We CAN and we WILL - Join the 100 day and 2017 Challenges!

Checking in to advise that 30th was a gamble free day for me and another step closer to my century.

Now finding that i am wanting to make positive changes elsewhere in my life and believe i am getting strong enough to see them through.

If you are ever in Edinburgh during the early months of 2017 and see a beached whale out jogging, dont harpoon him...it will be me taking further steps back to me 🙂

All the best for the very last day ever of 2017, the year we all decided to take control back.

Sbb

Mixer wrote:

*** ROLLCALL for the 100 DAY CHALLENGE! *** - 24 magnificent hardy souls choosing life over misery, day by day. Join us if you seriously want to quit gambling forever... one day at a time.

DAY 15 COMPLETE (pending anyone posting to the contrary).

Start Date: 14th Dec 2016. Projected finish line: 25th March 2017.

​*** If you haven't checked in or updated your diary in the last rolling 2 weeks, then you will be 'rested' (dropped) from the group. This is to ensure that the integrity of our group is maintained. We are a serious group, but realise this challenge isn't for everyone. No hard feelings. If you have relapsed, let us know, because our group will fully support you. Honesty shows respect for yourself and to us. Thank you! ***

Member Tot/ GF yesterday?
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angela (Pinky) ….. 19 Yes!
babapapa ….. 22 Yes!
Bal ….. 627 Yes!
Barney ….. 29 Yes!
caitesnan ….. 16 Yes!
Change ….. 15 Yes!
Deeeaannn000 …117 Yes!
dsh ….. 15 Yes!
fiddlesticks ….. 26 Yes!
Gavin ….. 24 Yes!
Jim24 ….. 15 Yes!
Katiecoo ….. 30 Yes!
klamm ….. 16 Yes!
KP ….. 28 Yes!
M (SC) ….. 21 Yes!
Mixer ….. 30 Yes!
Paulgam ….. 35 Yes!
Rhoda ….. 25 Yes!
Rogerson ….. 18 Yes!
Sam ….. 214 Yes!
Silver ….. 104 Yes!
Skyblue ….. 87 Yes!
Sodawater ….. 7 Yes!
Spud ….. 26 Yes!
Wardal ….. 33 Yes!

Running total so far: 1599

Good evening everyone and Day 15 under our belts! We are showing our true strength and not buckling. We are brushing away those incessant, glossy gambling adverts and not resorting to weasle excuses to gamble again. Choosing life, not misery - that's the only way forward, and what a great path to take 🙂

We welcome a new member to our challenge, Jim24. He is, serendipiciously, on Day 15 - so, perfectly in tune with our challenge total! ​It's a good ship this, Jim, not for everyone, but if you seriously want to stop, here's the place. Great to have you alongside our tight-knit challenge group.

*** JOKES OF THE DAY *** - thanks for your joke, babapapa (liked it!) and here is a quick volley of one-liners..

I saw this advert in a window that said: “Television for sale, £1, volume stuck on full.” I thought, “I can’t turn that down.”

I've just been on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. I'll tell you what, never again

Conjunctivitis.com – that’s a site for sore eyes!

WCAWW!

Happy to join this challenge as well as the 2017 challenge. Can there ever be too much support for this addiction? I doubt it. I'm up to 1025 days in Gamcare recovery but however you have me, i'm happy to support and contribute. tri

Good Afternoon everyone!

*** Firstly, the 2017 Challenge is starting tomorrow so I implore you to consider joining it - you can find it in the 'Overcoming Gambling' section of the forums. ***

Here we are on the final day of 2016. Often, a time for reflection. But, as ALAN135 said on a post here, we should look back, but not stare. We know full well the misery that gambling has wought BUT... today and tomorrrow are what matters. Today, we are Gambling Free. We are finishing the year in the same way we are going to start the next.

It isn't going to be easy, but this is why its a challenge. But when you are Gambling Free, the world is immediately a better place.

Furtively spending money on inanimate boxes (gaming machines) or soulless computer programs (online)? No more of this.

Forgetting what sport is actually about? It should be a skillful, stratregic, atmospheric contest - not chasing shadows on whether A or B wins on a range of matches we dont really care about, accumulators, who wins the first corner(!). Seriously..? Let's enjoy the game, not dull, cold statistics!! If your personal football team is playing, you DON'T need to back them to enjoy the result (really).

We are recovering compulsive gamblers and therefore have always been following the same pattern, as follows:

For a given betting session of varying length

1. We gamble - and win. Go to Step 3.

2. We gamble - and lose

3. We keep gambling until we lose more than we win.

Ergo, we LOSE. We never win. The only way to avoid this road to misery and guarantee a 100% return is NEVER to bet again. EVER.

I've said this before, but I'll say it again. You lose three things when gambling.

1. Money - being GF generates so much extra cash... it's like having a massive pay rise!!!

2. Time - as you get older, time becomes more valuable. Don't waste it on this solitary, corrosive, damaging nonsense

3. Reputation - our characters change and we lie, become selfish and lose confidence, and relationships suffer, eventually catrostrophically

We are on this challenge because we are collectively NOT going to gamble for 100 days. We are on Day 15, and delighted to welcome new members along who understand the rules of the challenge.

Step forward 'start 2017 a fresh', DrewF and Gm88. Welcome aboard, and an absolute pleasure for us to invite you as part of our challenge. We are on Day 15 and DO NOT want to reset to 0 if at all possible, so please do NOT let us down and buckle. You owe it to yourselves and our group. We will support you, and dont forget to use all the help and support from Gamcare to help keep you strong. Post here regularly or update your dairies - we are keen to see you succeed, day by day. Once again, welcome!

I am delighted to welcome Triangle to our thread. I have chatted to Tri on the webchat many times; he is a Gamcare stawart providing immense support to fellow recovering gamblers on these forums over the years. It is a real pleasure welcoming you to our challenge, Tri.

It brings our total number of members of this challenge to 29. We CAN and We WILL everyone!

Thank you for checking in everyone:

katiecoo - have a great week away, and keep GF 🙂

babapapa - keeping strong, that's the spirit.

jayd - I had a KFC once and the chicken wing was tiny. I always thought KFC stood for "k**t Find Chicken" !

M - you are doing fantastic!!!!!!!

KP - keep strong today. Any wobbles - you know what to remind yourself my friend 🙂

Dean0 - looking forward to the start of your 2017 challenge!

Wardle - good man, 33 days under your belt. Great booster for 2017.

Sbb - always loving your posts !!!!

WCAWW

good afternoon, checking in for another GF day. Hope all have a great evening and not too sore a head tomorrow.

Jokes for the day

I met a Dutch girl with inflatable shoes last week, phoned her up to arrange a date but unfortunately she'd popped her clogs.

A friend of mine went to the zoo yesterday and said he was really disappointed there was only one dog there. I said "it must have been a Shihtzu"

Last check in this side of 2016

Here's to a bet free 2017

All the best enjoy your night.

Hi Everyone, Be Strong tonight. Eat drink and be merry, gloriously GF! It CAN BE DONE.

Dean0, babapapa, have a great one tonight and see you safe and sound next year!!

We CAN and We WILL.

Bal in for the day gf x

*** ROLLCALL for the 100 DAY CHALLENGE! *** - 29 magnificent hardy souls choosing life over misery, day by day. Join us if you seriously want to quit gambling forever... one day at a time.

DAY 16 COMPLETE (pending anyone posting to the contrary).

Start Date: 14th Dec 2016. Projected finish line: 25th March 2017.

​*** If you haven't checked in or updated your diary in the last rolling 2 weeks, then you will be 'rested' (dropped) from the group. This is to ensure that the integrity of our group is maintained. We are a serious group, but realise this challenge isn't for everyone. No hard feelings. If you have relapsed, let us know, because our group will fully support you. Honesty shows respect for yourself and to us. Thank you! ***

Member Tot/ GF yesterday?
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angela (Pinky) ….. 20 Yes!
babapapa ….. 23 Yes!
Bal ….. 628 Yes!
Barney ….. 30 Yes!
caitesnan ….. 17 Yes!
Change ….. 16 Yes!
Deeeaannn000 …..118 Yes!
dsh ….. 16 Yes!
DrewF ….. 2 Yes!
fiddlesticks ….. 27 Yes!
Gavin ….. 25 Yes!
Gm88 ….. 8 Yes!
Jim24 ….. 16 Yes!
Katiecoo ….. 31 Yes!
klamm ….. 17 Yes!
KP ….. 29 Yes!
M (SC) ….. 22 Yes!
Mixer ….. 31 Yes!
Paulgam ….. 36 Yes!
Rhoda ….. 26 Yes!
Rogerson ….. 19 Yes!
Sam ….. 215 Yes!
Silver ….. 105 Yes!
Skyblue ….. 88 Yes!
Sodawater ….. 8 Yes!
Spud ….. 27 Yes!
Start 2017 afresh….. 3 Yes!
Triangle ….. 1025 Yes!
Wardal ….. 34 Yes!

Running total so far: 2662

It's New Year's Eve and let's have an enjoyable evening tonight, GF free. We are 29-strong now, and our GF running total boosted somewhat thanks to Tri's 1025 days contribution. 2,662 days; that's about 7 years of GF between us. Keep strong and see you next year!

***Thought of the day ***

If you do your best, everything will be for the best.

WCAWW

Checking In last day of 2016 and GF 🙂

Really looking forward to 2017 and that's a first for many years, I have absolutely no doubt that joining this site and more so this challenge has massively contributed to how positive I feel about what the New Year holds for me....I am proud to be part of this group and wish each and every one of you the very best of what life offers....heres to our new beginnings guys...Cheers!

Hugs to all.....Happy (GF) New Year!

M x

Day 48 gf going to chill in a quiet spot in the local with a few of us definitely away from that horrible flashing box in the corner. Oi Mixer wack me on the list please lol.have a fantastic night all and hears to the new year gf .P.s hope the lovely barmaid is there tonight lol.

Hi jayd - I'll add you to the list (you'll be our 30th member!). I've got to confess, I thought you were already a member !!! Anyway, have a great one and steer clear of the thieving boxes 🙂 and good luck with the barmaid 🙂 🙂

Cheers Mixer now who's round is it??

Checking in on day 16 GF!!

Had a great few days even with the wee man being ill with baby flu (like man flu) but less crying.

Nothing special done but I've actually started to be back in the room when with people which gambling took away from me. Feeling very positive and ready to smash the new year, strangely exercised even with being the poorest I've ever been and gambling to over come....

So in summary do one 2016 it's was emotional and hello 2017 this will be the year for big things.

Happy new year everyone.

I think it's your round jayd and you should treat the barmaid to one (a drink!!!)

Jim, you are part of a 100 day challenge now - you are doing the right thing. No gambling, one day at.a time. Every day answering one simply question: today, do I choose life, or get on the train to absolute misery? We're all with you here.

Happy New year everyone, a year of no regrets *!!