New beginnings!

Great post Lucy!

Well done for coming back here and showing that it is possible to put a slip behind you and move on - because that's all it was.

I am so happy that your outlook is positive again and that you are starting to look forward.

Thank you to you too.. if it wasn't for people like you to inspire, I doubt that many of us would have made as much progress.

Stay strong and keep smiling!

Lmm xxxxxxxxx

Hi Loo,

You soooo did the right thing getting back on the old D word!

Ya know hun...You supported so many peeps and will keep on doing that..........Must admit I missed your posts when you stopped !

So Wombles wise advice

Keep posting!

We wanna see more of

Strong...Smiling Lucy

Sue xxxx

Hi Lucy, thanks for the post, you're right they do grow up quick and I'm trying to just enjoy the moment before time transcends. I'm not overly sorry you had a recent slip, instead I'm really glad you had the courage to be honest with yourself and stay on this site to continue the good fight. I'm also really glad that you got no solace or enjoyment from that brief gambling experience. This will put you in really good stead for the future. We will all feel low in the future but at least now you're aware that there is no comfort in that form of escapism.

I hope the achilles has mended, terrible pain that one and if you go out walking soon then I would seriously invest in a good strapping. Working in education is strange, I find when you're working you long for the breaks but when you're on holiday you feel a little in limbo. I can't work this out, no other job felt like this. Anyway I hope you're enjoying the holidays. Take care, don't take life too seriously it's far too important for that, don't worry about the past or the future, just enjoy the moment, it's all we have.

Steve.

Hi Lucy,

Just wanted to say hi to you and to let you know that after I had my diary removed I did return to the gambling.

Im still an avid follower of my friends on here, and sincerely wish you all nothing but the best in life.

One slip ? - just a blip 🙂

Take care my friend,

All the Best from Edinburgh

Hi Cameron,

Looked for your new diary but can't find one so i'll write my reply on here

Sorry to hear to slipped back and i hope you have managed to nip it in the bud now

Thank you for your post, i'm trying to stay positive just v gutted i let it go and back to square one again but no looking back now!

Take Care and Keep Strong

Smiling Lucy

Hey Lucy!

How you doing today? Keeping busy I hope?

I just wanted to say that your new diary title is great.. and so fitting. With the amount of storms that you have weathered.. you should stand firm for a long, long time!

Keep going my old mate.. good times are just round the corner!

xxxxx

Hi Lucy,

Hope things all good?

Just popping by really to check up on my smiling...strong...friend!

Sue xxx

Looking forward is all we can do in those challenging recovery journeys of ours. There is no point in looking back except for when there is a need to be reminded of those darkest hours of our lives.

Those hours must NEVER, EVER be repeated. We already know that gambling really is a no-no and we must never go back to that horrible world again.

And by making all the right choices for yourself, I know that you won't.

NT

hi boston,

carl

Lucy,

I am posting to thankyou for your kind words on my diary and for the continued support you have offered me throughout my time on this forum.

I see from recent posts that you had "slipped" recently and had not felt good in general for a few weeks. I believe it is especially hard for you at this time of year due to the extended break that you have. Almost everyone will say that when we tackle problems or addictions we should keep ourselves as busy as possible. For most, we throw ourselves into our work and for you this isn't always possible. Sometimes too much time alone can offer too much time to think.

Everyone who is active on this site has a small or, in some cases, a large number of fellow members who they look out for. I don't always post but I look out for a small amount of users who I am usually drawn to due to similarities in circumstances or because I have a great deal of respect for due to their dedication to their recovery and willingness to succeed. You are definetly one of my few. I might not always post but your dedication to your diary always blows me away. If I was forced to bet one last time I would bet on you succeeding and at least I could be happy knowing that my last bet was a winning one.

Our journey will be long but I recognise that you will not shy away from the challenge or walk away during difficult times. Someone more wise than me on this site told me to put as much effort into my recovery as I used to into my gambling. Good advice but sadly not enough people are willing to work that hard for a new, happy life. A blind person could see the amount of effort you have and continue to put into your recovery.

I felt sad reading one of your previous posts but look forward to reading more of your diary as you march forward towards the life you want and clearly deserve.

Tomso.

Good Morning World

Thanks for your wonderful posts as always 😉

How is Lucy's world?

Confusing a bit, been thinking about how i was as a person gambling, now i know i said i wasn't going to look back but i need to understand the changes i am feeling about being me so i have to look at what was before!

Devoid of emotion!

Not completely, still had wants and needs but there was a deadness behind the eyes, i looked at a few photos at different times over the years and even though my eyes are really dark brown they did not smile.

Today is so different, i'am alive with emotions, sometimes very difficult to deal with but you know when i see a photo of any time in the last few months there is a twinkle in the eyes, if i was smiling and to be honest apart from the last few weeks i smile most of the time, my dentist loves me lol lol it looks like i'm happy!

Gambling makes me die within, it makes me unhappy so why would i want to go back there again!

I can only live one day at a time and am starting to understand that i will feel different at any time but also that i can deal with each and every emotion that comes my way, i have to listen to friends even if i'm a stubborn b**** because most of the time they make sense!

So instead of worrying about how i feel on any god given day i am going to embrace the feeling and deal with it best i can for that day!

There will be good days and not so good days, there will be days when the devils come to get me but this time i'll be fully armed, ready to fight for another day!

Today i will smile, it will be huge cause i know it's ok to make mistakes as long as i can learn from them, i will smile cause i deserve too , i'm learning that from all the kind words on here 😉

So my roots are getting better established for if or when the next storm comes but boy i have decided that every day that the clouds keep away i am going to enjoy as much as i can!

Keep Strong all and have a great weekend, after this week i'm going to have a great night out tonight!

Take Care

Smiling Lucy 😉

Mornin Lucy

Another fantastic post and most parts cud av wrote the same on my diary , understanding why and how is what now drives u forward , the acceptance of where u r now but more importantly u know where u want to get to and also accept there will be good and bad days on the way and are ready and prepared to deal with them

Our journeys are so similar and so are our beliefs , all recoveries are different on this site and supporting others gives us that insight on how they deal with their lives moving forward , we learn so much picking vital pieces of info to help us on our way

U av had to show great strength and dig deep inside when the days are not so good where others may not av found , I know u r proud I can see that in ur posts and so u should be. Take that step back and see what u av achieved , I will always remember a post I caught on a Saturday night when u the urges were so strong the raw emotion every feeling pouring out in ur post yes u were down but not beaten my god u fought and u beat that urge , the strength it gave u helped u move forward but also inspired me and no doubt many others

So now from Lucy to smiling Lucy to be able to look in the mirror at photos and see those dark brown eyes twinkle that smile lighting up the room , a far cry from the desperate days where there was no smile and couldn't bear to look in the mirror and look in those eyes due to all the self hatred that gambling brought

So to answer the question why would u want to go back ? Well u definitely wouldn't absolutely no reason whatsoever

Take care

Castle2

Hi Lucy,

I really cant say a lot hun after reading the 2 awesome posts you just got!

You are one amazing lady!

Have a wonderful night out cos hun you deserve it!

Smiling Lucy with the gorgeous eyes!

Hugs Sue xxxxxxxxxxx

hi lucy,

You go grrrrl!!!! HUGS -joan