I have been asked more than a few times how I did it, what I had to do to take that first step.
That was the easy part, sort of.
The mindset of getting and staying sober
There are no easy answers to the mindset of getting and staying sober. It all has to do with why are you taking this first step.
Is it because of family, health, or something completely different. Nobody can exactly pinpoint why people get sober or even how to do it, everyone is different.
For me, it came to this… I was about to loose someone in my life if I did not stop my recklessness. I was constantly losing employment, and I started having major health concerns.
Like I said, everyone’s reason will always be different but at the same time the same.
The first step is always the hardest even though I said it was the easy part. I say that only because, looking back at it now…it was.
One thing is for certain, you have to have the right mindset of getting there.
The mindset of getting sober
For everyone, it will be different.
There are no answers I can give to you other than my own reasons.
I stopped for my family at first but stayed sober for myself.
You have to really dig deep within yourself to answer this question. You can not plan this or you will just say, “ah, one more day”. That will turn into “one more week” and so forth, right?
This is one of those plans that you have to think of right then and there and just stop.
Now, some may say that it is very dangerous to quit cold turkey and for some that might just be the case but in my eyes, that is the only way to do it. There are no easy ways around it people!
It might just be one of the hardest decision’s of your life, at least to me it was.
The way I found it to work for me was to think of just one thing that was giving you that reason to even consider it in the first place. That is the one thing you must keep stuck in your head, ALWAYS!
Never forget what that reason is or was, that will be your foundation to build you new life of sobriety around.
It really has to be that one thing that drives you to staying sober once you get there.
I’m going to be super honest here, it is a hell on earth that most will tell you is difficult no matter how long you stay sober. Some day’s, I have my bad days but most days are better than the way I was.
Here is one tell tale sign that you really need to stop. This is going to be graphic people (just to warn you)…
When you use the bathroom and you see blood…You know it is time to quit! It is the one sign that you cannot deny no matter what you might tell yourself. Blood means serious issues.
This is not the main reason I quit as this had happened more than just once or twice but became almost a weekly occurrence for months toward the end. NO, mine was different…
My Mother, who I love dearly told me that if I did not quit “she would disown me”. Now, for me…she was and still is the one person in this life I look up to and for me, I would rather disappoint myself or other than her. Like I said, everyone has their different reasons.
Secondly was for my children and for myself. I did not even think of friends at this point in my life. Not that they were not important but because most of the ones I had are alcoholics as well and they have to fight their own demons for themselves.
The mindset of staying sober
Now, this might just be even harder than trying to find the mindset of getting sober.
Not only do you have to keep it locked in your brain what got you to this point but to keep it AND finding other reasons to stay that way.
For me, it was milk and cookies that kept me thinking of picking up that drink along with a few other things like, falling asleep and waking up instead of passing out or coming to. having more energy, having a clearer mind, eating foods that you may have stayed away from because alcohol took that taste away from you.
Getting back family, children and even lost lost friends you lost from your alcoholism.
these are just a few things that I kept locked in my brain and the activities that I had to go through to keep that mindset of staying sober.
For the first 8 months, I attended AA meetings. Which did help for the most part. I even went to a detox facility the second week when I was just starting out but only stayed for two days but in the long run was glad I did.
These few things gave me the keys to that foundation to my mindset of staying sober. Not only those but one more important thing that for myself, made me feel like I was on top of the world…
Being able to tell people how long I have been sober! To tell those that in my eyes probably never thought that I would stick to it and continue this way to this day!
I still get a nice warm feeling inside to know that when I tell people who knew me as a drunk that I am still sober to this day, who probably never ever thought I would stay this way.
This is how I managed the mindset of getting and staying sober.
You CAN do this! It is NOT the end of the world when you quit, just a different way to look at it that’s all.
If you need help, and have nobody to talk to, email me or skype me… I can try my best to help give you some ways to ease your troubled mind. I don’t have all the answers but I can give you my best solutions that worked for me.
Thanks again for reading and ALWAYS remember, ONE DAY AT A TIME! It’s not just a saying, it is a way of life!
