My greatest “Gift of Sobriety” to myself

[C_C]

A week leading up to my 50^th birthday, I had considered rewarding myself one(1) day to indulge in alcohol. In SMART, I had discovered “The Power of Choice!”
I can and am free to choose my behavior. This decision is mine alone to make, and nobody can influence me to make that choice .

Over the next few days, I deliberated on this decision by doing a CBA.
I used the ABC tool and figured out the Activating event being my 50^th Birthday.
my Belief was in order to celebrate and have a great time I needed alcohol.
which Caused me to make a choice to start drinking.
I then Disputed the belief by questioning this irrational thought.
- where does it say I need to drink to have a good time?
I have experienced good times on many occasions being sober previously
- why is that I need alcohol to celebrate my 50^th birthday?
I have celebrated my last birthday sober, anniversaries sober, holidays sober for the last 20months without alcohol.
I played both sides of the tape and rewinded it a few times.
Side A what are the possibilities and risks of having my first drink
Side B what I can enjoy and do without having alcohol and the last 20months of my sobriety
hence my new Effective new belief is
I can celebrate and have a equal or better celebration to enjoy my 50^th birthday and I will treasure and remember every detail of this occasion.

With that I have given myself the Greatest gift of Sobriety on my 50^th Birthday!

Never beyond my wildest imagination, could I have ever imagined being completely abstinent from alcohol for 618 days/ 88 weeks and 2 days/ 20 months 11days !
on 6/1/22.

A YouTube link to my gift of sobriety
https://youtu.be/prq-CemJtug



Thanks to all the tools and techniques I learned from SMART Recovery and with the encouragement and support I received from the community here.

” I have the Power of Choice”

I celebrated the day with my family and my wife surprised me to a wonderful and great dinner party with friends and colleagues at a local restaurant.
I was surprised of all those she had invited without my knowledge.
I had enjoyed myself yet again without having any alcohol although I treated my guest to their favorite drinks.

[Caroline14]

Please envisage three great big thumbs up from me C_C. So glad you had a wonderful sober 50th birthday!!!

[LobsterTank]

Congrats and Happy Birthday! So glad to hear of your success and the joy you have found in it.

Have a great day or at least a crappy sober one!

[SMARTPOTENTIAL]

This is fantastic Happy Birthday!

[Gordon1]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY C_C

So very well done to all!

[C_C]

Thank you very much.

[healthyhabits]

This really helped me today. Thanks for the gift of sharing your success!🤩

[figueroaalberto26]

Awsome>>>>>>>

[strugglinginwi]

Thanks for this. I've been trying for years and have had some good successes, like months of sobriety. But not a full success yet. I know that feeling of being beaten. I just keep reminding myself of something I read online once. It basically just said, continuing to admit you have a problem and continuing to try is a success in itself. Every day over those years without alcohol would have been one that I was drinking if I didn't try.

Here is to this time working for me.

[C_C]

This really helped me today. Thanks for the gift of sharing your success!��

Thank you too healthyhabits for this.

[C_C]

Thanks for this. I've been trying for years and have had some good successes, like months of sobriety. But not a full success yet. I know that feeling of being beaten. I just keep reminding myself of something I read online once. It basically just said, continuing to admit you have a problem and continuing to try is a success in itself. Every day over those years without alcohol would have been one that I was drinking if I didn't try.

Here is to this time working for me.

Good luck to you strugglinginw, I wish you success.

I always remember the 4P’s shared at the SROL meetings,
Practice, Patience, Perseverance and Persistence.

Yes was another milestone in my journey. Achieving my 2nd year of Sobriety while still continuing to enjoy this Gift that I have given to myself.

“Keep on Keeping On”