Checking in Day 171
All is well in my world.
Suzy
Checking in day 140. Congratulations to all on this journey, some amazing stories of hope and success. Im still struggling to fill the gaps left where gambling used to be but am determined to start a new year clean and then do the full 2015 gamble free 🙂
Last minute check in from me. Day 114 maybe? Here's to everyone completing the year gamble free - keep it up everyone.
Morning everyone! Thanks for the words Cliff - really looking forward to day 366.......a week on Monday represents a year to the day that I last gambled......and not one I really want to celebrate.......however, a week on Tuesday represents a year to the day that I began my recovery - now that is to be celebrated!!
I am currently sitting in a cinema with my 4 year old daughter who is dressed head to toe as Queen Elsa........we are surrounded by about 200 Elsas and Anna's, as well as 1 token Sven and a guy dressed as a snowman - brilliant! Let the Frozen sing along begin!
So, that was my preamble to apologise for being late with the update.......priorities!!
Update, which will include the monthly will be on by tea time!!
Have a great Sunday!
Mr B!!
PS do you wanna build a snowman? Lol!!
hi everyone. checking in 187 gf.
I've had a busy week again this week. hubby still off work with a knee that keeps on giving way. I've been picking up the odd extra shift at work when i can. All the christmas presents are bought and wrapped.
one of my work collegues thought it would be good to tell me this week that they were off to a casino this weekend, and asked if i wanted her to get me any information. i declined. i went home and told hubby about it and my family so we are all on guard. i have had thoughts about it over the weekend but not about me gambling though, thoughts of her and hoping she doesn't get addicted and doesn't gamble too much money.
best wishes for the future everyone and remember together we can do it. stay strong!!!
Hi Mr B,
Checking In on 216 days and feel proud and privelledg
to be on this journey with you, all, you are so close now Mr B to one whole year , hang on tight and just follow through, your hard work to this challenge and yourself is amazing.
Take care everyone, Xmas is just around the corner, so no matter what Shiite comes your way stay strong and keep winning.
Because it is the only way to go forwards for all of us.
Suzanne xxx
I’m not long back from the cinema and boy do I feel as if life is wholesome and good! I took my daughter to the Frozen singalong performance…….dressed head to toe as Queen Elsa (my daughter, not me!)………and as the first bars of “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?” began to play and around 100 tiny voices started to sing as loud as they could, I sat back and felt a tear roll down my cheek! It was one of those incredible recovery moments that just crystallised how intrusive an addiction gambling actually is. Instead of pouring over the form of some Bundesliga 2 football team to determine whether they might score in a Sunday lunchtime game, I was blessing my wife, my daughter and myself with an experience that will set us up for a great day and great week ahead. If it didn’t sadly cause an eyebrow to be raised I would recommend you go to a showing of Frozen Sing-a-long whether you have kids or not – simply amazing!
Onto the update for today then and there’s lots to get through – headlines, new members, returning soldiers, monthly update/summary for November, milestones and of course the roll of honour. Without further ado………..
Headlines for the Week
It’s been the best week I think we’ve ever had – 25 of 26 soldiers who marched into the week have checked in giving us a retention of 96% - simply outstanding! We’ve had 3 soldiers find their way back to base camp and another 3 new soldiers signing up to join us for the last month of the year – it’s pushed us back over the 30 mark – that’s where I wanted us to be for December – marching in together with 30+ soldiers and confident that we’ll all get through the month together. So, 31 of us are active and going out to do battle for the next 7 days. Our average clean days per soldier is 163 days, collectively we have stopped for just under 14 years and the challenge overall has delivered 36.4 years of gamble free days. It would be so good to get enough days and soldiers collectively to move over 40 years by the end of the month……typically we move the dial by two thirds of a year each week, so by my calculations we will fall short by about half a year come the 31st December…..unless we have a few more new and/or returning soldiers…….I believe that it will happen!
New and Returning Soldiers
So the numbers have been swelled this week by the 6 new and returning members. The 3 guys who have come back to join us are HittheFan, GladsDad and egfr…….brilliant to have you all back with us. HTF, our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family at this awful time. I hope that guys can take comfort from each other and of course I’ll check you in while you are away dealing with things. GD, I posted earlier in the week about how delighted I was to have you back with us – I really hope this is the time for you. Egfr – awesome to see you again and that you are free for almost a month - keep going!
We welcome 3 new troops to support us and be supported by us. gersfc21 – congratulations on your first week free! I’m sure regardless of which gersfc it is you follow that it’s been a satisfying weekend for you – taking control of your life while watching your team deliver a good result……especially if it was the gers that beat Kilmarnock today! Paulll – welcome soldier and with 2 weeks of recovery under your belt, we’re just as delighted to have you with us as you are to be here (if that makes sense?!). elchipper – it was great to see your post coming on confirming your want to be part of this amazing group. I really hope you will close out the year with over a month of recover experience in your locker. To all three of you, welcome to the 2014 challenge………..brilliant to have you with us.
November Monthly Update
Despite seeing a decline in members during the autumn months, we’ve still turned in the best result for any calendar period in November. 25 of the current 31, or over 80%, made it through November completely free of gambling. We’ve still got 4 of the team who could make it through the full calendar year without gambling – del79, duncanmac, mrbrightside and Happy Days can make 2014 their year! The rest of the group can make this the year of recovery too……..with hitthefan, baggins, triangle, ringerbell and delboygolf all on course to see 2014 out having been free for three quarters of the year. A clean month in December will take I Wished, mjc1974, John64, Wolf57, SuzyLemon, Pinky333 and Elfie17 to being free from gambling for more than half of 2014. Congratulations also go to mrt1969 and mba who have just successfully navigated their first full calendar month of recovery – brilliant going guys.
Milestones in the last week and the next 7 days…….
The following soldiers celebrated a milestone in the last week:-
Happy Days marched through 50 weeks and rounds the corner into the final straight to close out a full year clean of gambling – amazing going Mike – so proud to be marching with you.
Hitthefan hit the 300 day mark and joined the members of the triple century club. Despite all the nightmares going on in your world right now mate, please take a minute out to remember how amazing you are doing.
I Wished has made it 30 weeks of recovery now! It really has been great that you decided to join us Suzanne – it has brought a strength to the group……and you are doing brilliantly!
John64 and mjc1974 both kicked on past the 6 month milestone during the week. It’s amazing how time flies and so rewarding to see how you have both grown through your recovery journeys. Congratulations to you both – it was one of my favourite milestones!
Rst.Ex-CG, Mo, Dot83 and AndyJ have all celebrated moving into double figures of weeks and beyond the 70 day point of recovery. There’s a glut of super milestones coming up for the 4 of you in the next month – 3 months and the Century Club being the most significant. However, every day clean is a victory – congratulations!
There’s 4 of the team with a milestone coming up this week:-
duncanmac will become only the second member ever on the challenge to reach the quadruple century on Friday! 400 days and counting Duncan – incredible fella – this is your year mate! There’s a richness of having you with us that I just love! Congratulations!
Baggins has her day next Sunday as her 40th week of recovery is celebrated! Congratulations Joanna – your journey has been marvellous and I’m sure the family are appreciating all the time they are getting with you now – you are our SuperWoman!
Wolf57 celebrates a huge milestone this week as the 6 month milestone comes around. Thursday is the day that our Cliff marks his calendar off with a big half a year of recovery! Superb going Cliff!
markieb10 reaches his 20 week marker tomorrow and takes a step closer to the half year which with continued abstinence will be achieved very early in the new year! Really well done markieb10!
The Roll of Honour
Here’s the Roll of Honour and clean days for our mini army for this week:-
Name Clean Days
Drum roll………total days free of gambling since the Challenge began……….
13274 Days = £663,700 in our pockets………………..£0 in the bookies!!!
That’s the update for this week then team and check in is officially opened for the next 7 days – thanks to the guys who have already checked in – I’ll update the front page accordingly.
5 more check ins, 5 more updates, 5 more weeks of recovery before the 2014 Challenge comes to an end and a new challenge begins…………..although every day is a challenge!
Have a great week troops and get those check ins posted nice and early!
Mr Brightside
Hi all
Glads dad checking in
To start with...Im dreading Tuesday as its now my weekly day off so I need to be strong and find something to do as it's being alone and boredom that triggered me falling off the wagon.(again)
I must congratulate all of my fellow soldiers who are notching up BIG milestones - WELL DONE - you are our inspirations..(woop woop for Mr B almost 1 full fantastic year).. Nice one!!
It would've been 8 mths for me on December 5th 🙁
Tho I must plough on, stay focused and stay clean.
I am really P****d off with myself for falling off the wagon - BEWARE to all of you. Don't ever get complacent and think you have beaten this awful disease because it will bite back and bite you bloody hard when you are least expecting it.
I don't want to sound negative with that comment but if you give it a chance it will be back and ruin any accomplishments you have, kill any fight in you and will devour your mind - trust me as its recently happened to me.
I really have let myself and all of you down BUT I know I can win this fight - it's the hardest thing that I have EVER done in my life, the thing is I feel so much better when I'm not gambling... so I'm wondering why is this a mental thing - is there anything else that can help us to refrain, are there any proved ways that can clear our thoughts of this "mental state of mind"
I can't understand why I am afflicted by the urge to gamble as I am such a disciplined person - I just don't get it.. The last time I slipped I remember just having this "tunnel vision" to my local arcade - No other thoughts at all in my head just the buzz of slots..THEN regret, lies and the renewed financial debt - NOT GOOD
Whats your thought on this ..comments please
So lesson learned - at 45 I hope so.
I really look forward to my new gamble free life.
Lets look forward to a happy gamble free week - cheers
My name is Glads Dad and I am a compulsive gambler.
P.S thanks for the nice welcome back comments !
Sounds like a fun day for you Mr B, great to hear about the things you are getting up to with your family now you no longer gamble.
It is interesting how these day to day activities now feel so much more enjoyable, got home from football earlier and felt great satisfaction that I had the whole afternoon to do things I really enjoy, watch TV, listen to music. Not be focusing instead on depositing money and hoping a tennis match goes my way then chasing my losses and before you know it its 2am and im crying myself to sleep.
Will never be there again.
77 days free, RST Ex.CG.
Once again Mr B, a fabulous update - I always feel so much better when I have finished reading your summaries and feel even more motivated to continue distancing myself more and more from gambling, so a big thank you for your unflagging leadership.
Bless little Miss B and her 'Frozen' treat - it must have been so special. I've watched it umpteen times with my little granddaughter. Perhaps 'Let It Go' should be our theme tune from now on - letting go not only the dreaded gambling habit but also all our negative feelings about ourselves. Glads Dad - I don't have an answer as to why we become victims of this crazy compulsion when the logical side of our brain is telling us not to; just remember that within you is something resilient that is keeping you with us on this Challenge and that, together with our support and the wonderful Mr B, will keep you marching onwards.
Congratulations on all the wonderful milestones this week - looking forward to my 40 weeks coming up - phew! over 9 months......
that would explain my diet of pickled onions with ice-cream....
Best wishes to all - Joanna
Hi guys,
Checking in on day 75 GF. Good week. Getting a sense of normality and really feel as if I'm making progress.
Congratulations all on the milestones, 1 big month left.
Stay strong,
Andy
Day 19 checking in enjoying and embracing recovery. Feeling positive. Got lots of uni work on at the moment but going to use that as a tool to motivate me whereas in the past I would have used it to go spend hours escaping through gambling.
It's early days but I am determined to carry on beating this!
Thank you Mr B for running this thread - I think for the first time since I quit gambling seeing the milestones coming up made me feel like I have achieved something. Not much , but something - so thank you.
Well done to all in the thread and I would echo what Mr B said - keep your guard up and be aware of triggers at a time of year when there is lots of alcohol and money kicking about.
74 days clean. I failed to be gamble free in my 31st year , but I will see out the rest of 2014 and then 2015.
Hi Half life
thanks for the comments.. we need the focus and strong barriers to get through this.
cheers
Hello all, hope everyone is ok.
Thought it was worth checking in on day 6. Tomorrow is the first milestone I set along this road.
Working away from home this week, which has spelt trouble a few times in the past. Not this time, I have no desire to go to that place again. As soon as I got back to the hotel tonight I went out for a run and am feeling really positive now. Off for dinner and hopefully an early night.
From a purely selfish viewpoint, this group will help in giving an outlet for my thoughts.Thanks for that. Hopefully I'll be able to support some others along the way.
elchipper
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