Or the title could be: How I Stopped White Knuckling It and Started Letting Go. Having faith that whatever happens happens. Not in the "it is what is is" way (which I hate) but more in the "What will be will be" one. Que sera sera. In the I can't control it but I'm OK with it way. Not in the nothing I can do anyway so who cares way. But with some control included. See?
Sometimes I am grasping at everything: concentrating on how life isn't what I want it to be rather than making it what I want it to be. Be a better runner? Then run. Be in better shape? Then don't eat dessert
I have a habit of wanting things, and then waiting for someone else to do them,. And then getting mad when they don't get done. Lord, help me.
Or the subtitle could be: Getting/Giving Up Control. I have another habit: Giving things up. Now that I've finally given up booze forevah I have other stuff to take care of. I never drank coffee before when I was hungover a few/several/every day a week. It made me nervous and sickish, and I already felt bad enough without the cursed thought patrol coursing at ninety miles an hours through my head. So I would just chug water and ibuprofen and wait for 5 o'clock somewhere.
Then sobriety arrived (hello there and welcome, and thank you sweet baby jesus) and I started drinking coffee. It was innocent at first: just a cup in the morning while I wrote my blog. Then another a little bit after I got to work. Then another before I left work. Then maybe another after I got home before I walked over to get my oldest at school. And then all these cups became necessity not luxury. And suddenly I was pissed off every evening, gritting my teeth through bath time and stories please please please is it time for fucking bed yet? And I was waking up at 2:30 in the morning mind racing unable to get back to sleep. (and when you get up at 4 or 4:30 what's the point?)
So, sadly, coffee and I aren't meant to be either. It would have been much cooler if we were, but getting sober isn't just about giving up booze. It's also about learning what works now that I am coherent enough to identify what does and what doesn't. Learning myself. Getting comfortable. Being mostly happy, or at the least content-ish. Which means I'll be experimenting with things. Like giving up coffee.(yes, this obviously works- I feel mucho better-o today (day 4)) Or running more. Running longer distances slower, running short distances faster. Giving up things like cheesecake and cookies and having things like dark chocolate or a little maple syrup in my oatmeal. Because those things make me feel better in my head for a long time, while eight cookies makes me feel better until the last crumb goes down and then I regret them all immediately. Which might make me reach for a couple more cookies. So giving that stuff up gets me some control. And with that control comes peace. Peace in my mind.
Which is my new prayer. I am not spectacularly religious, but I do believe in prayer. And so my new prayer goes like this: "Please help me do the things that make me happy and give me peace." I'm relaxing my knuckles by gaining some control. Giving myself permission to do whatever I want makes me unhappy. Just because I stopped drinking it doesn't make it OK for me to keep passing my stopping points. That just starts the rounds of bad how-could-yous that I've given up. So being sober is all about not drinking, but also all about not behaving like an -aholic. Whether that includes cookie-aholic or coffee-aholic or giving things up-aholic. Setting some damn limits around here. Like I'm five years old and don't know any better. Parenting myself. Teaching myself.
And trusting that the universe is listening. And that maybe, just maybe, I'm listening too.
This is great. I am intrigued by the idea of actually substituting healthier treats for shame-cookies. I like what you say about just doing something. Yes, this sounds like what we need to do.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I woke up at 3am and wrote for a bit and then shit, it just didn't make sense to go back to bed for an hour so I made coffee. Sigh.
Dried apricots. Raw cashews. Heaven.
Delete3 AM is the most awkward time to wake up. Not really the middle of the night, not really late enough to get up. A sort of weird in between time that we *should* be sleeping through.
You nailed a lot of things here, Amy. Loved it. We turn to a lot of things after the booze is gone - it can be as innocuous as sugar and caffeine, but also goes to gambling, sex, food, working out, etc. It's like it's hardwired or something to look elsewhere for something. When I was very early in my sobriety, eating a full box of cookies in one sitting (about 30 or so) was a daily habit. Yikes. At the time it was fine with me - at least I wasn't drinking. Now it's a bit different.
ReplyDeleteAnd for sure, sobriety isn't just about not drinking. It's about uncovering and discovering the things behind the wanting of a drink. And that includes all the other things we keep passing on the stopping points, as you so well said.
Great stuff here - awesome!
Paul
Thanks Paul. The stopping points are easily seen, but just so easily passed. And cookies are delicious.
DeleteI know I need to learn that life does not have to consist of me constantly having to treat (sometimes sugar,sometimes shopping!) myself every time I see fit. Nor is it about finding a substitute for every thought or activity or mood that used to result in me drinking. I need to just be, to feel my feelings, to think my thoughts but not always act and to fucking grow up!
ReplyDeleteIt's a he'll of a lot to learn, but I'm trying and so are you. Don't be too hard on yourself, you are awesome at being sober!
Ps. I had 2 1/2 cakes today...
Great post, made me really think, I am still on coffee and cigs, and sugar some what. I see and feel the increase in these when I am stressed. It got me thinking about this book, which we often talked about when I was in rehab, it was Positive Addiction - by William Glasser. In this book he says that you can become addicted to something positive if you do it every day for at least a year. You can also grow a habit in 21 days! lol! But anyways, I still have some bad habits, I guess I feel like when it comes right down to it, and the option is drinking or cake, I will always choose cake!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, made me really think, I am still on coffee and cigs, and sugar some what. I see and feel the increase in these when I am stressed. It got me thinking about this book, which we often talked about when I was in rehab, it was Positive Addiction - by William Glasser. In this book he says that you can become addicted to something positive if you do it every day for at least a year. You can also grow a habit in 21 days! lol! But anyways, I still have some bad habits, I guess I feel like when it comes right down to it, and the option is drinking or cake, I will always choose cake!
ReplyDeleteOh how I love that new prayer. I am totally stealing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Sherry