On Top of the World!!!!

Hey Diggoryboy,

Thanks for the post and words of encouragement. I think your spot on with the triggers, the more we know about ourselves and what causes them for us, we can understand and work through them instead of running and hiding at the casino. Your doing great keep up the good work. Stay strong.

Chicagoguy

A nice weekend with my family. I even had time to watch the England rugby match. It is so lovely to be able to do this and not feel I have to be gambling. I was worried that sport would be a trigger for me but not anymore. My wife is now away in the states working for a week and my son is on a school field trip for the same time. Home alone! In the past this would have meant a gamble fest. Bookies, all night casino trips. But now ... not even the sightest temptation. Nothing. Over the weekend I went past 100 days. What a great 100 days. I am absolutely rocking. I have my life back and I won't give it away again!

Diggory Boy,

Well done mate - great to see such a clear mind-set following some good abstinence. I am on 91 days (a few behind you). Long may it stay that way

Keep up the good work

D123

Having a great week. Work going well. Very well. The sense of achievement I get at the end of the day from accomplishing things is great. It is stating the obvious to say that I didn't have the time or the mental space to work hard when I was a gambler but now...watch me fly! My wife and son are both away this week and despite live football, Cheltenham Festival, the lure of all night casino possibilities I have no urges and no thoughts about gambling. To have such gambling opportunities and temptations in front of me and barely notice is such a lovely feeling. I feel like a normal person and this time I know I am not going back.

Hey Diggoryboy,

Congrats on your continued soberity. Nice to not have thoughts of gambling popping into our minds like they use to. Way to stay strong and commited.

Chicagoguy

Another week begins. A week of work. A week of the ups and downs of family life. A week of normality. A week of achievements. Whatever this week throws at me I won't be gambling. I'm still a very happy boy.

Turning into a very busy week. More work coming in and things still going very well. I have to be aware that definite triggers in the past for me were random bad things in life which often cost me money and felt like a gambling loss(car/house repairs etc). Since I stopped last year all I have encontered is the opposite more work, more income etc. I must make sure that when life throws me financial googly that I am able to treat it as part of normality. Still let's hope there isn't one lurking around the corner anyway!

Well done Diggoryboy on your return to the forums and your successful abstinence.

Michael

Hi Diggoryboy, Thanks for you post, appreciated.

I read your diary, really is good to see your feeling better within yourself, that is the beauty of getting our lifes back on track. I feel exactly the same as you, we have to remember we are only one bet away from starting again ! as we all know, it comes back much worse than when we left it. Well done again and all the best Dark Place

Hey Diggoryboy,

Well done on your continued sobriety. Great to unleash those chains that gambling entangled us in. Stay strong!

Chicagoguy

Thanks for the support on my diary Diggoryboy, very much appreciated.

Keep strong in your recovery my friend.

I will endeavour to read your diary when I have some more time

MW

Am about to go out in the cold and rain to watch my son play football. I will be wet and freezing but I will have a smile on my face as this will be a thousand times more preferable than being in the warm, comforting Hell of a bookies or casino. Have a great weekend everyone.

Hey Diggoryboy,

Well done on your sobriety, so nice to realize that the simple things in life are free. And we don't need to be in the dark days anymore. Stay strong, and enjoy your weekend.

Chicagoguy

Had a great weekend. Work still going well. My son is on a school ski trip so my wife and I did some decorating on Sunday. Very dull, very normal, very happy not to be a gambler.

Diggoryboy,

Thanks for your post on my diary - always great to feel the support of others out there. Your comment of gambling life being like 'Hell' is completely true. So often, the longer things go on, the more we seem able to distance ourselves from the hurt, pain and anxiety that gambling brings us - not to mention the impact on those around us through lies & deceit. Bizarrely, the memories we retain from gambling are the rare wins/successes - however few and far between they were. It is so important that, however painful, we keep reminding ourselves of exactly what gambling did to our lives.

Pleased to hear you had a good weekend. Abstinence brings clarity - and your ability to enjoy the simple things in life is surely enhanced by not being 'in action'. I can recall countless family events / birthday parties etc, thinking to myself "come on - this should be enjoyable" but being totally consumed and pre-occupied because my gambling was still going on.

Well done mate, let's push on together and beat this thing.

D123