2014 Challenge

Day 7 for me. Back to work after a few days off thank goodness without gambling. Honestly though did think about it. Just used the monkey on the shoulder analogy, naughty monkey lost.

Gotta feeling 2014 is going to be my year of recovery bring it onnnnn!x

Well done Hard Times, 50 days is no mean feat. Keep up the hard work. A teething 1 year old? I can relate to that, my youngest is starting with his first teeth and is not shy in letting us know about his discomfort!!

As for me, day 60 today. I have twice relapsed on days 63 and 69 in my two best attempts yet so statistically i guess i'm vulnerable around the 60-70 day mark and I need to keep focussed. I'm determined to come out the other side this time.

thanks everyone for your kind words!

Just checking in day 51. Been quite a struggle today if Im honest but I got through it and feel glad now that I didnt give in. Im surprised why I thought about gambling so much today. I think its because I always associated my evenings out gambling with me time and I needed some me time today. I also passed a lovely house that was for sale and I would love to be in a position to get a mortgage but I cant and just for a second I thought the only way I would ever be able to afford that would be if I won the lotto! What harm would it be to do a couple of lines "just in case". Well anyway I chinned the little gambling devil and I did some exercising and read my old posts and the urge went. Biggest one so far and it was scary because I havent had really bad urges at all since stopping. Anyway I won again today. Day 51 gamble free- phew!

Linda x

Love check in time, pleased to report 171 days free. Clear vision and big plans.

Del 🙂

Superb - I love it when the daddy of the group checks in!!! Always settles my nerves!!

You're not far off the big half year Del - major group celebration when that happens......only one award that week!! One dat at a time though mate.

Mr B on 53!!

Don't you worry Mr B, I''ll look after the seconds and the days will take care off themselves.....

Excellent stuff Delboy!! huge achievement and inspires us all..

Mr B, how are we? Hope all is good. Checking in as promised on my chosen day - Feel Good Friday 🙂

Day 69 - NO GAMBLING

Cheers

Craig

DAY 5-CHECK. Very early days for me, but one has to start somewhere, the thought of playing roulette again makes me sick. I have given up all other gambling aswell, lotto, scratchcards, footie bets. I will save a fortune by not betting.

Well day 8 for me not an urge in sight total determination x

Day 2 for me I joined last night no football bet done or fk all, gonna b strange. May the force b with us

Day 61 done and dusted (well, near enough!)

Two points...

Mr Brightside - I'm conscious that as group co-ordinator you can't really nominate yourself for an award so I would like to nominate you as hero of the week this week. The reason?...Not only have you surpassed 50 days but you provide an awesome update that provides inspiration and encouragement to everyone every week. I want to let you know how much I appreciate this and I'm sure others do too.

Linda - I think at this stage urges are very natural and the fact that you didn't act should be celebrated. I had a few urges myself today, finished work early which was quite unusual and had been paid and the thought crossed my mind, I quickly managed to talk myself down, went shopping, drove home, did a few chores and now I'm sat here with a glass of wine. Don't berate yourself for having an urge, this habit is not an easy one to break but with strength and determination it can be done!

hi all

Mr B- I agree with the rock with regards to putting yourself forward for hero of the week. If you do not feel comfortable doing this just leave that part blank and we will all add something as to why we feel you are the hero of the week.

Rock - yes I really have had a couple of terrible days. Last night I came very close to justifying a bet. I actually went to bed very early just to stop thinking about it. Then I dreamt about coming down in the middle of the night and logging on to a casino- blowing everything and it was so vivid that when I woke this morning I was so upset because I actually thought I did it! My god the relief when I realised that it was just a dream. There is a lot of reasons I would say that have made the urges very bad this last few days but let me tell you, I am so motivated to do this that it can haunt my dreams every night and tap on my shoulder with whispers every day but I will not give in, not ever so bring it on I say!

day 53! x clean for 14!

Linda

Hero of the week definitely has to be Mr B this week. And Linda you need a hero of the week award for also going 50 days and for doing so well to beat your urge last night. I'm scared of the day I get a really strong urge which we all know from time to time will happen. You did really well to beat it Linda 🙂

Afternoon everyone!!!

Ok, so here's the rules of the challenge - I decide who the hero of the week is - lol!!!

Really appreciate all the comments folks but I get enough from the thread purely through what it does for me and the good I see it doing for others!! I'm just delighted that it's making a difference and is becoming a really important and 'looked forward to' part of my weekend!!

There's lots to celebrate this week - I'm buzzing that we're in February and that so many of us have marked our time on the forum with a first full and clean calendar month - goodbye January and hello February!! We're gonna kick your backside too!!

I'm looking forward to the update tomorrow - there's a few check ins missing I think so feel free to go onto people's diaries and give them a gentle nudge to get on here!! I've got a bad feeling we may have lost a couple of soldiers this week - I think Lou is just as absent minded as ever (love you buddy!!) but I'm worried about ashamed and a couple of other regular posters.

Mr B is checking in on 55 days - Linda, you'd be proud of me today - a morning spent in kiddie soup at the swimming followed by an afternoon of kiddie spaghetti at soft play - there's a bottle of red wine with my name in it for later......it'll go down with a satisfaction of another day free of gambling, with great people, virtual and family, encouraging me on......and a knackered 3 year old fast asleep in her bed dreaming of a fab day with her daddy!!!

Stay strong fellow soldiers!!!

Mr Brightside

Hi all

thanks Born I really appreciate that! I do feel much better having battled through and now i know I can do it again so im not too worried when temptation comes calling again.

Mr B- your day sounds amazeballs! I wish I had a bottle with my name on it in the fridge but i had mine last night so its back to vitamin water and rivitas today lol! I have a 1 year old fast asleep here as i type and its almost quarter to 5! no sleep tonight but i just cant bring myself to wake her! Bless! Well done on day 55!

Lindax