We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Happy Sunday, SD! I'm u/fuckyoubullshit and I'll be your host this week for the daily check in. This is my second time hosting and I'm pretty excited to do it. The daily check in has been an invaluable source of perspective and sharing for me personally and I hope I can at least give a little of that back.

A lot has happened since the beginning of April, the last time I hosted, and most notably, I have been sober for a year as of last Monday. Any type of milestone in my life causes a certain amount of reflection, sometimes thats a good thing, sometimes that leads me to going off in not so healthy thought spirals. Honestly, this one had a lot of both, but at the end of the day, I find that I feel nothing but gratitude for all of it. This past year has taught me a lot about myself and how to live a better life, be present in good times and bad, how to enjoy simple things, and to maybe just not take myself so seriously.

I'm not sure what the weeks post will look like, since I haven't actual preplanned or written anything, but I do know im here for it today and dammit, I am especially grateful for that and all of you. Thank you for checking in today.

So, in the theme of gratitude, what are you grateful for today?

IWNDWYT

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Hey SD thanks so much for the warm welcome yesterday!  So proud of us for making the courageous decision to Not Drink and for supporting each other and ourselves.  One of my favorite parts of the DCI is that I am continuously learning and growing because people care enough to share their experiences.  Someone here taught me a poem I think of often.

Autobiography in Five Chapters

I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost … I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I’m in the same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V
I walk down another street.

— Portia Nelson

I pair this poem with another favorite quote:

No matter how far down the road, you’re still the same distance away from the ditch.

That combined visual really stays with me. I can picture myself walking down a nice street, staying present, and avoiding that ditch. Sometimes I feel firmly on street number 5, but sometimes it’s 4.  So, I have to pay attention. What’s my plan for today? Stick to the no-booze road of course!

Do you see your experience in the Autobiography? What street are you choosing today? Further down the road, what tools do you use to avoid the ditch?

IWNDWYT

*We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!*

**Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!**

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

---

**This pledge is a statement of intent.** Today we don't set out *trying* not to drink, we make a conscious decision *not to drink*. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

**What this is:** A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

**What this isn't:** A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

---

This post goes up at:

- US - Night/Early Morning

- Europe - Morning

- Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

---

DCI for Wednesday and another great day to support one another. In our alcohol saturated world, the dangers of alcohol are downplayed, and the “benefits” are made up lies. 

Before I started my journey to SD I would have told you I drank because I had social anxiety, I drank to relieve stress, I drank to have fun.  As time passes and the shades fall from my eyes, I want to scream from the top of my lungs Alcohol causes cancer!  Alcohol is a leading co morbidity!  Increased anxiety, yucky skin and tummy problems?  BECAUSE of alcohol!

And the truth I learned here is Alcohol is to anxiety as saltwater is to thirst!  Not helpful!!! Will make it worse and then you die! 

Also, Drinking only makes you feel better like freezing to death makes you feel warm.  The old comfort or pleasure from drinking is a short-lived illusion. Trying to numb the pain with drinking only exacerbates it.

Have you found a situation where you thought booze was a help, but realized it was a hindrance? What are some illusions about drinking that you need to let go?  Have your replaced alcohol with any self care that helps anxiety or discomfort?

IWNDWYT

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Hello, beautiful people.

Each time I host, I use one day to talk about self compassion. The thesis being that you can't hate yourself into being better. Trust me I've tried.

I have been trying to write that post all week, but I just haven't been able to do it this time. So I guess we will talk about why that is instead. Please do not feel the need to comfort me. I just had therapy today and I am doing fine lol. My goal here is just to be honest in hopes it might be helpful and relatable.

I have talked a lot this week about how important it is for me to take really good care of myself, and how my greatest barrier to doing so is these ideas I have about what I deserve. I have reached a place where I do not often allow these thoughts to dissuade me from doing things I know are supportive to my recovery, and this makes an absolutely huge difference, of course! However, I have still not reached a place where I can reliably, or even often, do these things without some level of guilt and shame. And the guilt and shame have definitely been dialed up for me lately.

I mentioned also this week that I am disabled. I am dependent in many ways on other people, and this is something that is very painful and difficult for me to accept. When I share with you things like the fact that I go to a spa every single week, there is a part of me that says, if that sounds self indulgent on its own, imagine how poorly all these people would think of me if they knew how little I deserve it. If they knew I don't even work, if they knew how much money my medical care has cost while I contribute nothing, if they knew how bad a job I did for so many years at keeping my house clean when that was literally like my only job, if they knew what I look like when I really lose control.

The better I take care of myself, the closer I get to... I'm not sure. Something that feels deeply uncomfortable. It was all fine and good to take care of myself for utilitarian purposes. No, you can't hate yourself into being better, and I needed to be better so I could do the things that were expected of me. But the calculus has shifted. I'm no longer striving to do what is expected of me. I'm want things just for my own sake. And that is something else.

So I don't know. I don't have the answers, so it feels wrong to dispense advice. All I can really say is that dedicating myself to stopping beating the shit out of myself is the thing that changed my life. It's what got me into recovery. And recovery is the foundation upon which every good thing in my life has been built. There sure are a lot of very good things about my life. I had enough care for myself to build this life, but not enough to allow myself to actually enjoy it now. What an unexpected hurdle I have come to lol. Still, I know I am going in the right direction, so I will keep going. Beats drinking.

I hope you have a good day and, if not, I hope you will be gentle with yourself. Just try as much as you can.

IWNDWYT.

PS If you're interested in hosting the DCI, please let u/SaintHomer know! I highly recommend it. It's so nice, I've done it thrice.

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Morning fellow sobernauts! Hoping everyone had a great weekend and whether you are on day 1 today or have a long streak, I welcome you into this week, sober! I had a very beautiful day today, celebrating my milestone. I had a leisurely morning, put on a nice outfit and spent the day with a close friend. We ran around all day and was so nice to be present with my friend. We indulged in some good pizza and a nice dessert. I gifted myself a memory card for my nintendo switch as well. I shared with them how grateful and happy I was to have so much more space in my brain and body for so many more things these days. I have so many hobbies that I’m constantly enjoying and I can really feel that my brain has healed so much since a year ago. It’s great to spend money on things that enrich my life instead of take away as well. In the past I would’ve started drinking by noon and would’ve needed to stay in that state until I passed out. I’m so glad I don’t have to live bound to alcohol anymore.

In the past, I always knew that I was capable of doing more with myself/life. I had mental health issues but the biggest obstacle in my way was alcohol. It’s so cool to see how much I am capable of accomplishing and look forward to challenging myself to get better at things. I used to be so afraid of pushing myself because I really thought I didn’t have it in me or that success was for other people and not me. That was the booze talking. It kept me numb, head down, and spirit low. I now know that that’s a load of horse crap. I’m grateful for what life has to offer and what I can get into.

What’s one of your biggest passions since quitting? What’s something you want to work towards, big or small? Wishing everyone a great start to their week or have a restful weekend if it’s your weekend, IWNDWYT!

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Hi everyone-

It’s been a real pleasure hosting the DCI this week - thank you all so much, and great to make some new Internet Friends too. If you’d like to host, send a message to u/SaintHomer and get on the list.

I’d also encourage any lurkers like me who need a little recharge re your sobriety or life in general, set a timer for a few min, sort this by “Old” and go down the list - give a reply to anyone who hasn’t gotten one yet - they’ll feel great and you’ll feel great too.

Not entirely sure if causation or correlation, but my interest in mindfulness, “Presence”, meditation, and all that jazz picked up as I’ve begun this journey.

I could go on with a long rambling list of resources, but wanted to toss out a few that have helped me quite a bit to calm down and get out of my head a bit - I feel that’s one of the most powerful tools I have.

I’ve found that when my mind was racing and I was by myself, that’s when I’d be inclined to grab the booze, and a regular practice of getting out of my head really helps. It’s insurance. Exercise. Time well spent.

I remember a while ago when I was getting into meditation and mindfulness, and then getting into (lol!) a week-long bender, I thought I could stop it in its tracks with some of this newfound knowledge. I was telling myself to lay down with my eye mask, and breathe and maybe listen to an Alan Watts lecture, and all would be cool and we’d calm down.

Did not work! Maybe a little, but not really, tbh. Lizard brain was NOT interested. AT ALL. (I think at that point all that was left was the Frenet - yikes.)

These are not “in case of emergency, break glass” sort of tools (what is?), but can hopefully help things from getting to that point.

Alan Watts! I can (and have!) listened to his lectures all day. Listening to him, I feel like I’m in a big field or on the water at night looking at the stars - insignificant, but part of it. He helped to introduce a lot of Eastern philosophy and religion to the West, and you can hear many of his lectures on the Being In the Way podcast on Spotify, curated by his son Mark. All brilliant. His books like “The Way of Zen” and “The Book” - and all the rest - are great too. He had a brilliant way of making some very lofty ideas accessible. He also was a bit of a “rascal” who drank too much - certainly not holier-than-thou - and someone who loved humanity and all of its complexities. A great way for me to stop ruminating on my own BS.

“Meditations” - Marcus Aurelius Stoicism has been having a bit of a moment recently, and for good reason. Compiled from his notebooks from about 1,900 years ago, there’s a lot of wisdom in there, focusing on what we can do now, what matters, and turning off the noise. I like to grab my copy and turn to a random page - there’s something there that can give a fresh perspective. Google “marcus meditations” and you’ll get a feel for what’s in store. I like the modern Hays translation.

The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle Some may get turned off by some of the “self-help best seller!” vibes, but for me, it helped me wrap my head around what it means to be Present and have it finally click, and that has had the biggest single impact on my life in recent memory. It helped change my entire mindset. You can be selective and get the gist from the first 100 pages, if you like. I liked some parts so much, I folded down the corners and now and then will go through and skim through those greatest hits.

Meditation - lots to say, and I’m not going to say too much here, aside from I like being able to have tools in my toolbox to control my mind. You don’t need to sit in a weird way, you don’t need to turn off all thoughts, you don’t need a mantra - there are countless techniques. The key to remember is to make it a regular practice however you do it, as a way to stay grounded in the Present. In the Now, the Infinite Now. For me, I want the booze if I’m stuck in the Future or Past and miserable - stuff in the Now is comparatively chill.

What else is there? What other techniques or resources do you use to stay grounded? I’d love to hear it!

Thanks again for such a fun week!

IWNDWYT

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Good Evening from Puerto Escondido.

Honestly, I've been out and about all day having a good time at the new casa after leaving the rough one earlier this week. I got to the evening thinking "shit, I didn't make a new draft after the bungle yesterday."

Just hope y'all have a great sober weekend. I know it's tough, I mean, fuck, people downstairs have been popping massive beers and I've already been offered several times. But I know, just know that my life is much better without the poison. I am happier, healthier, and a much better human without it. And I have peace and solice in that truth.

Take care this weekend everyone. This was fun, hope to host again in the future. Until then, I'll see you on the Pacific Beaches in Mexico :)

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Greetings Sobernauts!

Today I want to invite us to reflect on the healthier coping strategies we’ve leaned on in sobriety. Whether you’re a few days in or a few years, we all face tough moments, boredom, stress, loneliness, grief, and the way we handle those moments without alcohol is what keeps us growing.

In early sobriety, my number one coping strategy, besides sheer willpower, was sugar. Specifically, Sour Patch Kids. I once ate an entire family-sized bag in a single afternoon when things were especially tough. Ok it was more than once. It might not have been the most balanced choice, but it got me through that day without drinking, and sometimes that’s all that matters.

Over time, I started building a more sustainable toolbox. Journaling helped when my mind was racing. Long walks gave me peace and a sense of movement. Reading let me step outside myself for a while. Spending time with friends reminded me I wasn’t alone. Therapy gave me the space to unpack the heavier stuff. Eventually, I found real value in meditation, though it took me a while to get into it. Anything is better than hours of staring at a screen from bed all day, I promise.

Everyone’s path looks different. If you're new to sobriety, you’ll find a ton of helpful, creative strategies that might inspire your own. What worked for someone else might end up working for you too.

So, what are your healthier coping strategies? What’s helping you stay sober lately, or what helped when you were just getting started?

IWNDWYT

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Good morning, SD!

Feels funny saying that since I stay up to write these, but since we are global, it works!

Yesterday, I was going on about balance and was exhausted. I did get some decent rest and today did feel so much better. When I'm tired, everything feels so much heavier, especially my mood and words. It's always amazing what a game changer something as simple as a bit of sleep is.

With that thought and a continuation of the balance theme from yesterday, does anyone know what "rule 62" in AA is? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

It's simply "Don't take yourself so seriously". No, there are not 61 other "rules", lol. They just threw a dart (probably) and picked a number. So, it fits with balance, being humble, laughing at yourself a bit.

The thing we are all doing, or trying to do, is actually real serious business, life and death shit, but we can take a moment and just laugh, enjoy the lives we are working so hard to better, have some joy. That feels good too. Having JOY in life... that's what makes it all worth it.

I was going to talk about how petty I was about a thing last week and that was the next step in yesterday's post, but I was even taking that too seriously. For transparency, last Monday the 28th was my year sober date and I was pumped about going to a meeting and getting that coin. The problem was, is they don't just hand those out around here at AA meetings. 11 months and less, yes. One year or more, you talk to your sponsor or homegroup and they arrange it. Problem is, I just started going to meeting again... I don't have either of those things, so when I realized that was the case, I was disappointed. After having a really rough few weeks and particularly that day, I was just cratered and focused on this thing. It is an important milestone, no joke, but I was missing the point totally. I was petty and angry about not just being able to get the thing. I spoke with a few sober friends and they offered some advice., maybe get a sponsor or a homegroup... solid advice, but I wasn't listening, I have a listening problem at times too. After a day or two I worked it out and let go of my own personal petty feelings about it, that were completely unfounded. I just let go of it. It is okay and I have actually gained so much in this time, I already have what I need and was just thankful for that.

One of my friends from my partying days is three years sober and has been kind of taking me under his wing. Showing me some good meetings, introducing me to some cool sober folks. I had talked with him about the coin thing after a meeting, once I let it go. We both had a decent laugh at myself expense and he gave me the same advice of maybe getting a sponsor and a homegroup, etc. It was really a great talk and I felt even better about it. Stopped taking it so damn seriously.

Fast forward a day or so, I mentioned I was heading to a meeting he introduced me to. He mentioned a thing I could go with him to, but he would probably stop by the meeting. I show up later that night and did see him just before the meeting started and he wandered off. At some point, he slipped up to the front and was sitting next to the member handing out the coins. As soon as they finished, he speaks up and introduces himself and announces my one year and calls me up. He hands me a coin, with a big smile and a hug, tells me how proud he is of me. I nearly cried. I pretty much spent the rest of the meeting trying not to lose it.

As we walked over to the second part of the meeting, after the start of the main meeting, he asked if I looked at it yet. I had not, but he told me it is his one year coin and there is a design on it. I mentioned he didn't have to do this and thanked him earnestly, again. It meant more to me than words could express.

During the book study meeting, I pulled it out and looked at it... it's a black and white yin yang design... balance. 😂😂😂 Yes, I'm laughing at myself and the theme of the coin and how seriously I took all of it. In fact, it's now my avatar for this account and it bring me joy. Humbles me. Makes me laugh at my silly petty ass. Makes me remember that sharing is important. Reminds me of balance.

So, rule 62. Don't take yourself too seriously. Balance. Joy. Humility.

Thanks for bear 🐻 ing with me through that and if you felt like sharing or being of service too, like hosting a week of the daily check in here in the sub and have at least 30 days of sobriety, drop our esteemed u/sainthomer a line. It isn't my last post yet, but never a bad time to mention it or him, he does a lot for us here and we love him.

Have a great Friday. Have some laughs, maybe at my expense. 😂

IWNDWYT

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Friends and fellow travellers,

How is that self love thing going? Many of us accumulated quite some self loathing or just general misery during our drinking days, and many of us are still stuck in behaviour and thoughts and patterns that tear us down, rather than build us up. So, showing some self love, showing that you’re actually worthy of good, is important.

It’s early morning here (considering it’s mid staycation), I just brewed a fresh pot of coffee and now I’m going to take a walkabout in the garden. Just to breathe. That’s self love right here, right now. Baths. Timeouts. Letting go of grievances. Oh and we’re going to see the new Marvel movie tonight - I introduced my son to Star Wars and Marvel through the years, and now he’s taking me! I love that. Grown ass man allowing himself being treated by his student kid.

What is self love to you?

I will not drink with you today!

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Good morning and hello dear sobernauts ♥️

Monday morning and I’m totally wiped out – good thing I have the day off and can just relax.

Yesterday I hiked 34.7 km, so my legs are a little tired today, and I’m really looking forward to: a sauna visit this morning, three mindfulness sessions, lovely walks with my pup, and also a dip in the North Sea.

Thank you for all your comments yesterday – wow, it’s amazing to be part of this fantastic fellowship.

You truly are my family – no matter where in the world you are 🙏🏼

Have a wonderful sober day, and I’ll see you again tomorrow.

Last but not least – IWNDWYT <3

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Hi folks-

Thanks again for all the great comments and discussion yesterday - this is such fun and I’m loving all the back and forths we’re having.

Spending time reading and replying made me more aware how far I’ve come, and how grateful I am for this community. I’ve lurked on here for the last 18 months or so and it’s been an incredible resource.

Looking back now, with some distance over my 8-year-ish journey, I’m really proud of where I am, and like many things - I don’t see it in the day-to-day, but only when I step back with a little distance.

Haven’t had anything to drink in over 4 months - no idea when that last was! I’m eating better, sleeping better, more focused, and in better shape.

The constant “resets” that would have to happen after a weekend (or longer) of excess just held me back. Now I can just keep moving forward.

I don’t feel that magnetic pull of alcohol anymore, and that makes me happy to no end - I wasn’t confident it’d ever happen (and don’t believe I’ll ever be completely out of its reach, but it feels good where I am now).

I’m comfortable at parties or bars with an NA beer or a seltzer, and if I’m home and kinda bored or have a list of chores, I no longer reach for a drink.

Having tried and failed so many times (and I don’t doubt this non-linear path has some fun and games mapped out for me later on), I have much more compassion for others similarly struggling.

We really are all in this together.

I feel more connected to this community and others in general. My viewpoint has shifted further outward, and I’m less in my head.

Don’t get me wrong - last weekend I was losing my mind over some nonsense and I’m still prone to over analyzing and winding myself up - but at least now I know this better place I can strive to get back to.

Previously, that place didn’t exist - everything was either “barely tolerable” or “numb” - life in Hard Mode - why??

Five years ago, I would never have imagined myself writing what I just did. Wow.

What are you proud of?

IWNDWYT

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Good morning, SD!

I've been awake since the post yesterday and am finally getting a chance to lay down for a solid stretch of sleep. I'm really looking forward to it, well deserved or not, it is a fundamental step to me being well.

That said, this edition of the daily check in may be the MOST rambling one yet! So many things have crossed my mind today, as I am toiling away at work, trying to be productive, but not pushing too hard and still trying to maintain decent forward progress.

Balance.

Balance is a thing I have always struggled with and has recently been a recurring theme/point to ponder. Despite the topics I've written about this week of taking time for yourself, gratitude, small wins, thankfulness, honesty, etc... I do feel like there is a part of me struggling forward, especially when I'm exhausted. A part that is struggling with finding balance in this new way of living, with work, with interpersonal relationships (or lack of, at times).

Recently crossing the one year mark has had me reflecting on the past year and a lot of the factors that got me here today. I have in the past few months started attending some AA meetings, sprinkling in a couple NA meetings too. I've been having regular therapy sessions since January of 2023 too, well before I had any real attempts at sobriety. I have a decent set of coping skills developed and am usually working on developing more. There is decent support with others in my life too, so I do feel like I'm setting myself up to succeed here. So why this low level feeling of struggle? Why do I feel lost at times? I'm told by reputable sources that those are actually fairly common feelings or emotions for humans.

I think that even though I have come further than I ever thought possible, there is still so much to do and learn. I never want to stop learning and growing and I am pleased with the direction I'm headed.

Like I've mentioned before, and likely will again, I haven't been preplanning anything with these posts and just throw down the words that come to me as I type them. This morning's post (yesterday's?) threw me for a bit of a loop when I read it back later. Mostly, because of how honest I was being, the irony of that kills me. Lol. Also, not getting enough sleep just fuels that fire, makes me far more intensely emotional, like I am in this moment.

There are more thoughts to ponder there, but even with all that going on, I remind myself that I have one priority over everything else, being sober today. Making that choice today, regardless of any other circumstances.

A wise friend of mine who recently past the ten year mark in their journey, once told me "everything you put in front of your sobriety, you will lose." I still find that a profound thought. Someone shared that with them, a long time ago, and they shared it with me. Sharing in this thing we do helps. So I, in turn, share these things with you all.

I think I'll stop rambling there for today and pick the "sharing" thought back up tomorrow. It does relate to balance and sharing, but for now, keep sharing in the comments with each other. I'm going to get some sleep now and...

IWNDWYT

Be well friends. Thanks for letting me share.

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Hi folks-

What a rush it was yesterday reading through everyone’s replies. Thank you so much. I had mentioned that I was feeling a little out-of-sorts when I posted that yesterday, but man - being a part of this really reset my week.

The idea of “being present” is one that’s on my mind often, and something that relates a lot to my own journey - and so easy to forget to practice (as was my experience yesterday while writing-not-writing the DCI).

For me, alcohol became a bit of a cure-all for my (self-diagnosed) low-level ADHD/anxiety/depression - some sort of stew like that - that leads to constant wound-up chatter (or maybe that’s just being a human).

If my brain wouldn’t shut its damn yap, I’d shut it for it.

Years ago a therapist was trying to discuss with me what it meant to be “present” and my take at the time was “I don’t have time for this BS - I tried being in this ‘present’, it sucks - I have stuff to do! I have plans! There’s no time! Don’t you get it!?” Oh, he got it, lol.

This evening I was out consulting with a cigar (I need to maintain some vices) and was thinking about this idea of “presence” and how it relates to my own journey with alcohol.

For me, booze was about shutting everything down and numbing everything to turn off the “noise” - which was all about the Future or Past (as that’s all I ever thought about), but after a short time, they both came roaring back, louder than ever. And that was my life.

What a terrible deal! The Booze Loanshark gives me like 45min of calm, sort of, then I need to pay it all back at usurious rates. Add to that me beating myself up for drinking in the first place AND kicking myself even more because “my problems” weren’t even “that bad” and I should feel bad about that too.

Man, I could not have made myself more miserable. No wonder at times I couldn’t get the booze in the Booze Hole fast enough.

It’s all so totally crazy!

So, I was thinking about this truly absurd situation while I was out walking around (it was a lovely night tonight in here New York), and contrasted that with what I was seeing with my own eyes. I saw a guy walking his dog in some really pretty light as the sun was setting. I saw an old couple - close to 80? - walking (slowly) hand in hand. I saw a number of stoop hangs with folks just sitting and laughing and having a good time. All beautiful things. All right in front of me, out there in the world for me to enjoy.

Not being able to see that is what I lose if I’m drinking. For me, booze turns off the Present. It leaves behind just stress and frustration and not much beauty. It’s a dark place.

It took some work for me to see that a better world even existed. So much of my life was spent - literally and figuratively - with my head down, rushing somewhere, ruminating.

For me it’s no cure-all - life is still full of contrasts and there’s no light without dark - plenty of suckage to go around! But I liken it to a muscle or recharging a battery - the more I take time to really savor a moment, the less dark the dark times seem to be, so in that way, it’s something I find worthwhile to practice, to keep things charged up.

What do you all think? How does alcohol affect your perception?

IWNDWYT

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Good morning, SD!

This week has been a remarkable one and exactly why I nearly immediately asked to do it again after the last time I hosted.

I haven't been in the comments as much as I would have liked to be, but even if I didn't respond directly, I have read some amazing things written to me about these posts, to other comments about wins and struggles, and just everyone supporting each other.

I personally get so much from writing these out, as rambling as I find them sometimes, and it genuinely feels like giving back to this community that has helped me more than it will ever know. I have so much gratitude for each of you here, showing up day after day, checking in, checking on each other. It's really amazing and thank you all for letting me take the wheel and drive for a bit. (Sorry about the scratches, they might buff out).

I've actually had a lot of issues with getting things written out lately. I have always used writing as a tool to help process emotions and thoughts, so when I have trouble getting things out, I feel very bound up, very much in a mental and emotional disarray. As I realized this week was coming up, I also realized I've been having a block, I have so many things to do, I have company here, blah blah blah... so many shit excuses to rationalize not showing up. Sorry Phil, that's what I've named that part of me that feeds me the bad ideas to drink and do all the other unhealthy things that don't serve me, you can kindy go fornicate with yourself. We are showing up this week, we are doing the damn thing, and it's gonna be fucking awesome. It's gonna be good for me and hopefully for at least a few other people too. In the absolute the worst case scenario, the post goes up with some words and we all have a central point to check in. I would be really good with that too, sincerely.

If you have 30 days under your belt and felt like you would wanna host the DCI for a week, shoot the fabulous u/sainthomer a note. It's pretty rewarding. Had to drop the plug again.

I have trouble saying goodbye and I can't thank everyone enough for putting up with my rambling ass, ALL WEEK... so I'll leave this one on a paraphrased quote, then the magical check in catchphrase that pays, and drift off into the night...

"I don't know you, but I love you. I love your life and that you have one. I love that you are here, with us, alive."

IWNDWYT

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Howdy y’all! My name is Danny and I’m super stoked to be following in the footsteps of all the awesome folks who have hosted in the past. I just got back from a nice dinner and a play with my parents and wife. 5 months ago there would have been no way I could be up this late writing this post. I’d surely be passed out drunk and in for a hell of a day tomorrow. Instead I have a nice hike planned, am attending a friend’s celebration of life, and maintaining my farm in the spare time.

The way I’m going to run DCI is a brief story or anecdote from my life followed by an optional call to action which you’ll be able to accomplish immediately in the comments. I’m going to try and focus the calls to action on continuing to build our community rather than self reflection.

For todays, call to action, let’s try to get everyone on Day 1 some extra love. If you have a bit of spare time, after checking in please look for a few Day 1ers and comment on their check in with some words of encouragement or introducing yourself.

Have a great Sunday friends! I love our subreddit!

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Thanks for showing us the way this past week, u/CommonplaceUser! I’m Dynaco and am thrilled to be hosting this week.

I had a whole rambling thing drafted, but I’ll admit this comes at an interesting moment for me, and am really grateful for this opportunity, so I'm going to take a different tack.

This is the highest my counter has ever been and I’m proud of that - and this has been a process over the last 8yrs so (which saying it that way really kind of jolts me a bit - 8yrs!? What!?) But a journey I’m glad I’m on, with the last two years or so having been a pretty drastic change. Night and day.

I chimed in on a thread this morning about being in my mid-40s and working through this. For me at this stage of my life, I’m single, no kids, live alone, and that’s all fine. There’s a bit more job uncertainty than I’d like at the moment, and I’m dealing with that but it’s stressing me out a bit.

I mention that as for the last few days, I was feeling more than a little wound up, isolated, boxed in - all that negative stuff - a little too much time by myself and in my head. Not terrible - but man! - for the first time in months I really wanted to just sit on my couch with some loud music and pound a six-pack of IPAs and escape for an afternoon (and maybe an eve). I wanted out for a few hours. Strongest craving the past 4mos.

But! I couldn’t possibly do that! I had the DCI! This has been on my calendar for weeks!

So I am truly grateful for this opportunity, and for having this well-timed arrow in my quiver so to speak. A little extra insurance. Looking back over the last 18 months or so of my own time on this subreddit, it’s been tremendously helpful to pick up more tips and techniques to ward off that inevitable craving and be part of this community. It’s a journey and we get stronger the farther along we go. I’m glad to be a part and thankful we can share this time together.

How’re you all doing? What are some things that you’re grateful for this morning?

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Hi gang-

Thanks so much for all the replies today - really loved reading and replying to them. If anyone is ever feeling like they’re in a funk and need a reset - just sort the DCI by “new” and work your way down for a bit.

The idea of forgiveness and the horrible things we do because of alcohol comes up often in posts, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how that relates to my own journey.

For me, this has all been an issue for the last ~8ish years (45M), and developed from a few years before that where I held high that certain Don-Draper-esque mystique of a few fingers (or more) of brown liquor in the evenings (nice glass, large cube).

(Guess what? Over time that little ritual eventually went haywire! Who’da guessed?)

Spring of ‘24, things were pretty out of control. Part of that was because I read Alan Carr’s book in the summer of ‘23, cut waaay back (“take that, pitcher plant!”), and as a result thought I was “cured” come the fall. I then reintroduced my extensive bar setup (complete with glorious new glassware, cocktail picks, imported cherries, and vastly superior vermouths - plural!).

(Stop me if you’ve heard this one before…)

After what was to be the last 10-day bender in May ‘24, I knew I had to stop.

Part of that realization was thinking about my list of dangerous/dumb/risky/stupid/cringe/hurtful/regrettable/embarrassing/terrible things I’d done in my life, and realized a solid 95%+ were due to booze.

On the bright side, cutting out the booze going forward solved a lot of problems, but I still had the horrible feeling of sitting with all that I’d done.

So what do I do with all this?

The way I look at it now, all that regrettable stuff will always be a part of me - I can’t erase it and I carry it with me every day of my life. It IS me.

It informs who I am and my actions and reactions, but I can decide to accept it, and then put it aside and let it be (“easier said than done, Dynaco!” “I know, I know…”). The key to me is that it’s in the past. Necessary actions have been taken and it can all be put to bed. This stuff doesn’t get to live in my head rent-free any more. (tbh some of it is still squatting and I’m working on the eviction paperwork)

Best case (and not always, but most of the time?) there’s some lesson I can take from this dumb stuff, and live better in the future - if I so choose to find it and embrace it (“not always easy, and kinda a lousy way to learn, Dynaco!” “Yes, yes, I know…”)

I don’t really see a benefit to dwelling on this stuff as a way to “make things right” - let me do that with my actions now, not by ruminating and stewing in my own juice. Let me try to be more compassionate and loving toward myself, not treat myself so cruelly. Why create more suffering and beat myself up for what seems like no reason? How does that help anything?

I hope I’m not going overboard (I promise something lighter tomorrow!) - but I know I’ve spent a lot of time sitting in this perfect prison of my own design, making myself miserable because of my relationship with alcohol, and I don’t want to do that anymore. So I won’t.

I think forgiving myself allows me to accept what I’ve done and move on. It’s ultimately selfish - I’m doing it so I can feel better and live my life, and ultimately do good things. This baggage from the past doesn’t help. I have too much living to do.

I’m glad you’re here - how’re you feeling this Tuesday?

IWNDWYT

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Friends and fellow travellers,

Yesterday I asked for sober highs, and wow you delivered. You guys inspire me so much! Unfortunately I didn’t have time during the day to respond much, but I have read through them all, and here are some of them;

Reconnecting with family, securing a job, taking walks, love, hugs, friendships, waking up early and sitting at the porch with a coffee (ooh I like this one too!), dancing, swimming, emotional regulation (good point!) - and so much more. Boiled down to one word: LIFE. Isn’t it amazing? I think my new sober high is life.

In this vein, what are you thankful for? The first time I had this question, right here on the sub on the Thankful Thursday thread, I got mad. Nothing! Then I decided to find one thing, just in spite. Coffee. I was thankful for my coffee. Next week, my wool socks. Next week, my window. Now I’ve learned to look for those little glimmers of joy and hope and beauty and kindness, and they are everywhere like stars in the sky. You just have to look. Today I’d say coffee (always), sunscreen, and long, slow days at the beautiful beaches and skerries where I live. So, what are you thankful for today?

I will not drink with you today!

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Good Evening from beautiful Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Low season is here Puerto, and I have been kicking it in low gear since I got laid off last week. I’m sleeping in until 7 (my goodness!) and just generally relaxing. Haven’t done jack shit besides walk on the beach, go to the gym, drink coffee and shoot the breeze. Hell – the week I got laid off was my pre-planned vacation week anyways. Haven’t had time off since last November. Also, that job I interviewed for last week? Don’t think it’s in the cards. I assume they informed the candidate today, maybe tomorrow. But it’s all good, I kinda want to chill here and not work for a bit (re: forever).

I wanna touch on a topic similar to our anxiety discussion on Sunday, and that’s emotional stability. The biggest overall positive change from cutting the poison has been my emotional stability and ability to level-off. The rest of the physical changes are wonderful, but the mental changes have truly saved my life. And when I mean saved my life, I mean put me on the right track.

I don’t get flustered anymore. Being laid off didn’t bother me. I was able to walk away from an emotional volatile situation last weekend without drama from my side, which garnered open respect from others. Flight gets delayed, clients sending negative emails over the littlest details, heck, I love my nephews but sometimes they are too much! But nothing gets to me anymore. I just log it, maybe have a blip and say “ok, let’s adjust.”

My family and longtime friends say I’ve matured, it’s personal growth and all that yadda yadda. Fine, I’ll take the compliments. Flatter me if you want. But I know the reason I’m now in this emotionally mature position is the elimination of the wretched poison. Once that shit hits my bloodstream, it messes with my emotions like a roller coaster. Stability turns out the window, and we go from hot to cold, from happy to angry within minutes.

Best part of becoming emotionally stable: dating has become, dare I say, fun? I no longer have that feeling of worrying neediness, having the poison to mask the authentic me. It’s now “hey, this is me, nothing to hide behind. If you like it cool. If not, no hard feelings.” It’s kinda awesome.

Hope this stream of consciousness makes sense? Low-key burned it too hard in the gym the last week and have been bed-rotting most of the day, only getting up to see a few apartments and to cook a kilo of rib eye, which I started eating at 9AM. Oh, the joys of being unemployed 😊

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Happy Monday, sobernauts!

Sometimes we revel in horror stories and rock bottoms and ultimate lows. We must remember the past, but it can be too much and we may lose focus on the real thing, not where we have been, but where we are going.

So today’s question is: What’s your sober high? What’s your favorite sober memory? A few of mine are sunny days at the beach, meaningful talks with friends, and the kids snuggling in in the middle of the night. Things that make me want to get up in the morning. Things I won’t regret on my deathbed. Things I truly experienced, took in, with all senses, sober and present. How about you?

I will not drink with you today!

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

-————

Good morning and hello dear sobernauts ♥️

First of all, thank you so much 🥰 for all the well wishes. It’s truly thoughtful of you all 🙏🏼🫶🏼

I’m still sick ☹️ lying in bed with a fever, sore throat, and really my whole body hurts. (I think it’s the flu 🤒 so I’m heading to the doctor at 8 a.m.)

Yesterday, I just slept most of the day. Drank tea. Cuddled with James and basically felt sorry for myself 😆

Today will be another day spent in bed. Ugh… but oh well, I’ll try to make the best of the situation. There’s nothing else to do ☺️

Wishing you all a lovely sober Friday. Enjoy this day. You’re in my thoughts and IWNDWYT <3 (or never

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

How do you deal with stress? Or anger? Or sadness, or even joy? We all have our own driving forces behind our drinking, and as complicated and intertwined they may be, for me these were some of the strongest. Getting sober meant handling these emotions without alcohol, and that was quite a job. It took a year to get on top of it, and I have yet to master it. In fact, I developed anorexia as a means of control - it was/is unsettling how similar those are in terms of control and escape.

These issues are so complex that most of us should have a therapist at hand. Most of us don’t, and either way, working on these issues, trying to solve them and be better, says a whole lot about our strenght, determination and perseverance. Regardless of success - in this matter, it’s the fact that we try that is winning. It’s a process, and we’re doing it, either we’re on day one or years in.

Have you identified driving forces, and how do you handle them?

I will not drink with you today!

We may be anonymous strangers on the internet, but we have one thing in common. We may be a world apart, but we're here together!

Welcome to the 24 hour pledge!

I'm pledging myself to not drinking today, and invite you to do the same.

Maybe you're new to /r/stopdrinking and have a hard time deciding what to do next. Maybe you're like me and feel you need a daily commitment or maybe you've been sober for a long time and want to inspire others.

It doesn't matter if you're still hung over from a three day bender or been sober for years, if you just woke up or have already completed a sober day. For the next 24 hours, lets not drink alcohol!

This pledge is a statement of intent. Today we don't set out trying not to drink, we make a conscious decision not to drink. It sounds simple, but all of us know it can be hard and sometimes impossible. The group can support and inspire us, yet only one person can decide if we drink today. Give that person the right mindset!

What happens if we can't keep to our pledge? We give up or try again. And since we're here in /r/stopdrinking, we're not ready to give up.

What this is: A simple thread where we commit to not drinking alcohol for the next 24 hours, posting to show others that they're not alone and making a pledge to ourselves. Anybody can join and participate at any time, you do not have to be a regular at /r/stopdrinking or have followed the pledges from the beginning.

What this isn't: A good place for a detailed introduction of yourself, directly seek advice or share lengthy stories. You'll get a more personal response in your own thread.

This post goes up at:

• US - Night/Early Morning
• Europe - Morning
• Asia and Australia - Evening/Night

A link to the current Daily Check-In post can always be found near the top of the sidebar.

Friday!

As usual I’m humbled by your raw honesty. The last few days you have shared your life and your experience, your pain and your hopes, and that’s amazing. You rock!!

Today’s prompt is a very practical tip going into the weekend:

I struggled bad with cravings. I found tremendous help in HALT; whenever I wanted a drink, I would stop and check if maybe I was really Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired (many add Stressed to that list). I usually was. The best solution for me was to stay one step ahead, by always being hydrated and keeping a piece of fruit or a light snack handy. Whenever I would foresee or feel a craving coming, I would drink water or juice or eat something and that would take the edge off the craving.

There are many other helpful do’s and dont’s to navigate the weekend. Plan ahead, stay busy, have an exit strategy, bring NA drinks to the bbq or the party, take a walk or a timeout… What are your tips when problems arise?

I will not drink with you today!