Embracing a new exciting journey

Hmmm, I'm waiting for that promised update too 😉

Hopefully Christmas prep keeping you good & busy, not to mention gambling free - ODAAT

Hi Ade and ODAAT!

My god what a mad week it's been. Finished work and meeting up with old friends has taken precedent in the last few days. Been good to see old faces and those that don't have the same problems as me in terms of gambling. I look at theses friends in a positive light and realise that I too can be like them, and indeed once was when gambling wasn't in my life. I was going to update this weekend but both my kids have been struck with a nasty virus and now I'm coming down with it too. A trip to the hospital for my 2 year old yesterday was in order but thankfully he is ok. Sometimes when real life takes over you have no room for gambling thoughts. Kids being Ill too seems to shock my system and make me feel powerless. There is no room for gambling in my life. My wife and I were talking last night about how my betting turns me into a lazy unsociable grumpy person and it's true! I've been more on hand at home, been happier and more sociable. I feel good. Happy Christmas everyone. Here's to a gamble free 2015.

Rob

Wonderful to hear you remain gamble free 🙂 Sorry to hear about the kids & wishing you all a speedy recovery & an incredible Christmas!

Happy Christmas Rob,

Hope you are all feeling better. Perspective is a marvellous thing isn't it. Look after your golf balls my friend........the rest is just sand.

All the best

Ade

Hi Rob,

Just checking up on you mate. Found you back on Page 4!!!

Keep strong

Ade

Complacency kicked in. Relapse. Absolutely gutted. Not that it's any excuse but I can certainly pinpoint it to why I relapsed. My daughter was taken in to hospital on 27/12 and didn't get out until New Year's Eve, no gambling since then but when she got out the stress I felt under while she was in needed lifting and having let my guard down I ended up having a bet. Some say that relapse can be part of recovery. I hope so. I can take some positives from it. When it happened I didn't bury myself and keep the dirty secret to myself. I told my wife and family straight away what happened. The honesty helped to bring us together and I haven't bet now in about 9 days. It did get me thinking though. What if during my relapse I would have won? Would I have stopped as quickly as I started? Would I have said anything? The honest answer and the one I told my family was probably not. I'm glad I know this now. Because the honesty, particularly for my wife, is the part she hates the most. And I understand why. We sat up together on Thursday night and listened to a fantastic show on five live about gambling addiction in sport. John Hartson was on it and his accounts are oh so familiar to mine. Even the most life changing events that do shock you into realizing we are human and life is precious, still don't stop people from this terrible addiction. I think I was naive to think this was going to be easy to get over. I couldn't be more wrong. This will be the hardest thing I will ever have to do in my life, but the rewards are endless.

Im determined to keep up with my log now as it was helping, but with all the craziness going on in my life I got sidetracked from one of the things that was helping me. This blog. Time to get back on track. I'm going to have a read back through my diary and remember the positivity I had before.

Rob

Welcome back mate, hope the little one is A ok now!

Don't beat yourself up over what might have been, you may not have told if you had won but you don't know that & you were honest & that's what matters!

Recovery isn't an easy path to walk but it's the best road I've ever been down & you have plenty more reasons than I to be on it! Glad to see you back - you didn't give up, giving up & you can do this - ODAAT

Hi Rob,

Found you back on Page 6 mate!!

Hope you are ok, and keeping strong after the relapse.

Get back to recovery my friend..

You CAN do it....

All the best

Ade