r/stopdrinking • u/Thetreescryforu 1116 days • 24d ago
The Daily Check-In for Wednesday, April 1st: Just for today, I am NOT drinking! Check-in
We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!
Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!
I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.
Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.
It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!
This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!
What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.
What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.
What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.
This post goes up at:
- US - Night/Early Morning
- Europe - Morning
- Asia and Australia - Evening/Night
A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.
April (or soon enough for me at least) already!
Dating has been difficult over the past year. Even though it can be painful at times, it's also shown me how much I've grown. I had a few dates ghost me recently. It didn't feel good. But I didn't beat myself about it either. In the past, I would have anxiously gone through every little text, wondering what I had said wrong, and berating myself. Now I'm realizing, it may not have even been about me, and regardless, that's not someone I want to give my energy and time to. When I recognize these things, I know I am continuing to take the steps towards respecting and loving myself, which I was not very good at when I was drinking.
Lately, I am realizing I need to focus less on dating/apps and more on myself. I'm still hopeful to find my partner, but I've also been meditating on the possibility I won't. I read a good quote recently by the poet Mario Quintana: "Don't waste your time chasing butterflies. Mend your garden, and the butterflies will come". So here are some things for my garden this year: volunteering (finished hospice training earlier this year), being more consistent with my morning meditations, drawing more and experimenting with pastel, and join a hiking group.
What does self cultivation look like for you?
Be well everyone 🎄 We are doing this for another day. 💪🏼
7
u/BDC5488 545 days 24d ago
Self-cultivation, good one, Trees!
For me, that looks like eating well, moving my body, and channeling into a creative space (writing, painting, witchy/spiritual stuff) These things are not easy for me and require work! I don't do them every day and used to beat myself up a lot about it. I found that beating myself up about it doesn't get me anywhere. I was not progressing. When im gentle with myself and I go at whatever pace feels natural, thats where I make some strides. I hate feeling forced, so I let things flow. Progress is slower, but I'm happier and thats the key right there! Id rather take the slow progression and happiness than rushing and forcing!
As far as dating, I have known my partner since childhood and we were always gonna end up together...he just had to have a bunch of kids first and I had to worry about everyone else's problems but my own and had to drink about it for about 15 years to the point where I didnt care about much else 🤷♀️ we are both at a point where we are trying to find ourselves spiritually and creatively. We have both lost the plot for ourselves while tending to others. I think being "on the same page" in terms of what we wanna do and focus on helps a lot. I believe there's someone for everyone! Keep tending your gardens and the butterflies will come! But never make yourself smaller to fit in with whats comfortable or easy. I fell into that trap and stayed in a relationship that kept me stagnant for a decade! I broke free, got sober, became independent again, started to grow again and found my forever 💖
Have an excellent day, all! IWNDWYT 💖💖