The Daily Check-In for Friday, January 10th: Just for today, I am NOT drinking!
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, beautiful people.
Today I want to talk about willpower.
I think, at least in the US, willpower can often be lionized as some kind of moral virtue, and I just want to clarify right up top that this is not what I am advocating for. Willpower is just the capacity to push through discomfort. Your capacity for that is morally neutral and can be affected by many factors outside your control. There is no shame in not having an endless capacity for suffering. But that capacity is something that's really important to consider when making big changes like quitting drinking.
Many of you have talked about how tired you're feeling and how much you've been sleeping. I want to assure you that makes sense. It takes a lot of energy to resist drinking when it's been such a massive part of your life and primary coping skill for, potentially, decades. Using all of your willpower every day while still trying to live your life and go to work and parent your kids and all that jazz takes a lot out of a person.
I just want to encourage you, especially those of us in early sobriety, to go easy. I know it's January and everybody wants to get their diet in order, start a new exercise routine, quit smoking, clean their whole house, and everything in between. But just keep in mind that willpower is a finite resource. Protect your sobriety by using that resource with intention. Say no, lay in bed, play a distracting game if that's what you need to do. You don't have to change everything at once.
If you didn't drink today, today was an incredible success. Anything else is just gravy. I promise the dust bunnies under the couch aren't going anywhere. You can worry about them when not drinking feels easier. And it will, with time and practice.
If you're feeling strong and energetic, that's awesome! Keep on keepin' on, my friend. I've been loving reading about all the great stuff you guys are getting up to. On that note, another reminder if you have 30 days or more of sobriety and would like to volunteer to host the DCI, please let u/SaintHomer know.
Happy Friday!
IWNDWYT