keep on keeping on x

day 51GF today I will not gamble, Saturday will be interesting going to football for the first time in decades without a coupon in my back pocket or an acca on my phone, bring it on

keep on keeping on .,

Well done on cracking the half century and thanks for the post on my diary this morning. I find when I go to the football it can be a little testing as the lads I go with are never off their phones doing football bets. It helps to see them later in the day cursing a last minute goal or the typical one team letting them down. I think to myself, I’m glad that’s not me today. I’m away next week so will miss the first and second games of the season.

A beer sounds a good idea, maybe post your email address or ask admin to forward it on to me?

cheers where is my mind, ive been there loads of times at football when youre not even paying attention to the game you're watching because you are constantly checking your phone hoping that Port Vale get an equaliser or St. Mirren hang on for a home win. will do that mate via admin.

day 52 - today I wont gamble, keep on keeping on etc.

day 53, day 12 of 12 consecutive days in work looking forward to the weekend . football season starts tonight, few beers and matchday tomorrow and life is good. swerved the super 6 competition at work , people think im being tight , dont care. Sunday involves a day out in the yorkshire dales, not been before. today i wont gamble, enjoy your weekend , keep on keeping on.

day 56 not much to report , today i wont gamble

57 beautiful GF days , and today i will not gamble. Going away with my kids next week and its all paid for and not on the CC.

Gonna spend a fortune and give them a great holiday without nervously calculating spends in my head worrying because ive already handed loads of money over to the gambling companies. Sleeping better, feeling better. No room for complacency .

keep on keeping on

Massive well done on reaching 57 days GF and for being able to take your kids away next weekend and giving them a great holiday.

It’s so much more satisfying than gambling ourselves into a mess.

Glad to hear you’re sleeping better too.

Have a great holiday mate!

Dan

Wakey wakey Shakey the sun is shining bright

Your life is getting better every day and every night

Gamble free, courageous and on a noble quest

Your focussed, brave, determined and out to do your best

With a smile upon your face you sing with the birds above

So whenever you feel shaky just give yourself a shove...stephen x

cheers Dan, congratulations on a marvellous achievement so far, keep going son

stephen, thanks you truly are the poet laureate of gamcare, ive written a limerick for your diary

day 58 for me life is good, was in a dark place start of the year but its true what they say its always darkest before the dawn.

good luck to all on your individual journeys , shake the disease, get the monkey off your back, keep on keeping on, take the power back etc, etc,

day 60 GF !!! last day at work for a week , camping with the kids and dont care its gonna chuck it down every day. doing loads of outdoor stuff paddle boarding etc. gonna be excellent. happy days indeed, keep on keeping on friends

Hi shake the disease,

Huge congrats on 60 days GF. You are working really hard, really pleased for you that you are making progress and are experiencing the rewards.

Keep posting, keep working!

All the very best,

Eva

Forum Admin

Congratulations Shakey on 60 days gamble free. Good progress with a positive attitude.

Camping is a great way to enjoy a family holiday. Fun and adventures all round for you and the children and that's how it should be. My niece and her family love it, most weekends in summer they load up the tent and off they go.

Staying gamble free is not easy by any means but if we are to have any quality of life than that is how it's got to be. Stay strong my friend, stay focussed and have a wonderful holiday...stephen

Glad to see you are still going strong, hope you are having a great holiday. Its a lot more rewarding when we can actually fund things ourselves after such a long time giving all our cash to a bookmakers. Keep up the good work!

cheers Stephen , keep up the poetry and keep hammering that gym - brilliant to see you in such a good place

thanks Where is my Mind , congratulations on 10 weeks, fantastic achievement

day 70 GF for me , 10 whole weeks - not saying ive cracked this thing yet by any means but it feels good. 3 big things have made this possible for me

1) Tell Someone you Trust - I knew i could never tell my partner or family , just doesnt work like that for me, although i appreciate that sometimes people have no choice due to finances etc. I told a close friend who I trust who I wouldnt want to let down and she didnt judge me, she just now and again checks Im still on the right path, one of the reasons i dont want to relapse is that Id feel Id let her down.

2) Gamstop - gamechanger, doesnt cure the cause, I'm not saying its the ultimate solution for anyone with these issues but it goes a long way as it takes away a lot of the opportunity to gamble, and personally I know i would have relapsed on a number of occasions if i wasnt blocked.

3) keeping the Diary on here has become a daily routine in the road to recovery

Anyway just back from a brilliant camper van trip to wales with the kids, did some amazing stuff, had the best time ever, spent an absolute fortune and dont care , dont regret a single penny. Had a couple of opportunities to go in amusement arcades which i was dreading a bit as it would have been a bit of a test but when i offered the kids didnt even want to go in so i didnt have to deal with that so i was made up.

When i was a kid i was mad for the arcades and would spend every minute of holidays in the arcades that I could, and every penny. The fact they didnt even want to go in I suppose is a sign of the times as they probably have better video games at home on their x boxes, but I also hope the other reason they didnt want to go in is that they've not got the gambling instinct that their old man has .

anyway thanks so much to the people who comment and give messages of support on my diary, it means a lot.

good luck to everyone, saw this quote 'sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tip-Toe if you must but take the step'

take the power back, and keep on keeping on.

You are doing amazing! Keep it up 🙂