Good morning fellow forum members,
Many thanks for all of your messages of support since I posted on Friday evening, it means a lot to me knowing that other people, in similar situations, are willing me and others during our recovery journeys.
My wife is still coming to terms with my abstinence from gambling, I cannot really blame her, as years and years of lies, false promises and heartache has taken its toll and it will take a long time for it to return to normal. It's good knowing that she can now go to the shops and not have the embarrassment of her payment cards declined because I had spent all the money on my addiction. Having money in the bank at the end of the month is something that would have never happened during my dark days.
I have finally accepted who I am and that gambling is poison and will always be a lose-lose scenario for me; you can stop gambling but you will never be able to stop the moment that you start. Imagine my life if i'd carried on, where would I be? Probably with too much debt to cope with and seperated from my wife and children - I don't want that but it is more likely to happen than not if I hadn't taken a different path in life.
Tony, defiantly up for meeting up in the future for a chat and a few beers and I will be in touch with some possible dates in 2015.
Well done everyone on your own personal battles, you are doing great and just try to remain strong during those difficult periods.
Mike
Morning everyone,
Just wanting to note that everyone who has checked in has been recorded for the week - 3 soldiers missing - markieb10, Mile End and Stephen2105. I'm just about to leave to head to a dance competition with the wee one and haven't had a chance to get the update done yet - it'll be this evening by the time I get the chance - but it will be done and all the celebrations that go with it!
Have a great Sunday everyone - and please look out for the asks in the update this week - your feedback is required!
Mr B
Checking in on day 269.
good afternoon everyone. checking in on day 201!!! celebrated my double century yesterday with decorating the house for christmas with the hubby and kids (12+8) (something that if I had continued to gamble I wouldn't have). I then went to work to do an extra shift to get some extra pennies due to the season. Pleased to say that I have savings again (hubby looking after for me) and I'm debt free. (something if i continued to gamble I definately wouldn't be able to say). However as I told my hubby that it was my double century he said congratulations but remember every day you don't gamble is cause for celebrating not just the big milestones, so remember everyone take it 1 day at a time, they all count towards the big picture.
best wishes for the future everyone, stay strong and support each other
Checking In .....185 days.
Well done to all who are celebrating milestones!
Suzy
Evening everyone,
I'm going to have to apologise to all soldiers - as the day has gone on I've come down with a bit of a bug and am feeling pretty ghastly. I'm going to swerve the update tonight and get to my bed to try and avoid it getting any worse. The plan would be to do the update tomorrow evening - ordinarily I would have extended check in to next week but too many great milestones to let go by. So, check in for the new week is open (Delboygolf, Suzy and mjc1974 are checked in already) and the update will be on tomorrow.
Sorry folks and catch up tomorrow evening.
Mr Brightside
Hi
Wow just been looking at G A meetings that have recently started up again this year in my town.. popping in tomorrow after work - they seriously kept me on the straight and narrow can't wait really excited
Glads dad
Hi everyone
Like many I have tried to give up before. I am here again - back on day 1. Or rather - day 0 because today I gambled. The feelings of regret, loss, pain, guilt and shame are feelings which I have tonight. Those amongst you who have abstained for however long it may have been, I admire you all. Please don't ever return to experiencing these feelings.
I have read through the 2014 challenge thread and would like to belatedly become another soldier as part of this amazing group, ready to march through the remainder of 2014 and into the 2015 challenge gamble-free.
I am 32 years old. I have gambled all my adult life. The longest I have ever gone without placing a bet is around 5 months. I live alone. I have no kids. I have a job which I love. I am a nice person. The usual story - there is just one thing which is destroying me. The self-destruct button. The gambling.
If I can abstain from gambling there is a chance that 12 months from now I will be debt free, but more than that, there is a hope for me that I will be living my life - without guilt and shame.
I look forward to marching forwards with you all.
Hi all,
Checking in on 231 days
Tony, I hope you are feeling better today.
A big well done to all milestones last week, and to all the ones coming up this week.
Wishing all soldiers a very strong and calm gambling free week, it's nearly Xmas so let's all remain strong and focused.
Suzanne xx
Checking in day 33 I think losing track of the days but if my maths is right this would mean new years day would be 50 days of recovery which would be a cheeky little milestone to bring the new year in with!
Once again apologies for this being late – still not feeling the best so will make it a short one and just pull out the salient points of the standard updates.
Before I do, it was a huge week for the group last week – we had 4 members celebrating a year of gamble free living (well, richy was a wee bit before but the first time checked in on a year!), a number of other significant milestones, the potential for new members and we have the knowledge that the 2014 will live on in Phil’s hands as the 2015 Challenge……….and it’s that I’ll start on this week.
The 2015 Challenge is only 2 weeks away now and Phil is really excited about picking up the baton and carrying it on. The principles of the challenge will remain the same as it stands – same check in rules, same check in times etc. However, this is where your feedback comes in and potentially change things……….in order to get as much value from the challenge as possible, it would be great if you could support Phil by answering the following questions………or even just to provide some general feedback on what you’d like to see the 2015 challenge looking like………
I’ll be doing a “handover” with Phil over the next couple of weeks……….and without landing him in it(!), I’d imagine you’ll see a brand new challenge thread emerging in the very near future. Your feedback is really important though in order to set the 2015 Challenge up the way you want it to be and to set Phil up for a successful year. Just managing expectations……..feedback is a gift that each of you will choose to give………it’ll be Phil’s choice what he carries forward and sadly (but brilliantly!), when there’s so many involved it’ll be impossible to please everyone!
30 soldiers walked into the week and 30 will set out from base camp for the next 7 days – however, 3 of the 30 have changed……with 3 missing soldiers and 3 previous soldiers rejoining the ranks. That gave us a retention of 90%. Significantly, we’ve hit a record high as far as average days are concerned and every single one of us now carry an average of more than 6 months of gamble free living. We’ve collectively stopped for the best part of 16 years as a checked in group and the challenge itself has delivered just a fraction under 38 years of gamble free days. With a simple breeze behind us, this week should see the savings delivered by everyone on the challenge exceed £700,000 safely tucked into our pockets and not those of the bookies. It’s been amazing to see the number of posts in the last week of people who are now gambling debt free – that’s partly what this challenge is about, but not the key reason. It’s another reason to celebrate though……..but the feel good and sense of positive achievement it brings is superb.
Welcome Back to Old Soldiers!
It’s great to see Ringerbell checking in after a week of absence – I thought you may have fallen out with me Ringer after the Ireland result? (Sorry, but had to get that one in……..and will show humility in your response!). Phil (bornagain) – you have been a key player on the forum and in the challenge in the last 12 months and I reckon you could write a book about recovery now! It’s wonderful to have you marching with us……….and even better to know that you’re going to guide us through the next 12 months. Richy – great to see you fella and many congratulations on the 13 months free from gambling – would be superb to see you checking in for the next few weeks to see the challenge through…….but completely understand if you chose not to! Keep going strong!
Potentially New Soldiers………
Apologies to both freedom15 and bilio63 who have logged posts on the challenge in the last week. I hope that you are both still reading and going strong. All you need to do to be a part of the rest of the 2014 Challenge is to pop another post on the challenge thread confirming you’re really up for it and want to be part of the group.
Milestones Celebrated and To Be Celebrated………
The milestones celebrated in the last week were as follows:-
Scambling, Mr Brightside and Happy Days all celebrated being free from gambling for a year!! Woop woop gents!
mjc1974 hit the double century and is now over 200 days free from gambling…….and debt free!! Superb girl!!
SuzyLemon was another lady celebrating………….6 months free!! Many congratulations Suzy!
Rst.Ex-CG hit the quarter of a year yesterday – amazing going RST and still well on for joining the Century Club as you hoped by New Year!
mrt1969 rocked past the 70 days mark and into more than 10 weeks of gamble free living – awesome going mrt…….you’ll be hitting the Century Club early in the New Year!
mba – already hit the half century mate – the days are racking up quickly now! Congratulations and keep going to those treble figures!
The milestones coming this week:-
Del79 (70 weeks today – you are the man!), richy244 (400 days today – only the 3rd quadruple century club member of the team!), triangle and ringerbell (40 weeks on Thursday!), John64 (200 days and the double century on Tuesday!!), ccw95 (20 weeks on Thursday!!), AndyJ, Mo and Dot83 (All hitting a huge milestone in reaching a quarter of a year on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday respectively).
Roll of Honour…………
Here’s the numbers and names for this week:-
Name Clean Days
Drum roll………total days free of gambling since the Challenge began……….
13863 Days = £693,150 in our pockets………………..£0 in the bookies!!!
So a shorter update than usual…..but plenty of reasons to celebrate! Please leave your feedback for Phil on check in this week – it’s important for next year!
3 more check ins, 3 more updates for 2014………….not long to go now everyone!! Let’s continue to make this our year!
Have a great week folks and catch up again on Sunday!
Tony…………….’cos I’m Mr Brightside!
Hello again strangers, just thought i'd pop by and wish a Big well done to Mr B for breaking through 1 year of no gambling, super impressive, still not gambling myself. I am now over 300 days free of a bet 🙂 want to say thanks to all the support the fourm gave me earlier in the year and wish all the best and hope everyone has an enjoyable, gamble free, christmas and new years x
Batman x
304 days free of gambling.
Hi all,
Checking in GF on day 90. Feeling good and really in the Christmas spirit. Have all my shopping done and within budget so great.
Other than that, not much to report. Hope all is well with everyone else.
Thanks,
Andy
Checking in for the week and want to send a belated congratulations to you mr B on reaching such a massive milestone
also thanks for remission ding me about that result had almost forgot about it by consuming large amount of cheap alcohol in Glasgow.... (We will gain our revenge in Dublin)
Just checking in day 200 double century happy days
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