cold, fresh spring water and painkillers >