GOYA Community Group
A group focused on motivating all members to GOYA= "Get off Your A@#'s" and exercise to help maintain a spiritually fit body and mind.. All are welcome regardless of ones affiliation, however the emphasis is on motivation and education in regards to exercise and nutrition. Have fun and GOYA!
This will be a rambling post but.......I didn't have any understanding of online forums or interactive forums and blogs before I came to DS in 2008. I hadn't even been introduced to facebook yet.
I first showed up here when I was 43 and I was a mess, looking for answers. I was faced with the prospect that I wouldn't be able to use the "crutch" of alcohol any longer, and it terrified me that I might have to live a life of sobriety (scary prospect when you've never lived without alcohol in your adult life). I was also VERY naive in terms of the world of "on-line forums".
I learned a lot about alcoholism, alcohol abuse, and the cycles of drinking/not drinking. I also learned that not everyone on an anonymous online forum is who they say they are, and I probably shared WAY too much personal information about myself and my situation with complete strangers, thinking (again, naively) that they were looking after my best interests.
For awhile, I think I even maintained better friendships here than in the real "face-to-face" world.
Just reflecting on the changes;; On the whole, I would rate DS as a good educational experience, in spite of mistakes on my part. And the education wasn't just about the alcoholism. It was also about human nature and the nature of online groups.
I also learned a lot about people- good people too, from different backgrounds, points of view, cultures, etc.
In fact- I think I lived out my own version of a mid-life crisis on Dailystrength. Thankfully at the age of 50, I think I've settled all the questions like "what if I'd have lived life differently???". It is what it is, and you can only make changes from where you are at this moment in time.
Many of you have been on DS for a long time too. What are your observations?
I first showed up here when I was 43 and I was a mess, looking for answers. I was faced with the prospect that I wouldn't be able to use the "crutch" of alcohol any longer, and it terrified me that I might have to live a life of sobriety (scary prospect when you've never lived without alcohol in your adult life). I was also VERY naive in terms of the world of "on-line forums".
I learned a lot about alcoholism, alcohol abuse, and the cycles of drinking/not drinking. I also learned that not everyone on an anonymous online forum is who they say they are, and I probably shared WAY too much personal information about myself and my situation with complete strangers, thinking (again, naively) that they were looking after my best interests.
For awhile, I think I even maintained better friendships here than in the real "face-to-face" world.
Just reflecting on the changes;; On the whole, I would rate DS as a good educational experience, in spite of mistakes on my part. And the education wasn't just about the alcoholism. It was also about human nature and the nature of online groups.
I also learned a lot about people- good people too, from different backgrounds, points of view, cultures, etc.
In fact- I think I lived out my own version of a mid-life crisis on Dailystrength. Thankfully at the age of 50, I think I've settled all the questions like "what if I'd have lived life differently???". It is what it is, and you can only make changes from where you are at this moment in time.
Many of you have been on DS for a long time too. What are your observations?
I was active on an online news board before DS, so I was familiar with being in an online community. I've met good people here (especially the gang in this group), and have stayed in touch with a couple of women who know longer log into DS.
I have mostly only positive things to say about the people that I have met on here then and now. I am pretty limited as to my contacting people outside of this site, though (I have exchanged emails with 2 gals on here) and stay away from people that appear TOO strange.....ha ha.
Overall, I think it is an excellent site. I think people receive the kind of support here that they would never be able to get from so many like minded people otherwise. I think like everything in life, you have to be able to pick and choose what you allow yourself to get riled up by (I've experienced that MORE than once on the Alcoholism board and now I have learned to just deep breathe and move on:)) and what you let yourself be immersed in, too. I'm not sure that substituting on-line relationships for "real-life" ones is necessarily a good thing, but if you can use the site to compliment your already existing or improving life than that is a plus.
Surprisingly, I just worked a 14 hour shift and I'm not even sane enough feeling to be able to have the ability to "think" anymore. Not sure how I did so much "thinking" for this post! LOL:)
I feel very fortunate to have found DS when I did. I said it before and I will say it again I really believe that being part of the Non 12 step group and this group saved my life. I never mentioned it before but about 6 or 7 months after I joined here I was really in a bad place. My wife and I had gotten back together but I knew it was working out and I could see the handwriting on the wall. I was very close to just giving up on the sobriety thing and then Rick and I had our first phone conversation. I don't remember what we talked about but just knowing I had someone that I could talk to if I needed to kept me on track. Thanks buddy but don't get the big head. I'm still going to make fun of you every chance I get.
I never got into the Face Book thing but I do belong to several other online groups but none of them compare to what I found here. It's too bad the non 12 step group died. I glad that Rick started up this group so at least a handful of us can keep in touch.
Can't believe I've been on DS for 6 1/2 years.
Llb-I love how you stated "you can only make changes from where you are at this point in time". That is how I am trying to live each day
I think it's important to point out there are hundreds of support groups on this site. I have check some out...some good some bad.