At some point in the last week I ticked over the three year mark. Quitting around Christmas was a funny one, especially being around family on Christmas day - the sherry comes out at 11am and there's a more or less continuous flow of drink from then on. I remember a lot of politely declining glasses of things, and trying to avoid any awkward conversations about why I was drinking water or orange juice. I think that held out for a bit then there was eventually a *does not compute* moment from my dad. It's more likely than not that he'll offer me a beer tomorrow anyway, though he knows I've stopped. I'm glad to be spending Christmas with them, I just need to be patient sometimes!High fives to everyone doing sober family Christmas!

I'm about to finish month 5. Still happy with the decision. On most days, it's not even remotely A Thing, which is a relief. Still, the holidays have given me more than one exasperated evening thinking that just a quick shot will dull the nerves... but so far, so good.There have been a few brutal reminders that my social anxiety and awkwardness are still very much intact. I thought I had made real progress over the past decade or so at being more social. Nope: I had just become a "better" social drinker. Humbling.

jbar wrote:My brother works at a liquor store and brought over a Big Fuck You Bottle of my Favorite Fuck You Brown Libations. It's been staring at me all weekend. But I'm holding. Stay strong everyone!Our every move is the new tradition

My brother works at a liquor store and brought over a Big Fuck You Bottle of my Favorite Fuck You Brown Libations. It's been staring at me all weekend. But I'm holding. Stay strong everyone!

jbar wrote:Survived Christmas, now for new years and then, my birthday. Then I'm in the clear. I can do it.Yes you can.

Ate a six pack of guiness to myself for easter brunch this year, so thought I'd change it up and go in dry for xmas and let them do the drinking today. My way of protesting the pagan holiday too, I guess. I've always hated xmas.Selectively abstaining is the bees knees. Drink to capitalism I will not.

Survived Christmas, now for new years and then, my birthday. Then I'm in the clear. I can do it.

Thanks all.

A\_Man\_Who\_Tries wrote:jbar wrote:Survived Christmas, now for new years and then, my birthday. Then I'm in the clear. I can do it.Yes you can.You're in the clear now!You're there! Just stay there!

I passed a certification exam for work today and would probably have had a celebratory relapse if I hadn't had this hellish sinus cold.I hadn't thought of positive experiences as being a trigger for drinking. Possibly because they're so much rarer than negative ones, at least in my minds eye.