Life or Misery; that's the choice

Hi Stephen and I loved your post about your brain being full of gambling garbage - you and me both mate! So many 'memories' cemented with gambling, mostly lossses of course, very few wins to lighten the gloom. But, as ever, we start from today and I try not to dwell anyway. I think the Angel Gabriel will put us in the gambling detox area before we're passed judgement by St Peter!!!!

I hope you had a terrific Christmas, Stephen, and looking forward to Betwixtmas - the only part of the year I like (I can do without Christmas myself, I'd duck out of it altogether if I could).

Here's to an enjoyable rest of the year to you - Cheers!!

When I re-started my diaries, back in Spetember I said I would be happy not to gamble till Christmas - which I've managed to do! But I realise that Christmas was simply the first of many milestones. I realise I cannot start again. I have no choice. Are things better? Yes, they are but I'm seeing, at the same time, all the wasted opportunities that have left me by and, in some respects - like my working career - I'm in the slow lane. I should have done much better, achieved much more. I'm markedly behind my peers. But there's no point in wallowing, I will try and catch up if that's the best thing to do - we all plough our own furrows in life. Money, strangely, isn't the motivation - not gambling feels like a massive payrise! In 2018, I need to find my motiovation, what's best. Certainly, gambling doesn't feature in these plans, and, day by day, I will continue to remind myself why this is.

Well done Mixer, you have done great to get to christmas gf (something i did not manage to do),yes we all have wasted many opportunites because of our gambling but think of the better times that lie ahead if we remain gamble free, your right there is no point in wallowing, we will have our good & bad days but lets move into 2018 on the right track .... keep up the good work mate you are a great help to many on here.

Congratulations Mixer on 141 Days GF. Wishing you a good weekend with peace and contentment in the year ahead.

Thankyou for all your help and support during 2017.

Hello Mixer. Hope your enjoying a good weekend.

I appreciate your encouraging post after my relapse. Thankyou also for running The Guru Challenge.

The time had passed quickly since August when you came back to the diaries. Your target than was a gamble free christmas which you have achieved in great style. Monday will see you 150 days into your journey and your future awaits.

Wishing you every happiness ...stephen

Thank you for posting on my diary Mixer. I really appreciate the advice and support.

Very impressed today reading your weekly update on the Guru Challenge. I thought the prelude was very informative and certainly hit the nail on the head. I imagine compulsive gamblers new to recovery would find it particularly helpful.

Congratulations on your 150 days gamble free tomorrow. You have done really well.

Thank you so such Chartom, Stephen for your kind messages. Onwards we go in search of that better life, which is just the yet non-gambling day away! And if we strumble, we get up, dust ourselves down, and try again.

I'm on Day 150 and won't deny it's not easy ... that's why I never have access to more than £10 cash. I'm very lucky to have support that allows me to do that ... I know I'm very lucky there.

It's just another day ... gotta keep going !!

Shoulder to shoulder, Chartom, Stephen, we can do this ... and tell the gambling devil, when it perches on our shoulder, to flick off! (Or something like that!)

Hello Mixer, hope your having a good week.

Really enjoyed reading the information and advice which you have posted on your thread " Can we do something - YES WE CAN ." I found it very interesting and thought provoking.

Many thanks for all the help you offer to your friends on the diaries. We are all facing a moumental challenge and need all the help we can get. Respectfully yours, stephen .

Just enjoyed reading the weekly rollcall on The Guru Challenge thread. I also had another read of Can we do something - Yes We Can . That thread is absolutely brilliant and is full of useful information, suggestions, and guidance for visitors to the forum.

Thank you Mixer for all the hard work you put into these threads. It is a great help to myself and others like me, we are fighting for our lives and your helping us in our fight.

Wishing you peace, contentment and happy days throughout the coming week...stephen

Hi Stephen - thank you for your kind comments, and I'm sorry it's been a while since I updated my thread!

I remain gambling free and am currently seeking promotion at work - fingers crossed, find out on Tuesday!

Not gambling has renewed my ambitions that were previously muted.

Wishing you well as always, Stephen!

Hello Mixer. Just wanted to thank you for your help and support. I am leaving the diaries for a while to try and work out what's gone wrong.

When I joined GamCare I didn't have a bet for 6 months and now I can't even manage a month without gambling. It is really messing up my head. I gambled today and really can't understand why I did it.

Take care...stephen

Hi Mixer,

i am pleased to read yo are doing well.

All the best

Wilsy

Hello Mixer. Hope your fully recovered from the man-flu and feeling bright and breezy.

I see it's almost 200 days since you last gambled which is wonderful.

It's scary how quickly time passes. The days seem to pass us by in the blink of an eye.

Congrats on 200 days Mixer!

Hope you feel better soon.

Hello Mixer

I hope you are well.

Belated congratulations on 200 days gamble free. Great stuff, well done.

I hope things went well at work with the promotion you were seeking.

46 and Out