2014 Challenge

Checking in gamble free, 153 days today, double milestones tomorrow as 22 whole weeks will be notched up and it is also 5 calendar months as of tomorrow. Estimated saving 4590 in that time assuming average of 30/day.

Keep marching on, soldiers, we are all doing so well, and every extra day counts to help us all achieve our joint targets.

x

hey guys

checking in on 73 days. Spent a lot of time on the forum today and I really think without it I would be lost today. Thanks to all of you who have commented on my diary and on this thread and given me support and also to those of you whose diaries I have read that gave me inspiration today. I will give back by posting on those diaries that need encouragement tomorrow.

I am so proud to be part of this with all you guys! On to tomorrow! Night xxxx Linda

Evening troops,

Hope you have had a good week so far and lots of plans for this weekend. I love a Friday...... not only because its my check in day but because it ends in Y! That's right I love everyday I have without being an active gambler, gambling will always be part of my life that I cannot change but my past experiences will make me a better husband, son, brother and friend because I know the value of self forgiveness.

Can I ask you all to drop into unruinurself diary as he is having attough time just now, show him some support and share the love we hold in our challenge.

Derek checking in 193 GF days 🙂

Checking in on day 9. Only just starting this journey but hope to be here for a while 🙂

Very late check in

Don't know where the week has gone seems like it was just Monday... Day 10 today no gambling haven't really been thinking about it much seems the best way to avoid it is to fill my time. Birthday Monday it's gonna be a good week all the best guys

Batman

Day 10 (double ds)

Day 57 check in for me, wavering a bit but no bets.

Checking in, still clean on day 73. I am now spending my spare time with my wife and children which is something I would have pushed to one side during my gambling days.

I am more happy now but doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that I've decided to look beyond the imperfections.

Well done to all people involved in this challenge.

Stay strong everyone!

Mike

Hi Mr Brightside

Could I please join this challenge, I am only on day 5 but feel this challenge will help me.

Thank you

LG

Exceptionally busy week. Just checking in on day 84. My new target is 11th March. To hit 100 days would be very significant.

checking in on day 75 (I think)

Well done everyone this week!

LG- welcome to the family!

Linda x

Good evening everyone and welcome to the last update for February………..we’re already 1/6th of the way through the year!! In less than 11 months we’ll have hopefully had our get together and a celebration of a full year of abstinence for some and many months for others. This is truly a life changing experience! Next week I’ll update on the “clean for ‘14” and “months” clean tallies - one to look forward to for me certainly.

So here are the headlines for this week then………

Last Sunday we had 22 active members in the group and by the 8pm deadline tonight we’ve seen 18 members checking in, 1 pulling out of the challenge and 3 missing soldiers - our retention rate is 86% week on week which is down on the last few weeks, but still flies in the face of the 3% average of CG’s that will give up for good. An amazing figure is that if we go back to the very first group of soldiers who checked in on week one, the retention rate of the 22 who were in on week one sits at 56%........pretty outstanding and a real core of the team that is still standing, still clean, with days really mounting up now. In total, 43 people in recovery have come through the thread over the course of the year and as at today, we have 21 active members who I hope will stand the test, fulfil the commitment to self and team, and march together to the end of the 2014 and beyond. Our collective days clean from gambling has risen by 2% this week and our average number of days stopped sits at 66 days.

New team members for this week…………

This week I’d like to welcome 3 new members to the team (it was almost 4, but no “re-check in” from imran420 means I don’t have a record of days etc. so he’s not been added). For all our new members, the “rules” of check in appear on page one of the thread as the very first post.

Firstly, ram90 was the first new member to check in this week and today will be celebrating a week free of gambling. Welcome to the family mate………….and I’m thinking by the sound of your username you must be Derby fan? If so, I promise as a Forest man I won’t hold it against you!!!

Next we have mjpsmummy - currently 10 days free of gambling and already putting some open and honest posts on the thread and her diary. Really well done mjps - I think you’ll be great for the team. Welcome and all the best.

Last, but certainly not least, we have luckygirl who joined at the last minute today - lucky is clean for 5 days today. I really hope that the challenge does help you lucky - the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. Welcome!

Milestones of the week……..

We celebrated a number of milestones this week individually and a major collective milestone…..but more about that later………

Redeemed and leedsv hit the 150 day free mark this week - major kudos from the whole team folks……..this is getting into serious territory now and you guys must be over the moon that you’ve reached this number. Really well done!

Craig (2012theyear) broke through a significant milestone yesterday……….and I don’t think any of us realised it! Yesterday was the 13th week of stopping for Craig………exactly ¼ of a year mate - very very proud of you fella!!

Linda (hardtimes), Lou (lec101), Babybluesky and Mike (Happy Days) all broke into double digits of weeks abstaining……all over the 10week mark now!!

Ashamed went through the half century mark - brilliant to see soldier!! What a great feeling….and one you’ll want to replicate time and time again. Lostafortune went through the half century on Sunday last week, but I note in your check in yesterday that the last week might have been a struggle - stick in soldier, you’re doing superbly well and a really important member of the team!

Dates for the diary for this week…….

Tuesday 25th February - the big Philla (bornagain) will hit the 10 week mark…..70 days clean for the man!

Friday 28th February - again, a first for the team with the daddy of the group creating the new benchmark……the first of the group to reach a 3 digit number that starts with the number 2!! 200 days for Derek on his usual check in day……..that will be a big celebration Delboy79!!

Sunday 2nd March - not quite a milestone, but the eve of one for Craig (2012theyear)……..Monday 3rd March will be the big 100 days for Craig…..just laying down a marker now!

Onto the Heroes of the week……..

I mentioned earlier that we celebrated a collective milestone as a group……..and it’s weird how numbers can actually work!! With the missing soldiers this week dropping days out of the group, but the new troops arriving etc., the predicted day of Tuesday last week being our 4th Year as a total group never came to pass. However, the addition of all of our days…..that’s every single person in this weeks roll of honour……….and with the 5 days that luckygirl checked in with today (that was a really significant check in luck - you’ve made it happen for the group!!)……..we are EXACTLY 4 years free of gambling today!!

WE ARE THE HEROES OF THE WEEK…………….EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US!!!

Here is the Roll of Honour then……………

Name Days Clean

The_Rock 84

Hardtimes 75

lec101 76

babybluesky 75

bornagain 68

Happy Days 73

2012theyear 92

ashamed 56

lostafortune 57

No Maybe 123

Mr Brightside 77

rst18 29

Delboy79 195

Redeemed 155

leedsv 151

Chalky 20

Batman 10

Hitthefan 22

ram90 7

mjpsmummy 10

luckygirl 5

Our “missing soldiers” are…………Stop (last checked in 13/02/2014), AdamPrice (last checked in 10/02/2014) and Strange (last checked in 16/02/2014….although I think that you may have thought that the check in last Sunday was for this week? Let me know Strange!) - would be great to see the check ins coming this week folks and you not dropping out of the group.

So, drum roll………total days free of gambling is……….

1460 Days (4 years!!) = £146,000 in our pockets………………..£0 in the bookies!!!

So there’s another week gone, another starts now…….check in is officially open!! I hope you all have a really good week, we all stay strong, we smile lots and we can celebrate new victories in March.

Take care everyone,

Mr Brightside

Absolutely fantastic work there Mr B.

That £ figure is astounding and should make us all proud.

Reading that determined post has put me in a brilliant mood, and thank you for the personal mention on my milestone, i am very happy indeed.

Marching on together.

Hi Mr B

What a brilliant and uplifting update this week. I agree with Leeds it did make me happier reading how well we are doing numbers wise!

Each time I walk past my local bookies now I smile knowing they are losing out big time because of our strength and determination as a group!

Lets all have a great week

Linda

Hi ive managed to stop gambling for 60 days now, I still not working which is driving me mad, i really want to get back to work. I need to wait until I get my driving license back at the moment I cant drive because im on medication. Still im pleased that im not gambling, I was crazy spending the money putting £500 in roulette machines at a time I lost thousands of pounds.

Oops mr b missed the check in. Have had a busy week with being half term been busy entertaining daughter with numerous sleepover for friends and family. Totally exhausted, with a trapped nerve in my back not helping at all.

However staying away from the gambling has been relatively straight forward . Will be giving that a wide berth as I need to save my cash for the summer hols if the last week is anything to go by.

Sorry I am late but many thanks for keeping it going xx