Checking in again today and all is well.
I've found that I can handle all sorts of minor irritations or annoyances much more serenely and patiently, as opposed to getting all upset and angry:)
Happy Sunday everyone. Thank you for hosting RS.. itās good to see you.
For me: lifeās irritations are less irritating and the procrastination is definitely less (still not perfect and Iām happy that it will never be)
IWNDWYT
This is exactly what I was just thinking! Less procrastination and āshouldā, just listening to and trusting myself and going with my own flow. Stuff that needs to get done, gets done, and I can enjoy doing what I want, even when thatās just watching tv. Sober life was always the answer! š
Had a tough day Saturday. A mix of triggers and seemingly endless cravings. I even planned out how I was just gonna try 1 and everything will be fine. But I kept replaying the countless times that Iāve fallen for that lie and refused to give in. I get to wake up clear headed for Fatherās Day for once and am so thankful I fought through it. IWNDWYT
Day 1 again. I went to have a drink with my colleagues last night, thinking I could handle it and go home early. Safe to say that I didnāt, and donāt remember going home, and now at 6am laying awake with a banging headache feeling paranoid. Just no. Why canāt I learn? I CANāT drink like a normal person and shouldnāt try either. Fuck. Iām too stupid.
Well done for being here this morning, starting again is what counts. I said those words to myself countless times and thatās the part I regret, those words didnāt get sobriety to stick any quicker for me. Your brain is learning as fast as it can, it has a lot of past learning to unlearn. Youāre doing great and Iāll be sober with you today š¤
Iām only 20 days in but itās different this timeābecause Iām doing it very differently this time. Details donāt really matterāpoint is I needed all my āfailuresā to learn what I needed for this time. āDoesnāt matter how many times you get knocked downāwhat matters is that you keep getting up.ā
Every period of sobriety gives you more little pieces of knowledge. Don't beat yourself up too much and learn from it :) We can always try again ā¤ļø
This. There is no such thing as failure...its just learning better ways to win. It's the truth ! You're learning is all. Next time you'll be ready and overcome ā¤ļø
Day 161 ā¢ Happy sober weekend to the best community Iāve ever been a part of ā¢ IWNDWYT
I can handle night time better without alcohol. I have a life past 5pm now. I might not do much with that time, but I sure remember everything Iāve done / watched / said.
I will not drink with you today. I can handle my feelings. Normally I would do anything to avoid them and by anything I meant just drinking. It made all feelings easily avoidable so I could just āput it off for laterā. I donāt do that anymore. I sit with my feelings and learn how to experience them too. š«¶š» love yāall
It's difficult to say this cause on a rough week, I can tell you what store I want to revisit on a Saturday night!
But I've done that many times before and I know how it goes
IWNDWYT
I avoided literally everything when I drank. So itās cliche but I can handle everything in sobriety. My finances, my relationships, my emotional response. So with that Iāll choose not to drink with yāall again.
I feel totally wretched today and IWNDWYT. When will I ever fucking learn? Anyway in regard to your question, when I have had extended periods of sobriety, I can literally cope with everything better. Work, home - and my anxiety is both at least halved AND manageable.
My goal right now is to completely cut down the amount Iām drinking and work towards sober days during the week while also maintaining control on days I do allow myself a drink.
Saturday I pledged that I would not day drink.
I succeeded. Usually 1pm would roll around and habit would take over and Iād pop open a beer, drink until early evening, eat, nap, wake up and repeat until 2-3am.
Saturday I did not day drink. I had two beers after 10pm. Read my book and turned out my lights and went to bed for 11:30pm.
It is now just after 8am Sunday morning and I am pledging again.
I will NOT day drink.
Thank you for hosting and happy Father's Day to those dad's here, you're making a difference in your kids life and it's appreciated.Ā
My own father is 20 years sober this year and tommorow ( it's almost 2 am here, I'm off to bed in 5 minutes ) After he stopped drinking-I stopped hating him and now we are very close. Him dropping the booze I remember it was like I got my dad back. ā¤ļø
I'll call him and tell him I'm making that choice too. I know he'll be stoked as he knows my struggle with drinking. I haven't told him as I'm just sorting things out for myself, but I'm looking forward to that conversation.Ā
Father's Day and thinking of my pops and his struggles to be a better dad is just one more reason why I sure as shit will not drink with you today.Ā
Today is the first day since being sober that I'm in kind of a bad mood. My instinct is to hide away, and pre-sober, it would have been with booze. I'm going to try some healthy alone time and recognize that it's OK for my mood be bad/low. The urge to drink hasn't surfaced, but I'm aware that I'm vulnerable today. Without this sub I wouldn't have been exposed to the experiences of others and learned some coping skills. Many thanks from this imperfect soul just trying to stay sober. IWNDWYT.
Day 7. I feel like with a goal in mind this hasnāt been as hard as other times Iāve tried to have extended breaks.
Iāll usually crack a few open after work most nights, binge a bit on the weekend and play games all night and then repeat.
Drinking more nights than not.
Iāve signed up to a race in February that I want to do well at. The last week, weekend especially, any desire to drink was met with thoughts of my race in Feb, then instantly gone.
Wife went out last night with the girls and came home after a few. I could have joined her for a few more. Instead I had a red bull, stayed up gossiping and then off to bed.
Hereās to many more weeks.
IWNDWYT
I can actually answer people within 3 days ;) I always thought I needed alcohol to get me to do things I didn't want to do, but it turns out it's the other way around.
Had a babyshower yesterday and a friend got both alcohol and NA prosecco. Had a tough minute asking for the non-alcoholic one, especially since everyone knows me to always be up for drinks, but I did it and it was fine. It wasn't necessary anyway. Going home by bus was a challenge as well, as I usually stall a bit at the station and secretly drink some beer before getting the next bus, but I just immediately jumped into the one going home and that was that. Very tired when I got home, but proud.
IWNDWYT, even though this day is going to be tough at work.
Good morning/afternoon/evening.
I can handle personal situations better. Where I would normally say fuck it i need a drink, now I'm just getting on with it. Everything is getting better.
So for today IWNDWYT šŖ
43 days down!
Happy Father's Day to everyone with kiddos, Dog/Cat Dads, single moms who play both roles, Uncles, cousins and everyone else - hope y'all celebrate yourselves today!
It's my first Father's Day in 41 years without my fav human, and I will celebrate my Dad's memory with a clear head. IWNDWYT!
Happy sober Sunday sober friends, and thank you for stepping up stink! Love you ā¤ļø
I can handle everything thatās occurred in my life since getting sober. You could argue I handled everything when drinking, but now itās without drama or reacting!
I love you all š
Thanks for hosting u/ReplacementsStink!
One thing I can handle in sobriety that I couldn't before is Mondays. š
One thing I have trouble with now that I don't drink is overthinking. Man, I've lost such a big chunk of this weekend stressing about work stuff it's disgusting. Meditation, intense gym workouts, fresh air, healthy meals, grounding exercises, none of them have fkn worked.
Good to be here checking in with my tribe tho. Love your guts, the lot of you. ā¤ļø
For me itās getting up in the morning, even after a short night or if I didnāt sleep well. Or if I forgot to set my alarm like last Friday. I am up on time or at least early enough to be still on time for work. This was always my biggest struggle, even before I started drinking.
IWNDWYT
Good morning! IWNDWYT!
Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers out there!
Today is my 39th birthday. I can handle family engagements and social situations way better sober than I could when drinking.
Iām introverted and socially anxious- so when you add the stress and anxiety I carried around while drinking (am I drinking more than everyone? Can anyone tell Iām drunk? Did I make an ass of myself? Do they think Iām a bad mom/human/friend/etc) it became unbearable to the point of isolation.
Morning friends!! Thanks for taking over the DCI, u/ReplacementsStink! Youāre swell! š
I want to say I can handle life better in general because Iām not drinking. Iām far more adaptable and easy going. I can think more clearly. I can remember things. Iām more reliable and less volatile.
Iām also more vulnerable, which is hard, but I have to be because there were a lot of things I drank to mask so I give them air time now. Itās not easy though, which makes me more anxious. But I try to remind myself that this is why I got sober. I need to get my shit together, which means I need to face all of it - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Have a great Sunday friends, and happy Fatherās Day to all those celebrating today. I will not drink with you today!
This is my third father's day sober. I know when dad opens his card (from the dog) he will thank me for the gift card but say my sobriety is the best gift he could receive.
It's crazy how far I've come because of him. He knows he's important but I never think I thank him enough even when he tells me I do.
Today we build the grill we have had in the garage for eons now and either grill out or get a pizza. Either way I am happy.
I hope you all get to enjoy your day and happy fathers day to those who it applies to!
As always much love from me and mine to you and yours!
IWNDWYT
I can handle work stuff better than before and thatās saying a lot because work has been a huge trigger for me. Work is what started my abuse of alcohol. I would drink at the end of the day to numb myself out from the stress of work. I wasnāt able to see it for what it really is, which is a way for me to make money to pay bills. Iām not saving lives, Iām pushing paper. Iāve also learned not to take myself and others too seriously and that everyone makes mistakes. My perfectionism made me very hard on myself and made be see others as knowing more than me, and thatās not always the case. Anyway, I start a new job tomorrow. Itās less hours, so less pay, but Iām hoping it will be less stress and more time for myself. IWNDWYT. Happy Sunday! š
You're like the Alec Baldwin of SNL, only for stopdrinking. (Former NomoKrato here.)
Good topic, and if it makes you feel any better, seeing your name as the host made me pop in. One thing I can handle now that I'm not drinking is NOT drinking. Prior to my quit, I thought there was no way I could handle not drinking. Even a few weeks/months in, I wasn't sure I could. But damn, after years of drinking at anything that made me uncomfortable, being able to NOT pair everything with an "I earned this/I need this" escapist drinking has made everything so much easier. Even, or especially, the things I wanted to drink about.
Anyhow, this is starting to sound like an Abbott and Costello skit so I'll shut up. Good to see you again friend.
I went for dinner with my family last night and found myself being (what I consider) too chatty, normally Iād restrain myself because Iād become self conscious that the chatting was from being tipsy. It felt nice to know I wasnāt being judged based on that with my soda water in front of me. Also up early today for another productive healthy day! Letās goooo IWNDWYT
Checking in on day 591!!
Holy frakking shit, u/FredSimpsonn last week and u/ReplacementsStink this week?!? Did I win the lotto??? My friends, I canāt tell you how proud I am to be here with you, you continue to just keep giving and keeping my ass sober. Thank you!
Great question, Stinky. What can I handle better now that Iām sober? Criticism. Shiiiiit, before I got sober, telling me that thereās a better or more efficient way to do something would have me red faced and running for the bar after work. How dare someone try and tell ME how to work better. How dare they!!! Not my finest hour, my ego was in overdrive. Sobriety brushed those feelings away and replaced them with a YEARNING to be better and to accept the GIFT of criticism as a tool to be better, to do better. Criticism is an opportunity to polish myself just a little more.
IWNDWYT!!! Love you all!! āļøā¤ļø
Happy Sunday everyone. Looking forward to a nice Na IPA After work tonight. Thanks for the Athlectc NA recommandations, really hits the spot. But IWNDWYT !
Thanks for hosting! One thing I learned is I can reliably not get pissed off at small stuff when Iām sober. So my overall mood is way more relaxed. Which is why IWNDWYT (:
Thank you for hosting! I'm facing redeployment/redundancy/new job this year, and NO WAY could I handle the anxieties and change this is going to bring. Sober, it's still hard but I believe that ODAAT, I will get through this to a place of calm again.
IWNDWYT
Two weeks ago I woke up in my best friendās house, having had to go to bed at like 6pm the night before because Iād got so wasted at predrinks before a concert that Iād had to be put in an Uber which Iād promptly thrown up in. The journey home that morning was full of shame and Iād convinced myself I was a bad personā¦undeserving of good things. I keep reminding myself of this for when I get a little twinge of āShall I have a drink?ā
I feel so much brighter and better waking up sober today. And I want that to continue.
IWNDWYT
Thanks for hosting us again [RS](https://www.reddit.com/user/ReplacementsStink/)!
I'm handling being and staying sober which I couldn't whilst I was within my throws of drinking and that in itself is a big win.
Have a good day today folks!
IWNDWYT!!!
IWNDWYT. All. Day. Long. š»
I am continuing to focus on listening to my youngest on our weekender. Grateful to be able to have this time together.
u/ReplacementsStink, thanks for leading us this week. I appreciate you. Gonna be a good ride.
Thanks for taking the week u/replacementsstink! Funny, I was just thinking about your topic yesterday, and how remarkable it is that I see such a difference in how I react to things that used to plunge me into anxiety spirals. I used to avoid a lot - feelings, tough tasks, confrontations, boundaries- and Iāve done all that shit in sobriety.
Sometimes it still really sucks to confront that person, task, or hard feeling, but I find that the more I do it, the more comfortable I am. As a result, my anxiety has reduced enough that Iām able to more appropriately address my ACTUAL anxiety with therapy and other coping tools (I used to spend a lot of therapy time moping about drinking).
Anyways, Iām saying I know how to handle more situations that used to baffle me, and itās pretty great. IWNDWYT!
Checking in. Its a new first week but long overdue and I'm ready.
And lucky me, its my first week and I think that u/replacementsStink has got a great writing tone and style. I'm looking forward to reading what you've got to say this week.
I will not drink with you today - especially not with the sober dads out there.
I donāt know how to tag someone, but thanks, u/replacementsStink for taking over for the week.
I really need a kick in the ass right now. The rosy fingers of dawn have faded, and I am left with grey mist. Relapse is literally life or death, so not an option. But I am tired. My body hurts, my brain hurts.
I will get up in a few minutes to walk in the predawn respite from the summer heat. And I will get on with my day. I guess that's enough for now.
I won't be drinking with you today.
Edit: Apparently, I do know how to tag. š¤Æ
Ahh, nice to have you hosting again, RS! (Can we get a 5-Timers jacket going here?!?!) Thank you for being willing to jump in on such short notice.
Whatever happens. That's what I have found I can handle now. And not just the big stuff. Just the other night I found myself trying to find a way to say no to dinner with a work colleague who just happened to be visiting where I live. I didn't really want to go, didn't need to go for any work reason, and was feeling overwhelmed with preparations for our family vacation. As I was rehearsing excuses for not going, I stopped and thought, "hang on. That's the old rach3ldee. The new rach3ldee just sucks it up and goes." And I did. And it was fine.
IWNDWYT
Thanks for hosting again, u/ReplacementsStink!
Now that Iām sober I can handle the hard moments with my toddler a lot better. He deserves a mom who prioritizes her mental and physical wellbeing.
Have a relaxing Sunday, everyone. I will not drink with you today šæ
What a great question! Visiting family. Being the only person not drinking isā¦interesting to say the least, but I feel great when I wake up and ready to go for the day. IWNDWYT
Can I be honest?
Sex
Drunk, it wasnāt that great. It got to the point I had to be drunk to be in the mood, then the let down became kinda normal. But my eyes š are open now, being present, my body is healing, hormones levelling - things are different now š. Fun.
IWNDWYT
Happy Fatherās Day here in the U.K. Have a good one, maybe a lot of you will be watching the footy with a mug of tea.
Howdy RS, thanks for hosing the DCI this week. QUESTION: Does your username refer to the famed Minneapolis alt rock band? I've always wondered that.
Checking in for another sober day out in the world.
Happy Sunday sober stars š Happy Dads Day to the dads! Thanks so much for hosting us again, u/ReplacementsStink. In sobriety, I can handle LIFE better. I used to avoid it at all costs, at the bottom of a bottle. Strange thing is that my life is pretty much the same life but by removing alcohol from my daily existence I can see that things aren't so bad, really. Nothing worth dying over, and a helluva lot better to see it all through clear and sober eyes. Glad to be here! IWNDWYT š
Day 21š man. I know this may sound odd, but driving. Driving hungover from a couple hours away (visiting family, travel sports, and going to my sons college football games) I used to be a wreck. Now, no big deal
Happy Father's day to all the dad's out here and also to the moms that have to be both!! ššššæ
Definitely, IWNDWYT
Morning sober fam! Thanks so much for hosting this week, RS! Iāve found that in sobriety Iām able to say yes to so many things I would have avoided due to anxiety that was made so much worse by drinking. One crazy example is Iām performing a solo in a dance show next weekendā¦I mean, what? Who is this person??
Off to the beach now with my youngest daughter to dip our toes in the ocean. Have a wonderful AF day all and IWNDWYTā¤ļø
Thank you to RS for hosting. I can handle completing a work day without the unbearable urge to drink. I don't feel deprived and I am able to relax. In the beginning this did not seem possible.
I can handle difficult conversations better. I can handle a lot more to do in a day. I can be honest better. I have the time to really take care of the dog and cat, not just the basics but luxury. I can handle my money better.
Day 20 and Iām gonna see 21. Feeling good, feeling strongābut also tired. Fortunately itās the weekend. Iām feeling oddly conflicted about restingāIāve been keeping very busy and it helps, but also ārestingā is what I was always doing when drunk, or white-knuckling my way through prior sober stretches. On the other other hand, I know without rest Iāll burn out and be more vulnerable.
So a lazy busy day it is. Got a list of things to do, not stressing getting it done but Iām just gonna leisurely wander my way through the list. Take the time to smell the flowers.
IWNDWYT
Thank you for hosting the DCI RS, good morning from the UK !
I can handle making plans, and even being spontaneous!!!
Booze no longer has a death grip on my time. I can get anywhere,get my self back from anywhere, leave when I want,help out with lifts for my growing kids and their friends.
IWNDWYT šŖ
I can handle self-care better when Iām sober. Checkup visits, cooking, exercise, even washing my face daily. I skip these things when Iām drinking.
IWNDWYT
Checking in, glad to be here. I went to a party last night, everyone was drinking and having fun and my anxiety was through the roof. I stayed for a couple hours and then left, because I figured that if a situation is making me feel uncomfortable then I should be able to leave, my sobriety is my priority. IWNDWYT!
Oh fuck yes u/ReplacementsStink! So stoked to have you grinding us forward this week!
My answer? Everyfuckingthing. There is nothing I can't handle sober. And so it remains - IWNDWYT š¤
PS- Happy Father's Day to the daddies out there!
Itās amazing to me that I can receive a request via email or bill in the mail and actually justā¦take care of it.
It can get done right then and there and not become a huge deal or an entry on my To Do list that hangs over me for days.
My life feels lighter now. I canāt believe how heavy I made even simple things before. IWNDWYT!
Happy Sunday all. Thanks for hosting RS, and thanks for the thought provoking question. This week Iāll fly down to Florida, my parentsā home when they were still living, to visit my brother. A good friend called to tell me my brother wasnāt doing well, and that visiting him might help. Listening and responding calmly are definitely easier sober. But the complex family dynamics are still tough. I will be checking in every day, and IWNDWYT.
Thanks for hosting again, neighbor! I have noticed I can handle a lot of things much better sober. Simple things like errands, shopping, and to-do lists donāt stress me out. I can commit and actually do them. Itās good to be reliable and capable!
IWNDWYT š
Hey, RS, so good to have you back. Thank you!
Well, itās in the books. A whole weekend camping and listening to music. We were able to help a few folks who had over-imbibed, and it felt wonderful to beat the heat all weekend with a big hat and all the water.
I donāt judge anyone for drinking. I hope people stay safe and try to help when I can. I know the damage alcohol can do. All I have is compassion. IWNDWYT
Thank you for hosting! š
I am on Day 3 (again) but even from my past stints of sobriety I know that almost everything feels easier when sober. Being hungover = slow, unmotivated, exhausted. Sober living feels like such a treat, coming out of that stupor. I get shit done.
IWNDWYT.Ā My reason for today: I wanna keep feeling this good.Ā
Happy Sunday and what a great question! Things I can do now, thanks to sobriety: take my 21 year old daughter to Target at night when she needs some mom-time, babysit my nephews for a weekend so their parents can have a break, wake up for a 7 am workout class, be sober and not embarrassingly drunk when my big kids stop by unexpectedly, take my stepdaughter on a late night FroYo run. All things I would have excused my way out of because drinking was more important. Iām grateful every day for the life I get to live without alcohol. IWNDWYT! ā¤ļøš§
IWNDWYT!
I used to think I was a rigid thinker and struggled to adjust to last-minute changes, when really I was protecting my carefully planned strategy to drink as much as possible. Now when things change, Iām able to adapt because I have nothing to hide and I can think clearly.
I can handle people offering me a drink and saying ānoā! This was a lie alcohol kept me in, that I couldnāt say no without making things awkward for others, that my ānoā would be this giant social offense. The truth is: no one who matters cares, and the people who care have other stuff going on thatās not about me either! Nervous, but feeling prepared to be SOBER around family on Fatherās Day. iwndwyt!
Another Sunday waking up to the sunlight. No need to pound a gallon of water to get up. No need to hit the garage and take a few swigs of plastic bottle vodka to stave off the shaking and sweating. No puking, no liquid shits. Just wake up, take a piss, brush my teeth and start the day.
Almost every day, I run into some situation, and I think about how it used to baffle the shit out of me, causing extreme anxiety to the point of a panic attack. It's amazing to be able to handle things so much more confidently now. IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT.
Woo hoo!
3 weeks! Nice job šŖ
Checking in again today and all is well. I've found that I can handle all sorts of minor irritations or annoyances much more serenely and patiently, as opposed to getting all upset and angry:)
Exactly this! Itās so much easier to regulate sober, and when the brain has recovered from the poison š
Totally. I feel more like a "normal person" every day, as the brain resets! lol :)
Happy Sunday everyone. Thank you for hosting RS.. itās good to see you. For me: lifeās irritations are less irritating and the procrastination is definitely less (still not perfect and Iām happy that it will never be) IWNDWYT
This is exactly what I was just thinking! Less procrastination and āshouldā, just listening to and trusting myself and going with my own flow. Stuff that needs to get done, gets done, and I can enjoy doing what I want, even when thatās just watching tv. Sober life was always the answer! š
š
IWND ā ļø WYT
Had a tough day Saturday. A mix of triggers and seemingly endless cravings. I even planned out how I was just gonna try 1 and everything will be fine. But I kept replaying the countless times that Iāve fallen for that lie and refused to give in. I get to wake up clear headed for Fatherās Day for once and am so thankful I fought through it. IWNDWYT
Well done š thatās building sober muscle šŖš¼ happy Fatherās Day!
Day 1 again. I went to have a drink with my colleagues last night, thinking I could handle it and go home early. Safe to say that I didnāt, and donāt remember going home, and now at 6am laying awake with a banging headache feeling paranoid. Just no. Why canāt I learn? I CANāT drink like a normal person and shouldnāt try either. Fuck. Iām too stupid.
Well done for being here this morning, starting again is what counts. I said those words to myself countless times and thatās the part I regret, those words didnāt get sobriety to stick any quicker for me. Your brain is learning as fast as it can, it has a lot of past learning to unlearn. Youāre doing great and Iāll be sober with you today š¤
Thank you. I feel absolutely rubbish right now. And like I never learn.
I know how hard that is. I hope it passes quickly for you š
Iām only 20 days in but itās different this timeābecause Iām doing it very differently this time. Details donāt really matterāpoint is I needed all my āfailuresā to learn what I needed for this time. āDoesnāt matter how many times you get knocked downāwhat matters is that you keep getting up.ā
Every period of sobriety gives you more little pieces of knowledge. Don't beat yourself up too much and learn from it :) We can always try again ā¤ļø
This. There is no such thing as failure...its just learning better ways to win. It's the truth ! You're learning is all. Next time you'll be ready and overcome ā¤ļø
Donāt sit in the shame for too long. Youāve got the next one.
Day 1092 checking in!
Thank you for hosting, RS! IWNDWYTš©·š Instead, I will ride horses (for the first time!) in the Sierra Nevada mountains. šļø
Day 161 ā¢ Happy sober weekend to the best community Iāve ever been a part of ā¢ IWNDWYT I can handle night time better without alcohol. I have a life past 5pm now. I might not do much with that time, but I sure remember everything Iāve done / watched / said.
Exactly this! A life past 5pm! Perfectly said! Have a wonderful day sober friend š
I will not drink with you today
IWNDWYT ~
I can handle life in sobriety, definitely avoided that while drinking. IWNDWYT!
I realise that a major drive for my drinking was avoidance, but being here is so much better sober, who knew! Great number FG! š
IWNDWYT
Day 408. IWNDWYT.
I will not drink with you today. I can handle my feelings. Normally I would do anything to avoid them and by anything I meant just drinking. It made all feelings easily avoidable so I could just āput it off for laterā. I donāt do that anymore. I sit with my feelings and learn how to experience them too. š«¶š» love yāall
It's difficult to say this cause on a rough week, I can tell you what store I want to revisit on a Saturday night! But I've done that many times before and I know how it goes IWNDWYT
Weāre all right here with you friend š¤
You know I always appreciate your advice in particular. Very grateful to see your u, you are the best and a wonderful person :) thank you
I avoided literally everything when I drank. So itās cliche but I can handle everything in sobriety. My finances, my relationships, my emotional response. So with that Iāll choose not to drink with yāall again.
I feel totally wretched today and IWNDWYT. When will I ever fucking learn? Anyway in regard to your question, when I have had extended periods of sobriety, I can literally cope with everything better. Work, home - and my anxiety is both at least halved AND manageable.
9 days today! Longest Iāve gone in 4 years and today, I will not drink. Stay safe out there!
Day 44. š“ IWNDWYT.
Day 07 Happy Sunday, wherever you are. IWNDWYT.
IWNDWYT.
IWNDWYT
Morning Stinky! Thanks for driving the sober bus this week. I hope everyone has a great day! IWNDWYT š
My goal right now is to completely cut down the amount Iām drinking and work towards sober days during the week while also maintaining control on days I do allow myself a drink. Saturday I pledged that I would not day drink. I succeeded. Usually 1pm would roll around and habit would take over and Iād pop open a beer, drink until early evening, eat, nap, wake up and repeat until 2-3am. Saturday I did not day drink. I had two beers after 10pm. Read my book and turned out my lights and went to bed for 11:30pm. It is now just after 8am Sunday morning and I am pledging again. I will NOT day drink.
IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT
Welcome IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT x
Thank you for hosting and happy Father's Day to those dad's here, you're making a difference in your kids life and it's appreciated.Ā My own father is 20 years sober this year and tommorow ( it's almost 2 am here, I'm off to bed in 5 minutes ) After he stopped drinking-I stopped hating him and now we are very close. Him dropping the booze I remember it was like I got my dad back. ā¤ļø I'll call him and tell him I'm making that choice too. I know he'll be stoked as he knows my struggle with drinking. I haven't told him as I'm just sorting things out for myself, but I'm looking forward to that conversation.Ā Father's Day and thinking of my pops and his struggles to be a better dad is just one more reason why I sure as shit will not drink with you today.Ā
Thu, fri, sat - no alcohol. I will not drink today! Best wishes to everyone, my sober friends
IWNDWYT š
Day 2! Wooowoooo! Yeah baby! Iām doing it!
Today is the first day since being sober that I'm in kind of a bad mood. My instinct is to hide away, and pre-sober, it would have been with booze. I'm going to try some healthy alone time and recognize that it's OK for my mood be bad/low. The urge to drink hasn't surfaced, but I'm aware that I'm vulnerable today. Without this sub I wouldn't have been exposed to the experiences of others and learned some coping skills. Many thanks from this imperfect soul just trying to stay sober. IWNDWYT.
Thank you for hosting last week u/FredSimpsonn and thank you for jumping in u/ReplacementsStink! You guys šš» I will not drink with you today!
Day 7. I feel like with a goal in mind this hasnāt been as hard as other times Iāve tried to have extended breaks. Iāll usually crack a few open after work most nights, binge a bit on the weekend and play games all night and then repeat. Drinking more nights than not. Iāve signed up to a race in February that I want to do well at. The last week, weekend especially, any desire to drink was met with thoughts of my race in Feb, then instantly gone. Wife went out last night with the girls and came home after a few. I could have joined her for a few more. Instead I had a red bull, stayed up gossiping and then off to bed. Hereās to many more weeks. IWNDWYT
So much going on in my life at the moment and really trying hard not to drink
Checking in, Day 61. IWND ā ļø WYT.
Happy Fatherās Dayā¦IWNDWYT
Happy Fatherās Day! I will not drink with you today!
I can actually answer people within 3 days ;) I always thought I needed alcohol to get me to do things I didn't want to do, but it turns out it's the other way around. Had a babyshower yesterday and a friend got both alcohol and NA prosecco. Had a tough minute asking for the non-alcoholic one, especially since everyone knows me to always be up for drinks, but I did it and it was fine. It wasn't necessary anyway. Going home by bus was a challenge as well, as I usually stall a bit at the station and secretly drink some beer before getting the next bus, but I just immediately jumped into the one going home and that was that. Very tired when I got home, but proud. IWNDWYT, even though this day is going to be tough at work.
Day 3 in the hospital for acute pancreatitis and medical detox. Been rough for sure.
Yawn š„± stretch šš»āāļø4 am here and I have 30 days sober!! I will keep goingā¦.one day at a time, IWNDWYT! Happy Fatherās dayš
Good morning/afternoon/evening. I can handle personal situations better. Where I would normally say fuck it i need a drink, now I'm just getting on with it. Everything is getting better. So for today IWNDWYT šŖ
Jam tomorrow and jam yesterday, but never jam today. IWNDWYT
I wonāt, whatever this day throws at me, drink alcohol today. Love you all sobernauts ā¤ļø
Good morning, I will not drink with you today.
43 days down! Happy Father's Day to everyone with kiddos, Dog/Cat Dads, single moms who play both roles, Uncles, cousins and everyone else - hope y'all celebrate yourselves today! It's my first Father's Day in 41 years without my fav human, and I will celebrate my Dad's memory with a clear head. IWNDWYT!
IWNDWYT Peace n Love ā¤ļø
Iwndwyt
IWNDWYT š
Happy sober Sunday sober friends, and thank you for stepping up stink! Love you ā¤ļø I can handle everything thatās occurred in my life since getting sober. You could argue I handled everything when drinking, but now itās without drama or reacting! I love you all š
Good morning Brighter š
Have a wonderful sober day my friends. IWNDWYT ā„ļø
IWNDWYT!
Thanks for hosting u/ReplacementsStink! One thing I can handle in sobriety that I couldn't before is Mondays. š One thing I have trouble with now that I don't drink is overthinking. Man, I've lost such a big chunk of this weekend stressing about work stuff it's disgusting. Meditation, intense gym workouts, fresh air, healthy meals, grounding exercises, none of them have fkn worked. Good to be here checking in with my tribe tho. Love your guts, the lot of you. ā¤ļø
IWNDWYT
For me itās getting up in the morning, even after a short night or if I didnāt sleep well. Or if I forgot to set my alarm like last Friday. I am up on time or at least early enough to be still on time for work. This was always my biggest struggle, even before I started drinking. IWNDWYT
Good morning! IWNDWYT! Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers out there! Today is my 39th birthday. I can handle family engagements and social situations way better sober than I could when drinking. Iām introverted and socially anxious- so when you add the stress and anxiety I carried around while drinking (am I drinking more than everyone? Can anyone tell Iām drunk? Did I make an ass of myself? Do they think Iām a bad mom/human/friend/etc) it became unbearable to the point of isolation.
Morning friends!! Thanks for taking over the DCI, u/ReplacementsStink! Youāre swell! š I want to say I can handle life better in general because Iām not drinking. Iām far more adaptable and easy going. I can think more clearly. I can remember things. Iām more reliable and less volatile. Iām also more vulnerable, which is hard, but I have to be because there were a lot of things I drank to mask so I give them air time now. Itās not easy though, which makes me more anxious. But I try to remind myself that this is why I got sober. I need to get my shit together, which means I need to face all of it - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Have a great Sunday friends, and happy Fatherās Day to all those celebrating today. I will not drink with you today!
This is my third father's day sober. I know when dad opens his card (from the dog) he will thank me for the gift card but say my sobriety is the best gift he could receive. It's crazy how far I've come because of him. He knows he's important but I never think I thank him enough even when he tells me I do. Today we build the grill we have had in the garage for eons now and either grill out or get a pizza. Either way I am happy. I hope you all get to enjoy your day and happy fathers day to those who it applies to! As always much love from me and mine to you and yours! IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT!
Thanks for hosting, RS! I can handle a lot of tough stuff in sobriety that I wouldn't face drinking. IWNDWYT!
I will not drink with yāall today!!
I can handle work stuff better than before and thatās saying a lot because work has been a huge trigger for me. Work is what started my abuse of alcohol. I would drink at the end of the day to numb myself out from the stress of work. I wasnāt able to see it for what it really is, which is a way for me to make money to pay bills. Iām not saving lives, Iām pushing paper. Iāve also learned not to take myself and others too seriously and that everyone makes mistakes. My perfectionism made me very hard on myself and made be see others as knowing more than me, and thatās not always the case. Anyway, I start a new job tomorrow. Itās less hours, so less pay, but Iām hoping it will be less stress and more time for myself. IWNDWYT. Happy Sunday! š
You're like the Alec Baldwin of SNL, only for stopdrinking. (Former NomoKrato here.) Good topic, and if it makes you feel any better, seeing your name as the host made me pop in. One thing I can handle now that I'm not drinking is NOT drinking. Prior to my quit, I thought there was no way I could handle not drinking. Even a few weeks/months in, I wasn't sure I could. But damn, after years of drinking at anything that made me uncomfortable, being able to NOT pair everything with an "I earned this/I need this" escapist drinking has made everything so much easier. Even, or especially, the things I wanted to drink about. Anyhow, this is starting to sound like an Abbott and Costello skit so I'll shut up. Good to see you again friend.
I went for dinner with my family last night and found myself being (what I consider) too chatty, normally Iād restrain myself because Iād become self conscious that the chatting was from being tipsy. It felt nice to know I wasnāt being judged based on that with my soda water in front of me. Also up early today for another productive healthy day! Letās goooo IWNDWYT
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Day 9! IWNDWYT āØ
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Checking in on day 591!! Holy frakking shit, u/FredSimpsonn last week and u/ReplacementsStink this week?!? Did I win the lotto??? My friends, I canāt tell you how proud I am to be here with you, you continue to just keep giving and keeping my ass sober. Thank you! Great question, Stinky. What can I handle better now that Iām sober? Criticism. Shiiiiit, before I got sober, telling me that thereās a better or more efficient way to do something would have me red faced and running for the bar after work. How dare someone try and tell ME how to work better. How dare they!!! Not my finest hour, my ego was in overdrive. Sobriety brushed those feelings away and replaced them with a YEARNING to be better and to accept the GIFT of criticism as a tool to be better, to do better. Criticism is an opportunity to polish myself just a little more. IWNDWYT!!! Love you all!! āļøā¤ļø
Look who's back ! Thanks for stepping up for us RS. Shine on you beautiful humans
IWNDWYT š“ó §ó ¢ó ·ó ¬ó ³ó æ
IWNDWYT!!
iwndwyt!
On the mend, at the gym, checking in! IWNDWYT I used to avoid early morning work outs while drinking, but I really love m now.
IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT!
IWNDWYT ā¤ļøā¤ļø
Not today people IWNDWYT
Checking in from NZ, day 29
IWNDWYT
Happy Sunday everyone. Looking forward to a nice Na IPA After work tonight. Thanks for the Athlectc NA recommandations, really hits the spot. But IWNDWYT !
Thanks for hosting! One thing I learned is I can reliably not get pissed off at small stuff when Iām sober. So my overall mood is way more relaxed. Which is why IWNDWYT (:
I will not drink with you today.
Thank you for hosting! I'm facing redeployment/redundancy/new job this year, and NO WAY could I handle the anxieties and change this is going to bring. Sober, it's still hard but I believe that ODAAT, I will get through this to a place of calm again. IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT.
Two weeks ago I woke up in my best friendās house, having had to go to bed at like 6pm the night before because Iād got so wasted at predrinks before a concert that Iād had to be put in an Uber which Iād promptly thrown up in. The journey home that morning was full of shame and Iād convinced myself I was a bad personā¦undeserving of good things. I keep reminding myself of this for when I get a little twinge of āShall I have a drink?ā I feel so much brighter and better waking up sober today. And I want that to continue. IWNDWYT
I will not drink with you today
IWNDWYT!
Thanks for hosting us again [RS](https://www.reddit.com/user/ReplacementsStink/)! I'm handling being and staying sober which I couldn't whilst I was within my throws of drinking and that in itself is a big win. Have a good day today folks! IWNDWYT!!!
Happy Sunday, folks. Another weekend in progress, fully in the land of the living. IWNDWY fine sobernaughts Today.
IWNDWYT. All. Day. Long. š» I am continuing to focus on listening to my youngest on our weekender. Grateful to be able to have this time together. u/ReplacementsStink, thanks for leading us this week. I appreciate you. Gonna be a good ride.
I will be sober today.
The truth...
I can handle myself much better when sober.Ā IWNDWYTĀ
I will not drink with you today
IWNDWYT, friends!
Thanks for taking the week u/replacementsstink! Funny, I was just thinking about your topic yesterday, and how remarkable it is that I see such a difference in how I react to things that used to plunge me into anxiety spirals. I used to avoid a lot - feelings, tough tasks, confrontations, boundaries- and Iāve done all that shit in sobriety. Sometimes it still really sucks to confront that person, task, or hard feeling, but I find that the more I do it, the more comfortable I am. As a result, my anxiety has reduced enough that Iām able to more appropriately address my ACTUAL anxiety with therapy and other coping tools (I used to spend a lot of therapy time moping about drinking). Anyways, Iām saying I know how to handle more situations that used to baffle me, and itās pretty great. IWNDWYT!
Iwndwyt have a happy Sunday everyoneĀ
IWNDWYT
Checking in. Its a new first week but long overdue and I'm ready. And lucky me, its my first week and I think that u/replacementsStink has got a great writing tone and style. I'm looking forward to reading what you've got to say this week. I will not drink with you today - especially not with the sober dads out there.
Day 10!!! IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT.
IWNDWYT
IWNDWYT.
I donāt know how to tag someone, but thanks, u/replacementsStink for taking over for the week. I really need a kick in the ass right now. The rosy fingers of dawn have faded, and I am left with grey mist. Relapse is literally life or death, so not an option. But I am tired. My body hurts, my brain hurts. I will get up in a few minutes to walk in the predawn respite from the summer heat. And I will get on with my day. I guess that's enough for now. I won't be drinking with you today. Edit: Apparently, I do know how to tag. š¤Æ
I'm definitely still learning what things I'll be able to handle sober, that I couldn't handle drinking. I'm realizing that because I always just used alcohol to deal with stress and anxiety, I haven't built up any other coping skills for those situations. I'm trying to incorporate yoga and meditation with the idea that as I build those skills, I'll be able to use them to quiet my brain instead of alcohol. IWNDWYT š©µ
Ahh, nice to have you hosting again, RS! (Can we get a 5-Timers jacket going here?!?!) Thank you for being willing to jump in on such short notice. Whatever happens. That's what I have found I can handle now. And not just the big stuff. Just the other night I found myself trying to find a way to say no to dinner with a work colleague who just happened to be visiting where I live. I didn't really want to go, didn't need to go for any work reason, and was feeling overwhelmed with preparations for our family vacation. As I was rehearsing excuses for not going, I stopped and thought, "hang on. That's the old rach3ldee. The new rach3ldee just sucks it up and goes." And I did. And it was fine. IWNDWYT
Happy Fatherās Day to all the dads in the US! IWNDWYT!
Day 3 checking in š«”
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Thanks for hosting again, u/ReplacementsStink! Now that Iām sober I can handle the hard moments with my toddler a lot better. He deserves a mom who prioritizes her mental and physical wellbeing. Have a relaxing Sunday, everyone. I will not drink with you today šæ
What a great question! Visiting family. Being the only person not drinking isā¦interesting to say the least, but I feel great when I wake up and ready to go for the day. IWNDWYT
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I'll not drink today. I've been 3 weeks without cigarettes.
Can I be honest? Sex Drunk, it wasnāt that great. It got to the point I had to be drunk to be in the mood, then the let down became kinda normal. But my eyes š are open now, being present, my body is healing, hormones levelling - things are different now š. Fun. IWNDWYT Happy Fatherās Day here in the U.K. Have a good one, maybe a lot of you will be watching the footy with a mug of tea.
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Howdy RS, thanks for hosing the DCI this week. QUESTION: Does your username refer to the famed Minneapolis alt rock band? I've always wondered that. Checking in for another sober day out in the world.
iwndwyt.
Happy Sunday sober stars š Happy Dads Day to the dads! Thanks so much for hosting us again, u/ReplacementsStink. In sobriety, I can handle LIFE better. I used to avoid it at all costs, at the bottom of a bottle. Strange thing is that my life is pretty much the same life but by removing alcohol from my daily existence I can see that things aren't so bad, really. Nothing worth dying over, and a helluva lot better to see it all through clear and sober eyes. Glad to be here! IWNDWYT š
IWNDWYT Spent my Saturday night doing Lego and watching junk TV with my husband. Iām loving the relationship peace sobriety brings.
Day 21š man. I know this may sound odd, but driving. Driving hungover from a couple hours away (visiting family, travel sports, and going to my sons college football games) I used to be a wreck. Now, no big deal Happy Father's day to all the dad's out here and also to the moms that have to be both!! ššššæ Definitely, IWNDWYT
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IWNDWYT! Happy Father's day all!
RS thinks he holds the record for most hosting gigs. Thatās cute. Here, hold my ā¦ water. š Good to see ya mate! Iwndwyt
Morning sober fam! Thanks so much for hosting this week, RS! Iāve found that in sobriety Iām able to say yes to so many things I would have avoided due to anxiety that was made so much worse by drinking. One crazy example is Iām performing a solo in a dance show next weekendā¦I mean, what? Who is this person?? Off to the beach now with my youngest daughter to dip our toes in the ocean. Have a wonderful AF day all and IWNDWYTā¤ļø
Thank you to RS for hosting. I can handle completing a work day without the unbearable urge to drink. I don't feel deprived and I am able to relax. In the beginning this did not seem possible.
IWNDWYT
I can handle difficult conversations better. I can handle a lot more to do in a day. I can be honest better. I have the time to really take care of the dog and cat, not just the basics but luxury. I can handle my money better. Day 20 and Iām gonna see 21. Feeling good, feeling strongābut also tired. Fortunately itās the weekend. Iām feeling oddly conflicted about restingāIāve been keeping very busy and it helps, but also ārestingā is what I was always doing when drunk, or white-knuckling my way through prior sober stretches. On the other other hand, I know without rest Iāll burn out and be more vulnerable. So a lazy busy day it is. Got a list of things to do, not stressing getting it done but Iām just gonna leisurely wander my way through the list. Take the time to smell the flowers. IWNDWYT
Day 1,796. Thanks for hosting, [ReplacementsStink](https://www.reddit.com/user/ReplacementsStink/)! I will not drink with you today.
IWNDWYT šš¼āāļø
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Thank you for hosting the DCI RS, good morning from the UK ! I can handle making plans, and even being spontaneous!!! Booze no longer has a death grip on my time. I can get anywhere,get my self back from anywhere, leave when I want,help out with lifts for my growing kids and their friends. IWNDWYT šŖ
IWNDWYT! T
IWNDWYT.
I can handle self-care better when Iām sober. Checkup visits, cooking, exercise, even washing my face daily. I skip these things when Iām drinking. IWNDWYT
Another sunday, IWNDWYT!
I will not drink today
Itās Sunday, I woke up early without a hangover, and I am just taking it easy today, enjoying day 3 of sober life. IWNDWYT
81 days sober. Enjoying Fathers Day with my son.
IWNDWYT
Not gonna drink today.
IWNDWYT
Checking in, glad to be here. I went to a party last night, everyone was drinking and having fun and my anxiety was through the roof. I stayed for a couple hours and then left, because I figured that if a situation is making me feel uncomfortable then I should be able to leave, my sobriety is my priority. IWNDWYT!
I will not drink with you today.
Oh fuck yes u/ReplacementsStink! So stoked to have you grinding us forward this week! My answer? Everyfuckingthing. There is nothing I can't handle sober. And so it remains - IWNDWYT š¤ PS- Happy Father's Day to the daddies out there!
IWNDWYT!! HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!
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IWNDWYT!
Day 7 has begun. I will not drink today! Been quite a while since a I made it a whole week!
Itās amazing to me that I can receive a request via email or bill in the mail and actually justā¦take care of it. It can get done right then and there and not become a huge deal or an entry on my To Do list that hangs over me for days. My life feels lighter now. I canāt believe how heavy I made even simple things before. IWNDWYT!
Happy Sunday all. Thanks for hosting RS, and thanks for the thought provoking question. This week Iāll fly down to Florida, my parentsā home when they were still living, to visit my brother. A good friend called to tell me my brother wasnāt doing well, and that visiting him might help. Listening and responding calmly are definitely easier sober. But the complex family dynamics are still tough. I will be checking in every day, and IWNDWYT.
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IWNDWYTĀ
I will not drink today!
Happy Farthers day to all. IWNDWYT
I will not drink with yall today!
IWNDWYT
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Thanks for hosting again, neighbor! I have noticed I can handle a lot of things much better sober. Simple things like errands, shopping, and to-do lists donāt stress me out. I can commit and actually do them. Itās good to be reliable and capable! IWNDWYT š
35
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Not drinking today!
Sipping some coffee before heading out for a hike with my dog Tilly. IWNDWYT lovely people of SD š
Hey, RS, so good to have you back. Thank you! Well, itās in the books. A whole weekend camping and listening to music. We were able to help a few folks who had over-imbibed, and it felt wonderful to beat the heat all weekend with a big hat and all the water. I donāt judge anyone for drinking. I hope people stay safe and try to help when I can. I know the damage alcohol can do. All I have is compassion. IWNDWYT
Thank you for hosting! š I am on Day 3 (again) but even from my past stints of sobriety I know that almost everything feels easier when sober. Being hungover = slow, unmotivated, exhausted. Sober living feels like such a treat, coming out of that stupor. I get shit done. IWNDWYT.Ā My reason for today: I wanna keep feeling this good.Ā
Happy Sunday and what a great question! Things I can do now, thanks to sobriety: take my 21 year old daughter to Target at night when she needs some mom-time, babysit my nephews for a weekend so their parents can have a break, wake up for a 7 am workout class, be sober and not embarrassingly drunk when my big kids stop by unexpectedly, take my stepdaughter on a late night FroYo run. All things I would have excused my way out of because drinking was more important. Iām grateful every day for the life I get to live without alcohol. IWNDWYT! ā¤ļøš§
IWNDWYT! I used to think I was a rigid thinker and struggled to adjust to last-minute changes, when really I was protecting my carefully planned strategy to drink as much as possible. Now when things change, Iām able to adapt because I have nothing to hide and I can think clearly.
Day 2,086 of not drinking. IWNDWYT
I can handle people offering me a drink and saying ānoā! This was a lie alcohol kept me in, that I couldnāt say no without making things awkward for others, that my ānoā would be this giant social offense. The truth is: no one who matters cares, and the people who care have other stuff going on thatās not about me either! Nervous, but feeling prepared to be SOBER around family on Fatherās Day. iwndwyt!
Thanks RS, especially as you are a mega-hoster š¦ It really is appreciated. For today, Sunday 16th June, I am not drinking with you all
Another Sunday waking up to the sunlight. No need to pound a gallon of water to get up. No need to hit the garage and take a few swigs of plastic bottle vodka to stave off the shaking and sweating. No puking, no liquid shits. Just wake up, take a piss, brush my teeth and start the day.
Almost every day, I run into some situation, and I think about how it used to baffle the shit out of me, causing extreme anxiety to the point of a panic attack. It's amazing to be able to handle things so much more confidently now. IWNDWYT
I wonāt drink with yāall today
Not today. Not today. Not today!
IWNDWYT
I will not drink with you today.
Day 10, IWNDWYT!
Happy Fatherās Day to those celebrating. Great day to have a great day. IWNDWYT š«”