I will be there for my wife and daughter

Congratulations on reaching 300 days! So good to hear how much happier you are. Long may it continue. . .

Stay on this patch of grass. The grass to eat isn't always the brightest looking.

Day 337. I can see that year figure getting closer, already planning my next target - that's got to be the big 500. I'll work out when I'm going to hit that after I hit my year date. Roll on the 2nd April. 1 year gamble free, now that would be something.

Cheltenham here but I won't be betting on it. Feels good to say that, I can't risk it. I did have a brief thought of maybe just bet at Cheltenham once a year treat - yeah like I'd stick to that. Nope it's zero tolerance for me. Day 346 and I'm getting to the one year mark - and beyond!!

Hi there.

Just wanted to say a huge well done on you faster approaching your one year mark. I know what that feels like! I hope you are going to be kind to yourself and treat yourself too when it comes around. Watch Cheltenham with pride and let all the people there gamble/stress on whether they are going to win or lose! You on the other hand, have already won without doing any of that.

Take care.

Our Lady.

Day 350 and I'm confident I won't ever place another bet. Just don't want to. I know that they'll always be urges and temptations but I'm done I can't gamble again I can't ruin my life. I have to stick to this and stay strong. Gambling don't need me and I don't need gambling.

Congratulations on 1 year gamble free a great achievement, just think if you continue this way your daughter will never know the gambling you motivation in itself.

KTF

Thank you Oldham. It is a great feeling to know my girl won't see me in some of my gambling states. I can picture me ignoring her and not helping her all because I'm trying to get a bet on or looking at some stats for a bet. No way I ever want that. And with that thought in mind I need to refocus because I feel I'm getting slack and although it's because I have a large amount of gamble free days and I feel more comfortable now, I don't want to get complacent. So I look for day 400 and I will need to do some sort of countdown to 500 and a check in strategy and plan and possibly a little treat at the end of it I'll have a think.

Day 380. Just working out a few dates and I will hit 638 days if I make it through 2017 and 1003 days through 2018. Crazy numbers.

My next target is 400 which will fall on sun 7th May then the race to 500 which will be on 15th Aug.

One day at a time, I will get there.

Day 386. Two weeks to go until the big 400. The numbers are keeping me going. I never want another day 1!!

Day 388. I said recently I need a way to stay focused and to not get complacent so on Sunday 7th May I hit day 400 and I can't wait for that. I then will be challenging myself to 14 check ins. I will check in every Tuesday from the Tuesday 9th May to Tuesday 15th August. That's 14 check ins and on Tuesday 15th August I will be on day 500!

14 check ins now that sounds doable. I can't wait for my challenge to start.

Day 400 is here so let's begin the race to 500!!

As previously posted I will check in every Tuesday, 1st check in Tuesday 9th May and 14 check ins later on Tuesday 15th August, I will have hit day 500.

I'm in a place where I do get urges but with nowhere near the frequency or strength of urges that I once got. I feel alot more free from gambling and I'm confident I will be hitting day 500 and beyond. I'm done with gambling and I'm working away at the debt. Unfortunately there's no shortcuts, I'm still in a fair bit of debt and I'm still 2-3 years away from being debt free, possibly longer. But I've accepted that, I can't change it. It does annoy me knowing that all the debt repayments over the last 400 days could of paid for a lot of nights out or a couple decent holidays etc but it was my mistake, my errors and as I said I can't change it. I think it's the toughest part of quitting - letting go and accepting the situation. You quit but yet the pain of gambling is still felt for so long with various debts. I have debts, that sucks but gambling will only increase those debts so I have to do things the right way. Also if I gamble now I still have the debts but I lose my wife and child and of that I have no doubt, I have no more chances.

But on a positive I am 400 days without a bet, I have a lovely wife, who I'm lucky to have and still have and lucky to have got in the 1st place! And now have a gorgeous daughter who's my world so I'm lucky not in every way but maybe in the things that matter most. I think I've wasted many years, had good and bad times but the bad and good times could've been better without gambling but that's me and it's lead me to my wife and child so I accept where I am and I'm taking control to make sure the years ahead are great for me, my wife and my little girl.

Day 400, marching towards 500.

First check in, feeling good. I think having the goals and challenges really helps me to stay motivated. I have the 2017 challenge which is great really keeps me going and to finally compete a calender year gamble free will be amazing. Now having this smaller challenge in the middle helps to keep me on that path to getting through to the year end. I probably will do a similar thing for the winter months.

Check in 1/14

Just about made the Tuesday check in. Day 409. Feeling good that I won't be gambling, no urges that I can recall this past week.

Check in 2/14.

Day 417. Just missed Tuesday check in. But still gamble free so I won't worry. Third check in, few urges Friday, resisted and I just have to keep resisting. This addiction doesn't stop it can ease but I'm always going to be an addict. I know some that can go back and gamble "responsibly" but I don't think I could ever do that and I don't want to try.

Check in 3/14