Letting go of my own triggers was one of the hardest things I had to do to stay sober. Leaving my stress filled job was one and getting rid of my drinking buddies was another.

It might help to get an AA sponsor, sooner rather then later. I was on the phone daily with mine and he guided me through many ego traps early in my sobriety and I don't think I would have made it without his help. Just raise your hand at a meeting and tell the group you need a sponsor as soon as you can get one. You can always get another one down the road if you see someone you think you might like , better then the one you currently have but that's up to you.

Some of the beginner's groups will assign a temporary sponsor to everyone who get's their 24 hour honesty chip.. Having the support you need to weave your way around many of life's challenges is important in the beginning because the addictive mind is opportunistic and just looking for the first opportunity to remind you how bad you feel and how bad you want that drink to make you feel better.

I rarely spoke to my sponsor after the first 3-4 months but it was nice knowing he was there when I needed him.

God Bless

Girl I hear you. I went on vacation for a week and not once did I think of drinking. Getting up at 5:00am and going hiking was more important. Came home and 1 hour after I arrived I was at the liquor store.

There is a meeting close by that is at 8 am everyday. I met a few ladies there that I think would be good choices. Thank you for the advice.

Nomo, it’s hard! I can do great for awhile and then in a moment it’s all gone again.

Don’t be afraid of a slip. Especially if you eliminated a toxic relationship. Start again and keep
Building a base! Get back to meetings. Pick up a phone list and call before you pick up a drink.

Drinking was my default. I used booze to cope today I try to find other ways of coping. Like talking out problems instead of just ignoring. Life builds up like a pressure cooker. And if I don’t slowly release off the steam I blow up and drink. Find ways to let off steam.
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Jeff, thats something I've struggled with for a while. I knew it needed to happen, I guess I was just hoping somehow it would work. It was really hard, but I feel better about it now. So even though it was a slip, I am glad the relationship is over.

1is2many, I'm trying to find ways to do that. Meetings have been helping me because I listen to everyone share and it makes me feel comfort knowing I'm not the only one going through stuff. I am going to be finding a counselor to work with this week too. I have a horrible habit of keeping it all in until I explode. working on it.

At my AA group we have a saying that we never shoot our wounded. I think it is a great step to eliminate your triggers and being honest that you had a slip. I think a huge part for me since recovery is just being honest with myself and the people around me. Another thing that helped me when there was cravings and temptation to drink was to think past that drink. Would it help the situation? How would I feel after ect. All the best out to you!

I agree with the honesty being a key. As I work my recovery, being honest with myself gets a little easier each time I use it to understand something about myself that I have avoided looking at. While I haven’t had a slip by taking a drink I know how it feels to have a slip. Because my honesty with myself has made it clear what I need to do to be a healthier person. Some days my thoughts and actions aren’t always heading in that positive direction. To me that’s slipping back and I have to catch that behavior and get a fresh start. It’s getting easier to do that because I have experience or practice to reassure myself that it’s possible. Same with you here. You may be starting over on checking off the days being abstinent but you have traveled this path before so use it to go further. You’re ahead because you KNOW what the alternative means. So you’re a little wiser. Use this tool

msmermaid, thats one thing that I've really been trying to do is be honest. Its scary, but I know if I'm not honest I wont be doing myself any favors. Sometimes the only way is through right? I keep telling myself that. The thinking through part, I'm still working on. I think I get in my own way with that most the time.

finallyawakenow, I know honesty is the only way I can go, its hard, and lately it feels like I've "ripped off band-aids" a lot. Its scary and stressful. Its a huge mess. But I know it had to happen eventually. And I figure doing it now is better than waiting. I think the scariest part is I'm starting to realize what was keeping me from being honest to begin with. The meeting yesterday was so great as there were so many "beginners" sharing. I found comfort in that.

If not now; WHEN? We can surrender our ego anytime and be free of so much self inflicted pain. (I will let you know if I can manage it) That rawness you feel after the band-aids are ripped off is the ego exposed. Let’s work on seeing it for what it is. Part of us our minds created, but not our deeper selves. We are that consciousnesses that is observing the behavior of our habitual thoughts. I think the more we can watch our mind and not let our minds run our lives without us the more we can grow. May we be light in body and mind.