No going back but learning from the past

Sharon I just looked at your profile page ...WOW ... that 200 Days GF just blew me away. Massive respect for what you have achieved. My angels are bringing you some flowers on the astral plane, sadly you won't be able to see them but be assured they will be round and about you.

I saw this quote by your namesake Sharon Stone " You know, sometimes I feel well and vital in the world, and sometimes I just feel so distressed I want to pull my hair out by the roots ". Now I have to ask myself why would someone who is a mega rich actress and successful author etc etc think like that ! Obviously fame and fortune don't bring happiness.

Hope today you feel happy and content with your progress. You have done so well and I feel very proud to call you my GamCare Sister...stephen

Gooooood Morning Sharon :)) .

So how's it feel to be 200 today ?:)) .

Seriously , Huge congratulations on your " Double century " today , that's an amazing achievement and you should be very proud of yourself , youv'e pushed through everyday and endured all the up's and down's along the way that makes this addiction at times very hard to shake and all credit to you .

Many thanks for all your kind and supportive word's not only to myself but more importantly around the forum .

Enjoy your day you deserve it .

Love and best wishes

Alan x

Day 200, am in a thoughtful frame of mind today reflecting on what has evolved in the last 200 days....despair, sadness, self-loathing, gulit/happiness, sympathy, kindness, supporting, inspiration. I feel like the lid of my personal 'can of worms' has been well and truly opened, at first this didn't seem like a good thing but now feels like the best thing that couldn't have happened. It has shown me I am worth fighting for against this awful addiction, although at times have thought the opposite. Yesterday I found out via social media that someone I grew up with had sadly passed away, I wasn't close to them in adult life but made me feel so sad for the family they've left behind and that life is such a privilege and so short we need to soak up and enjoy every minute. So I raise my coffee cup to staying GF and enjoying life. Here's a couple of songs that popped up. I can see clearly now-Jimmy Cliff...lyrics!!! and Reach out I'l be there-Four Tops.

@Stephen a million hugs to you my friend, always there, so thoughtful and so many times has brightened a dark day. Also inspiring people with your own journey.

@Alan forever supplying wise words, encouragement and pathways forward. What would thus forum be without you.

Also @Matt24 if you ever think you can't make it through read Matt diary but prepare for a rollercoaster! Thanks for being there for me 🙂

......and to everyone has supported and been so kind sincere thanks, take care and let's stay GF Sharon 🙂

Sharon, may I offer my congratulations on your hitting 200 marvellous gambling free days today. Seeing fellow Abstainers hitting these meaningful milestones inspires me to do the same 🙂

All the very best,

Mixer

Many thanks Mixer, makes me happy to think I'm heloping in some ways as I was/am helps, make a world of difference! Big up for your guru challenge which is spurring people on.Take care S:)

Hi Double Century Sharon. Great post of yours this morning. I imagine you looked back on the last 200 days with a mixture of emotions, don't think you'd want to go through all that again, I guess it must sometimes have been very difficult. Also when childhood acquaintances pass away it's a sad reminder of our vulnerability.. On a brighter note it's Sting's birthday today so plenty of celebrating for you and him both.

Love them records you mentioned. Reach out I'll be there by The Four Tops. Thats like when we first come to GamCare: ....Now if you feel like you can't go on, because all of your hope is gone - And your life is filled with much confusion, until happiness is just an illusion - And your world around is crumbling down - Darling reach out ( c'mon girl reach out for me ), Reach out ( reach out for me ).......Than further up the recovery road when life is getting better it's like I can see clearly now by Jimmy Cliff..... I can see clearly now the rain is gone - I can see all obstacles in my way - Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind - It's gonna be a bright bright bright sunny day.

So very proud of you Sharon. Take care, stay strong and keep blazing that trail......stephen

I used to have a girlfriend called " Lorraine " and I could also see clearly once she'd gone :))

@Alan ba da da ching, that is brilliant S:)

Hi Sharon

Massive congrats on your double century, no mean feat. Sorry to hear about your friend, sadly the only certain thing about life is it ends one day, that's why we have to appreciate the beautiful gift that life can really be.

Today is my day 365 and I want to say a little thank you for your contributions on my diary, a truly lovely lady and I look forward to reading about your day 365 soon. Maybe you won't be taking the bins out that day....who know 😉

Take care

Matt

After the very sad passing of Tom Petty I dedicate my favourite song by him to gambling

The reason why, oh I can't say

I have to let you go babe and right away

After what you did, I can't stay on

And I'll probably feel a whole lot better when you've gone R I P Tom

Hi Sharon 200 days GF, I look forward to getting to 200, I suppose every day is a good day but hitting the 50's or 100's does leave gambling further and further in the distance. Congtatulations.

Hi Sharon hope your happy and well. Loved your post RIP Tom Petty. He really was a brilliant musician and well respected by his contemporaries and fans alike. Apparently he got a lot of benefit from Transcendental Meditation which involves reciting a mantra like we do with our stop gambling mantras ie 'no going back but learning from the past' ( I like that one).

Glad you reminded me of Carly Simon, just been enjoying some of her music on youtube.

Take care and many thanks for helping me on my journey ...stephen

Hi Sharon thankyou for the post on my diary, always appreciated.

Life certainly has it's ups and downs but we now know that there's no future to be had in gambling. I always thought it was about the money but am coming to realise that simply wasn't the case.

Feel confident but very wary. Saddens me to see people relapse. Sometimes friends stop posting for a while and come back with sad stories of more misery. I've yet to see anybody come back from a gambling binge with an happy outcome, but I never will see that because we're compulsive gamblers and once we start we can't stop.

Take care ....stephen

Morning Sharon hope your feeling happy. I just saw a lady at the bus stop with christmas wrapping paper sticking out of her bag ! whats that all about ! It's ages 'till christmas.

Need to pick your brains, can't decide on what Billy Joel track to choose for tomorrows music choice ! Any ideas.

150 Days tomorrow so i'm on a bit of a high today. Wondering whether to start a new thread to mark the occasion.

Take care ....stephen

Hi Stephen all good with me thanks, wow!!! 150 days is quite a milestone. Tricky related to being GF I would say 'This is my life' but also really like 'We didn't start the fire' I'm so incredibly proud of the way you handle your recovery with dignity, honesty and the generousity of helping others..what a gem you are. Have a great Saturday take care S:)