For Me alot of quiet time in the morning and meditation keeps me in more of a place of accepting and understanding the days activities.

Discipline and quiet time becomes second nature only"if " I practice it ,,, Step 11 in motion :)
Billy

Starting my day out on the right foot with prayer and quiet time. Give yourself that extra time in the morning. As Billy said, it becomes second nature.

From the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions:

"In A.A. we have found that the actual good results of prayer are beyond question. They are matters of knowledge and experience. All those who have persisted have found strength not ordinarily their own. They have found wisdom beyond their usual capability. And they have increasingly found a peace of mind which can stand firm in the face of difficult circumstances." p. 105

Meditation and speaking to other AA members.

Good for you for 5 months! Yay!
I start most days with yoga then read hazeldon's prayer for the day. I try to then sit quietly for a few minutes at least and attempt to meditate.
I also call others in the program or at a min text a few women to feel connected. If I'm feeling off I definetly call until I get someone live to talk with. Amazing how much that helps.
I also journal at night, say my rather simple prayers and take my daily inventory.
All this, plus remembering to live in the steps, especialy step 3, all helps.

Long walks and ipod clears my head

Replacing the fantasy thought of a "relaxing drink" with a shameful, panful memory of what drinking really does. Everything starts with a thought, and every thought is not in our best interest.

When I understood I could, to a greater degree than I had imagined, control or manage my thoughts, I really startd moving forward in every area.

Big congratulations on five months Anne!

Starting off with the serenity prayer and journaling my feelings helps an awful lot.

Keeping myself busy with projects around the house also helps.

Calling my sponser if I feel like I need some words of wisdom.

Good luck

:-) thanks ..for the food for thought? as has been touched on already- the benifts of (a simple) meditation can help- at any time of the day. By focusing on my breathing ..even when Im about and walking around..really helps. They say AND I BELIEVE THIS :-) that if we are focusing on our breath/breathing, theres a good chance we aint thinking about the past (sadness) or the future (anxiety). When im working (outside) and I want to keep focused and grounded I say to myself "Breathe In......Breathe Out" (slowly). It works lol. Another one is doing the same thing, but focusing on a word on the In Breathe and another word on the out breathe ie "Breathe in courage...breathe out acceptance". For me being sober/life wiithout alcohol/drugs has been a case of trying/experimenting wih these (and many others) hings to findout what works and helps....

:-) thanks ..for the food for thought? as has been touched on already- the benifts of (a simple) meditation can help- at any time of the day. By focusing on my breathing ..even when Im about and walking around..really helps. They say AND I BELIEVE THIS :-) that if we are focusing on our breath/breathing, theres a good chance we aint thinking about the past (sadness) or the future (anxiety). When im working (outside) and I want to keep focused and grounded I say to myself "Breathe In......Breathe Out" (slowly). It works lol. Another one is doing the same thing, but focusing on a word on the In Breathe and another word on the out breathe ie "Breathe in courage...breathe out acceptance". For me being sober/life wiithout alcohol/drugs has been a case of trying/experimenting wih these (and many others) hings to findout what works and helps....

Hello anned22,

There are plenty of tools and tricks that can help you in the short term and some have been posted here already. However, its a bit like sweeping the dirt under the carpet you will have to deal with a whole pile of rubbish someday.

At five months sober you could be looking at a more permanent formula for dealing with life. My suggestion is, if you have not done so already, get a sponsor and do those Steps. Then you will be able to handle most things without thinking about making friends again with the old enemy.

It is normal to have desire, it means you are alive. Don't be afraid of your addictive voice because it can't force you to pick up a drink just remember that you don't drink and it goes away. Right now say to yourself that "I will NEVER drink again, and I mean it! That is your Big Plan and it is final. There is no going back.

We will always have desires for all sorts of pleasures but we don't have to act on them. We can choose to do what we know is morally right. If you want to know more go to the Rational Recovery website. Click on the crash course on AVRT. It's free and within minutes you will without a doubt know you will never ever drink again. No more wondering one day at a time if you are going to stay sober. Choose to be abstinent it makes life so much simpler.

Thanks all for your thoughts. Just a few things... I am in AA and have a sponsor. She was in Belize for a week, and is back now. I go to about 2-3 meetings a week, but with work kicking up and late nights tthis week, it hasn't been possible. I thank my HP every night for a sober, non--hungover day. Every once in a while, I get a thought like a habit thought "a glass of wine would be great after this..." and it is I'm immediately followed by a NOPE!

I read every night, and text friends from the meetings when I can. I was wondering more if or when those fleeting thoughts ever leave, or how to overcome them. It is annoying! :)

Thanks again.

11th step a new inner life:)
Billy

It takes awhile but those thoughts do leave. (for the most part) Keep doing the work and you will be pleased.

The only tool or trick that worked for me was a spiritual awakening as a result of completing and maintaining the work of all 12 Steps.

I relied on meetings in early days but found that it was the work I put in with the guidance of my sponsor that actually counted.

Other people's sobriety just didn't rub off on me in meetings - although I still attend a lot - but they did give me some hope and guidance. Still do. There is no "arrival point" in this journey as I am still an alcoholic.. but it is one great journey!