18TH JAN 2013 - Time to let go.

Thanks Hamish. Hope you are doing well and staying strong and focused.

Take care.

Sorry Feb,

Son's gf appeared and chatted incessantly about the "new house" hence missed chatting here earlier.

Congrats on your progress- it's a brill feeling not squandering your salary on gambling eh? I'm glad to see you've given yourself some achievable goals for next month also.

Was there a decision on the "Recovery Recipes" thread? Any tips would be gratefully accepted- easy, quick and cheap meals please! I tend to snack and munch chocolate if left to my own devices. So until I can afford a personal chef, I'll need to make an effort!

Thanks for advice re phone calls at work- I was taken aback (plenty more to come I expect until my plans finalised!).

I hope your back gets better soon, take care and keep up the fantastic effort!

Irene

x

Hi Feb

Congratulations. In response to your post on my thread - yes, I think I've posted before about our pay days being almost the same. Which is cool as we'll have similar targets all round.

You seem really confident and sure about not gambling which is great to hear. I feel the same way too.

take care

Thanks Irene and cardhue.

Take care.

Hello Feb,

I really like how you give yourself monthy goals in your diary. That's a great idea, keeps you real focused that way. I have to try that. Just wanted to stop by and say welldone on your goals and being gamble free.

Sincerely,

Chicagoguy

Thanks Chicago.

Had this weird urge earlier to want to try spinning!!! I've heard that much talk about it on here and nearly all night have seen adverts for it followed by pay day loans - the two go hand in hand and them companies are in it together and know exactly what they are doing!! Anyway! thankfully it appeared to be just a mad thought and I just rememberd my little powerful word "NO" and that was the end of it! - HOW STRANGE!!

You take care and stay strong.

Feb.

WEEK 4: "It's another day, it's another "NO" (to GAMBLING)

Reflecting back on last night.... I was sitting watching the tv (in between oooh's and owssss's with my sore back)! I noticed every time the adverts came up, there was an advert for 'Spinning', promptly followed by an advert for a pay day loan company. (very clever advertising)!!

Now then, given that I don't even know what "spinning" is (other than some form of keep feet thing in the gym)!! and given that I have never been in casinos to gamble or used slot machines, I suddenly got this, not sure whether it was a thought or an urge at the time, to maybe sign up for it on my mobile and get the free 'spins' so to speak. Thankfully, my subconscious mind told me that:

"NOTHING IS FOR FREE" and "IT WILL BE A CON AS YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO SPEND LOADS BEFORE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET BACK ANY WINNINGS"

I decided at this point that the above were indeed just thoughts (mad ones) and not urges. Nevertheless, it still played on my mind somewhat, enough for me to want to chart it in my diary!

I have told myself that it is still ok to have thoughts at this early stage in my recovery. I wondered if this was also due to me being in 'cold turkey' mode for the first time - normally I would gamble as soon as I was paid and carry on until all my money was virtually spent pretty soon after. This month, for the first time in a long time, I have not done this.

Anyway, today, I am happy to say that I have not beaten myself up about this and just reminded myself that this was just merely a mad thought and that was the end of it - "NICE AND SIMPLE"

Tomorrow takes me to my 5th week of being free from gambling and I am very much going to concentrate on that little positive.

Ready for dinner now - leftover curried chicken pie with vegetables and a nice glass of White Zinfandel!

Feb - still soldiering along the "Bright Side of the Road" - for now anyway!!

Hi Feb

You're an incredibly positive character but you're human, and in recovery, so your bound to have the odd dark/deluded thought. The fact you pulled through pretty easily shows just how far you've come. Overcoming these urges will make you stronger than before.

I'm stuck in the house doing last minute cramming for an exam tomorrow morning. Want to justify giving up for the night but I know that last minute cramming does actually work. Looking forward to a glass or three of wine myself when it's over.

Take care

Hi FEB

keep strong and keep going, in the end we will all be ok as long as we remember, WHEN WE KEEP OUR MONEY IN OUR POCKETS THE CASINO/ BOOKIES LOSE.

Shaun

Aright Feb?!

Great last post that was! Don't be sucked in by all this You get free spins when you join and deposit this and get so much free! It's just to suck you in and get you playing. And yeah, you do have to play for so long before you can collect anything. These companies do my head in. They all say it's just for fun and you should only spend what you can afford but they'll quite happily take thousands from you! If they were "Just for fun" You wouldn't be playing for real money or at least you'd be limited to a small stake. Sorry, angry rant over! You can tell I've lost a few quid over the years, can't you?!

Well done getting past payday! Feels good doesn't it?! Keep it up Feb! I look forward to passing 100 days and knowing you're almost there too! We can do it! Proper good 😀

Stub 🙂 x

Thanks Gamcare friends for your kind words, much appreciated. Had a really good time this evening in the "chit chat" room! Your words and the extra communication on chat have only made me more determined to continue to get the "old me" back - STRONG, CONFIDENT and TENACIOUS!! All the way from now on in!

Have a great weekend everyone and speak soon.

Feb. - Hopefully back to MARCHING down "The Bright Side of the Road" once this backache has gone!!!

It's another week, it's another "NO" (to GAMBLING) = 5 WEEKS

I just thought, as I am still up and I am now embarking onto my 6th week of being gamble free, I would make a note in my diary.

I am pleased to say, up to this point, I have achieved all I wanted to achieve in terms of my monthly mini goals. Here's to next months mini goals! - WATCH THIS SPACE I SAY!!!

Feb. - Walking even further down "The Bright Side of the Road". Simple As!!

Hey Feb,

I know how you feel, everytime I'am in my car and hear an advertisement for one of the local casinos, trying to entice people to come to play there slots, I change the station right away. It's crazy how far we've come, that never bothered me before when I was using.(gambling) same as using as far as I'am concerned. Once you abstain your mind starts to think clearer and you make better choices. I use to even dream about going to the casino and playing, that's how warped it made me. No more madness, done, fineto, zero, zilch. Stay strong Feb, well done!

Sincerely,

Chicagoguy

Hi Feb

Well done you!! 5 weeks gamble free for me too and am feeling positive. Had a wobble last weekend where I really thought I was going to succumb but managed to stay clear and got out of the house :))

Stay focussed

xx

Hi Feb

Well done you!! 5 weeks gamble free for me too and am feeling positive. Had a wobble last weekend where I really thought I was going to succumb but managed to stay clear and got out of the house :))

Stay focussed

xx