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Happy New Year to all on this challenge ....... lets make 2018 one to remember for all the right reasons .....

Checking in 153 days GF. I wish all a happy new year.

Checking in 45 days gf. As always it was great to read the weekly roll call, you have a real talent Mixer and give so much of yourself in support of your fellow travellers.

I definitely do feel like a bit of old rope with broken strands, disheveled and tatty. By not gambling I can slowly unravel myself. Small steps is the way i'm going forward and I aim to enjoy the challenges that lie ahead.

Happy New Year to my GamCare Brothers and Sisters. We are family and I wish you all peace and happiness.

checking in 61 days gf, happy new year to you all folks

Best wishes for the New Year to you all.

I for one have no issues with the titles used, be it guru, elder etc. I do not pay attention to these, only interest I have is remaining GF and find this thread a massive help with continuing on this path. Maybe some don't agree with the counting of days GF but I find it good for me. I am a very competitive person, hence why it took me 10 years to stop, I couldn't admit defeat. So for me not a bad thing to log in once a week and add another 7 days to my 137 days GF.

Thanks to Mixer for taking the time and effort to continue this challenge.

On 01 January 2019 I will be 502 days GF. That's my personal challenge for the year ahead. 52 weekly updates on this challenge.

*** Welcome to the first update of 2018 ***

Hello once again, fellow Guru Challengers. I hope you saw in the New Year happily and any sore heads are soothed by now!

As often happens in the New Year, there's often reflection and new year's resolutions. I'm not normally one for these personally, but there's one I'm keeping and I'm sure you'll resonate: "Every day, I will remind myself not to gamble, because it's bad for me and my loved ones. The choice I have is either a path towards guaranteed misery, or to live a life how it should be lived, gambling free."

We all have our own different ways of slaying this gambling beast, often on a daily basis, and we've got to keep it our of our hair, out of our lives, every single day. If we do, we continue to fall into better thought patterns that very slowly, but very surely, tilt us away from this destructive malfunction of our minds. We are, without realising, turning a corner. It takes effort, of course it does, but the rewards are immense. It's the biggest ongoing win of our lives; that's the truth. Let's keep at it.

NiceNormalFamily - thank you for checking in; very pleased to note you've nagivated the Christmas period gambling free. January coming up - you can continue in this vein, day by day - no problem. The peace of mind over the last two weeks? Priceless. Going gambling free is more than money can buy.

Chartom3 - thank you for the new year wishes and you're exactly right - let's make 2018 a year to remember, for all the right reasons. I couldn't put it better myself.

Adamjamal - 153 days to the good; finances restored and now the best bit - finances will now be improved. Dare to spend and save in the best way you see fit for you and your loved ones. This is the way life should be lived!

Abstainer (Stephen) - As you rightly say, this is all about small steps. Once the practical restrictions are in place, it's all about a daily 'top up' of our resolve, like adding petrol to our gambling free-motor, keeping the GF mileage high and our car purring like a very contented cat indeed (I can almost hear that cat in my mind!)

Antics - I delighted you've checked in, very glad all is well and - yes! - back with us!

Amt722 - Thank you for a very considered post. As I know you appreciate and well understand, the titles are simply there as an interesting way to mark the 30, 100 and 300 day milestones that are our objectives to reach and pass, nothing more than that. Some may find these names useful and for others it's incidental - "whatever works". I like your target of 1st Jan 2019 when you will hit the 500 day milestone. This interesting mathematical coincidence is more than fate, I'd say, and something I will strive for too. Thank you for your kind words, amt722.

Right - here's to a year to remember. Let's make it count. We're not here forever, let's not deliberatley disadvantage oursleves by gambling; that's just crazy. Let's give ourselves the best chance in life from here on in. We know what to do, and, even better, how to do it!

"Just for today, I will not place a bet."

All the best best to you all,

Mixer

P.S. It's worth reading the first post in this thread - it's a hard-hitting post and full respect for Scott, for posting it.

Afternoon all

Checking in at day 95! creeping closer to the magical 100!!

Hope you all had a great christmas and new year, mine was the best in years 🙂

Happy 2018 people

Hi Mixer and fellow guru challenges firstly my apologies for going quiet the last couple of weeks an awful lot going on and in quite a bad place. However those demons are not winning and gambling is not on my mind. Day 66 today and im feeling very proud of myself for not giving in. My life is literally a whirlwind at the moment but i have my goals and priorities in sight so there is no excuse for me. Again thanks to everyone on here this challenge really does keep me positive and has inspired me so much to better myself.

It's good to be making plans, living life differently, being treated differently and treating other people differently. Proud to be a member of the guru challenge!

Apologies to Mixer and Guru Challengers. I gambled today so will have to start again.

Checking in for the week

Stay strong Abstainer, we are here for you.
Well done for being honest and starting again. You can do this, you have managed to get so far before, you'll get there again. We believe you can xx

Checking in day 12, I can do this, we can do this

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Checking in on day 27 gamble free ... still very much on the right track, more determind than ever.

Abstainer (Stephen) - I've posted on your thread. We're all with you mate 🙂