DAY 1: HOUR BY HOUR

Happiness in sobriety? Could this really be possible? Yes, I know I need to stop consuming if I want to carry on to reside. Survival throughout sobriety perhaps, but happiness appears nearly out of the query.

I do feel a small glimmer of hope when I see other sober ladies who appear happy. Could I get there as well? I will not think about that now. Initial I should by some means discover a way to stop consuming. I will attempt to get through these days with out a drink. I will survive this day hour by hour. I know that I have to start to really attempt.

DAY 3: PROUD BUT Scared

It’s been three days with out a drink! I feel proud of myself but I am also frightened to death that I will not be in a position to maintain this. Maybe if I acknowledge the concern but do not let it take more than, I can carry on. The ladies in my group have offered me praise for what I have achieved. That feels good. I do not want to let them and myself down. Just one more day, I can do it!

I am feeling uneasy about myself. Ideas have been coming to thoughts about what I do not like in my life, oh, what I would not give to have a drink to numb my brain. How can I remain sober and deal with all these problems in my life as well? I feel angry, it is not fair! I also feel angry at myself for letting my life get so out of control. Guilt will just get me consuming again so I can’t go there. I need to attempt to think constructive and just know that not consuming is enough for now.

3 WEEKS: More IN Manage

It’s been three weeks! I heard once that to establish a new pattern, it takes 21 days. It’s true that I feel a small more in control now.

My need to drink appears to occur more with psychological triggers than with a physical need. When I feel unhappy or lonely or angry, it is the worst. Staying with my actual emotions and honoring them is tough.

My group retains telling me that obtaining to know myself will help me remain sober. Then why do I feel all this guilt about what I appear to need or desire. Will I have to alter all the relationships in my life? Will they stick with me when they get to know the actual me? It’s as well scary to think about if they are unwilling to develop and alter with me.

3 MONTHS: COULD THIS BE PEACE?

It’s been three months with no alcohol. When I was strolling on the beach these days, I felt a moment of peace and acceptance with myself. Could this be happiness? I observed that as quickly as I tried to soak it in, I felt a desire to drink again. Why do I want to sabotage myself? Is it because I do not think I deserve to be happy?

1 Yr: ACCEPTANCE

It’s been more than a year now. My life utilized to be filled with busy activities, usually finding a way to distract from what I really felt. Medicines and alcohol also served this objective. Now my work is to acknowledge my emotions, sit with them every day throughout meditation, and attempt to reside in the moment as a lot as possible.

I utilized to think happiness was something big, like exhilaration or joy, when I felt ecstatic! Yes, that is happiness, but these moments come seldom. Jean Kirkpatrick, Ph.D., founder of the Women for Sobriety System, was right when she said happiness is produced, not waited for. It takes practice to feel happiness or at least peace.

THE Bigger Picture

Someone once informed me that if I had the key to happiness, I would be happy while doing the dishes. Yeah, right! The truth is that life is frequently filled with many small, repetitive duties. Happiness arrives throughout these moments when I know that I am doing the right job, and that only happens when I know what my larger image is.

My more difficult and lengthy-phrase objectives consist of retaining my Women for Sobriety group heading, creating my business, and learning art and dance. When I know that I am working steadily towards these objectives, I can appreciate the beautiful see of nature I see outside my kitchen area window and feel happiness while doing the dishes!

APPRECIATION

I need to work on developing awareness and appreciation of the small moments all through the day that offer the opportunity for me to feel happy: a beautiful blue bird flying in front of my window while I kind this, my daughter singing in the other room, me writing this on New Year’s Day because I had a desire to.

I want for you the strength to appear inward and discover your personal road to happiness.

Jeannie Long

About the Writer

Jeannie Long now enjoys eight many years of continuous sobriety. She leads a weekly support group for ladies utilizing the Women for Sobriety System.

She assists ladies achieve much better physical and psychological health through her health associated internet sites and newsletters.

To read about the topics covered in Jeannie’s Commit to Recovery newsletter, click on on the following hyperlink: http://www.ajpip.com/addictions/anopi/dir/jncrb.htm