*** Join The Guru Challenge! ***

It’s hard when you socialise or work with gamblers Adam. I have told quite a few friends and colleagues of my gambling ban numerous times and still I have the same gambling related conversation over and over talking about what they’ve had a bet on or what’s my opinion of x chance v y is it good value.

I’ve slipped up a few times nar pal and you just have to come back mentally stronger and try to make necessary changes. At least you are back on the horse so to speak. Or back on the good ship Guru if you like.

I’ve had a fantastic weekend with my Sunday football team winning again My club I support winning a big un spent quality time with family in garden with the great weather. Ronnie O Sullivan ground out a fantastic win in a tough game. Watching cup semi nar with a few beers and most importantly I’m not gambling today.

Hope everyone is enjoying the great weather and staying positive in this daily fight.

Hi Guys..checking in and still GF. It’s been a emotional 3 weeks with my friend passing away. This puts everything in perspective. Only thinking of what if..but no urge to gamble at all. Still paying of debts..will take long time to pay off. Stay strong guys.

Good evening everyone!

Just to let you know, our Rollcall will be delayed till tomorrow; the reason is I’ve been, and continue to be, exceptionally busy today (work related).

But rest assured they’ll be a full Rollcall tomorrow. With a new challenge for us all to consider ... let’s see if you do...!

All the best till tomorrow, and I apologise for the slight delay.

Mixer

Good job you're busy today my man otherwise I would have missed the rollcall again 🙂 325 gf days !

Checking in on day 31, enjoy your week guys

** GURU CHALLENGE - Latest WEEKLY ROLLCALL! ***

It's Monday, 22nd April 2018

Good evening everyone and welcome to the latest Rollcall! Sorry it’s one day late, I’ve been a very busy bee.

I mentioned in my last post that I had a new challenge for us but I’ve rather jumped the gun. I was hoping that Gamstop, the new “all singing, all dancing” online gambling website blocker would be ready for release, but there are teething troubles (aren’t there always with any public sector technical development!). It’ll now be available sometime in the Spring. (So before June 21^st with a bit of luck!)

So my suggested new challenge – for ALL off us to join the scheme – is put back for the moment.

Meantime, we must continue to be strong, however our gambling manifested in the past, and not to gamble. Because we know what happens if we do. We either lose; or win, then lose it all back, and then some more. Same old pattern every single time. Am I right, or am I right? Such is the harsh reaity.

Ok … on with the Rollcall. Are we ROCKING, or have we had a blip, but straight back onto the gambling-free horse? Let’s see. You always have our support … so long as you’re honest. If you’re honest to our fellow Challengers, it means you’re honest to yourself. It means a lot.

ROLLCALL OF HONOUR

Phil72 – 800 days GF – ROCKING! – Congratulations, Phil. This is a milestone and a half. I wonder, do they come round quicker? Does it ever get any easier? I’d love to know. Congratulations from us all.

John64 – 31 – STRIVER – Fantastic! Hitting a month always feels good. Here’s to a new beginning John – one day at a time!

Our GURUs

Phil72 – 800 days GF – ROCKING! – Wow, Phil, that’s fantastic. Still counting the days, still here regularly. You know what this means.

Sars27 – 335 – ROCKING! – No worries checking in late Sars, you must’ve had a ‘sixth sense’ I’d be late with the Rollcall! Keepin’ it rockin’ and a rollin’, my friend.

Our ELDERs

Rubybaby – 268 - ROCKING! – Hi Ruby and we’re all thinking of you here, heading our Elder list! Doing just fine 🙂

Mixer – 255 – ROCKING! I watched a footy match the other day and guessed the score. My brother had a bet and lost. But if I had bet, I’d’ve kept going till I lost. So I’m glad I didn’t. Mind you, I only had a fiver on me. I know from bitter past experience, sadly, I cannot be trusted with money, or a card, ever. But I accept this and remain gambling free; that’s the point.

Raj – ROCKING – 247 – I am sorry to read of your friend’s passing, Raj. Very sad times when this happens. We’re with you, mate.

4D – 229 – ROCKING! – I like your ‘handle’ on here, 4D (I’m showing my age). The further dimension is time and gambling steals so much of it. It’s not just money we regain, but time, too.

Slotfool – 165 – ROCKING! – You’re well over half-way to Guru status, Slotfool, but you know, as I do, as we all do, that it’s one hard-fought day at a time. But win the battles and we win the war!

Chartom3 - 135 – ROCKING! You’re right, Chartom. We have good days and bad days but whatever emotional levers are pulled they must never impinge on our latent addiction. Gamble hurts whether we feel good or bad – it dulls the senses whatever way.

Godoicul – 114 – ROCKING! – As you’ve wisely written to Adam, if we have friends that gamble, whether they can handle it or not, it’s tough for us because it always tends to slip into the conversation; gambling is that prevalent these days. We just have to talk about it, if we have to, with a cold neutrality and try and talk about the non-gambling aspects of the game itself. Like, the teams, players, managers, strategy, skill … what the game is truly about.

Ineffable – 114 – ROCKING! – As you’re finding, as we all know, we all have different ways to handle being a non-gambler. Some people play slots for free as part of the ‘wind down’, but we know deep down it’s a rocky road. We know we have to wean ourselves off every aspect of gambling to avoid being sucked in again. Keep it going 🙂

Our STRIVERS

Lulubobs – 69 – ROCKING – Thanks for checking in Lulu; you’re stroming it, one precious day at a time. Attagirl 🙂

Stephen the Stoic - 54 - ROCKING – As always, loving the eloquence of your posts especially the ‘sailing the good ship’ analogies. Yes, there will be stormy seas and we’ll be sick as dogs sometimes but we’ve got to hang on to the rails and not go overboard. But enough of the Portsmouth – Bilbao ferry (is the Hull to Zeebruge trip just as choppy Stephen?) 🙂 - I’m talking about non-gambling, of course. I hope you’re enjoying life, Stephen; so delighted that you’re in an upbeat frame of mind right now, that, right now, everything’s all right in the world! Look may it be so for you, my friend.

Tara2 – 40 – ROCKING – Its good, when confronted by poor management, that the staff tend to stick together. You know how to survive the office jungle, and without gambling to distract and drain you, your eyes are brighter and claws sharper. 40 days gambling free; this is real.

John64 – 31 – ROCKING – Hi John and thank you for your regular check ins. You are gonna fit right in here, my friend!

NEW & re-RESOLVED MEMBERS

Pink2018 – 26 – ROCKING – This is really good Pink. Really good. Let’s see you hit 30 days; it proves you can handle a pay-day, a real test. We can all go gambling free when we’re skint, after all …!

Serendipity77 – 25 – ROCKING – I’m delighted you’re smiling again because that’s what life should be about. Going gambling free means we flick a switch and the light comes on. No t dull and dreary, but bright and positive!

Christer1 – 22 – ROCKING! – We wish you all the very best as your daughter gets the treatment she needs. Not an easy time for you mate; we’re thinking of you, Ok.

Notever12 – 10 – ROCKING! – Welcome to our group, Notever12, and as I wrote before we have to help ourselves with this addiction; if we do, there’s lots of support. Let’s keep learning about this addiction, because it helps alter our mindsets, one small realization after another.

Martymart – 10 – ROCKING! – You’re a fully fledged member now Martymart. As you wrote on your first post on the forums, this is about one day at a time.

HowDidIGetToThis – re-RESOLVED – I know you’re finding it tough … but keep adding to the blockers; you know you must. I know it’s not easy.

Mitch91 – re-RESOLVED – Welcome back mate. As we know, relapses can be horrible, just horrible. I hope everything’s Ok with you. You know what you’ve got to do – it’s all about the blockers because we can’t trust ourselves. Handing over financial control is ‘saving’ me; how about you.

Adam123 - re-RESOLVED – I’m sorry to hear you’ve stumbled Adam but I’ll tell you what. Your attitude to this has changed markedly since you’ve joined the challenge. You’re rightly kicking yourself after your blip but, to your absolute credit, you’re back in the saddle straight away. That’s character Adam … proud of you, mate. Back on the trail straightaway.

STATS FOR NERDS: No-ones joined, no-ones left; just like Hotel California! We currently have 2 GURUs, 8 ELDERs, 4 STRIVERs and 8 NEW/re-RESOLVEDs - 22 of us in total.

*** THOUGHT OF THE WEEK ***

"Everybody acts out a myth,
but very few people know what their myth is.
And you should know what your myth is,
because it might be a tragedy.
And maybe you don't want it to be."

"Here's how you can tell someone is your friend:

A) You can tell them bad news, and they'll listen.

B) You can tell them good news, and they'll help you celebrate."

Both quotes from Jordan Peterson

Choose your friends carefully everyone … and be a good friend, too!

Keep strong and keep smiling everyone!

Mixer

Great weekly rollcall Mixer. Entertaining, enlightening and informative.

Wishing all on board the Guru Challenger a great gamble free week.

Recommended choice of the day "Don't Gamble."

Thank-YOU , Thank-YOU, and Thank-YOU! Mixer and everyone. This thread is strong. It's a chain that I am happy to be linked into. The posts and feedback and rollcall are so well thought out and meaningful. I had a very challenging trip laced with lots of sentiment and love. It had been almost five years since I visited my family. I felt like I had gone through a war by the time I got back but it was not because of arguments or anything like that. It was more so that my tolerance was supremely challenged. This visit had to be a littlebit like fairytale land because I wanted to comfort and do things for my mother who is isolated and in need of connection... I did as much as I could and even managed to get a little compassion from her. she does love me. I entered into my family's world and they made a moments time for me... wish I could have been received with more enthusiasm, love , caring etc. In my mom's condition , she was the one who was able to connect and care the best. My tolerance was challenged and I am drained yet I accept and am grateful for getting to connect with , mostly my mother but also a couple other family members. Now, it's back to the gf journey and taking care of unattended to details of my life. tara2

Yeah Thanks Mixer this really is a true inspiration and we all thank you for doing it!

I had a real heartbreaking insight in to how we have made loved ones feel this evening. I was delayed in getting back and they didn’t believe or want to hear what had happened. Gaining loved ones trust again is what I will be focusing on as well as remaining gf over the next couple of days. This is as low as I have been but thankfully not from gambling this time.

Stay strong everyone - we can do this!!!

Hi I’m a newbie and today will be day 1. So inspired by those of you that continue to be GF. Hope one day that it will be me.

Is this challenge still going on?

Hi maisemoo

Im also a newbie hopefully we can both go on to become gamble free and this place sees us through

Morning Soul Searcher and welcome to the Guru Challenge.

You will find a lot of friendly support and information on here. We are all striving to overcome our gambling addiction and try to help each other along. Mixer runs the challenge and he will add your name if you would like to join.

You can read the introduction at the start and also the weekly update a couple of days ago. That keeps us up to date with everyones progress. Wishing you well...stephen

I would like to join this challenge if I may, this thread is full of people who are an amazing inspiration to those who want to become gf like myself, and my hat goes off to mixer for the idea, your time and effort must help so many people and I hope you are very proud of yourself for that.

I hit an all time low Monday evening and decided I want to overcome this illness by starting with one day at a time, so I joined the 2018 challenge yesterday and yesterday was my first day that I haven't gambled seriously for 10 years or so. I can't believe I did a whole day, usually I will spend average of 5-6 hours gambling every day so I felt this was a good starting step for me. Early days I know but I have never been more determined, time and time again I have said I can do it myself, but I know now I can not do it alone.

I love the idea of this challenge and am looking forward to the prospect of not being controlled by gambling one day.

Another GF week goes by and my determination grows as the urges get weaker and weaker. Out of respect for myself and for all of you commited to this challenge, today I choose not to gamble either. Happy rest of the week, everyone!