reborn on the 4th July

Yes I think a lot of my negative thinking is down to the stress of work. Its not easy is it. Despite the stress you seem to be coping well... good one... S.A

Hey Castle,

I hope you will have a better day today. And just echoing Rachel and SA here...Life can be stressful and complicated, especially if employees don't help to better the situation with their roles, but it's Life and we have to deal with everything head on...We will come out to the other end eventually:-)

Sometimes just takes few disciplines to make them realize that work is not a play ground and they are there to share equal responsibilities with work collegues.

Take care, you doing great, just keep your strength and believe going:-)

Day at a time

Sandra x

Hey Castle ..

Here's 6 words that I can see to describe you if you get stuck ...

Thoughtful, great humility, balanced and fair, kind, responsible, caring ...

Xxxx

Hi Castle,

I hope u r ok and having a good day. Sorry 2 read that things have been a little tough recently, u r a fighter Castle and I know u will stay strong. I believe in u!

I hope u get 2 spend some quality time with Jessica soon, I know that will cheer u up. I hope she is ok 🙂

Stay strong Castle, I am always here 4 u xx

Thanks everyone

Had a full on weekend with work and also yesterday now on a 3 day course to learn more on how the business want our management style to be 1st day went ok and to be honest it was good to be away from store , tomorrow got to do a 2 minute speech on been an authentic leader prepared quote well for it but its always a bit nervy speaking in front of others , done this sort of things a few times so I will survive

Been thinking a lot about my stress levels which seem to be going through the roof with work been honest I never used to get this stressed and the question I ask myself is why ? Apart from the reasons that the job is changing and getting harder or maybe after been in my store nearly four years I am just ready for a change myself , what I am thinking though is when gambling I did it to release the stress and now that doesn't happen I maybe need to fond different ways to release it , but then gambling brought me stress whether it be a different type of stress I'm not sure

I guess I need to adapt a bit more , I'm hoping I might learn a bot more about myself over the next couple of days , I know the few days away from store will be a start

Not feeling as flat now which I knew would pass I do wonder sometimes what it is all about and read a few others sometimes feel the same but life is precious tomorrow is a new day I will embrace it and enjoy it the best I can

Hey Castle,

Thank you so much for your supportive post last night. I still learn to accept good and bad days...it is hard, stress level high as well, but have to move forward, have to find that inner strength and keep moving.

I hope today goes well and you will take everyone of their feet with your little speech:)

Be proud!

Take care

Sandra x

Thanks Sandra

3 day course now finished and overall enjoyed it I can't say I av learned much bout myself but put that down to learning so much bout myself over the last 2 years, what I did take from it though was sharing ideas with others and taking good practise back to my storeCourse finished an hour earlier so left me with unexpected time to kill, my lifestyle b4 would av given me an opportunity to gamble but now I spent my my time posting on this amazing site that's contributed so much to my better life

Got a couple of days off now and plan to just relax and destress from work, spend some quality time with jess and enjoy the days

Hi mate,

Thanks for your post, I feel fine buddy s**t happens eh, it's what I do now. I am pleased you agreed with what I said and how I was feeling. I had Duncan's honest 'Black and White' view which I can respect is the way he see's the situation and what it may bring moving forward (which annoyed me a little) but he cares and I must say it did make sense and has made me be very aware I have let this addiction get back in and must crush it again. What you said was even more effective in my opinion you knew where I was coming from.

Pleased you are dealing with your stress at work very well. I too am dealing with stress of work and life very well and am fighting urges daily but I wasn't quite ready for my volatile situation, which completely got me and I accept that. The bottom line regardless of any urges and whether the addiction talks to people or not, yesterday and just yesterday, I wanted to gamble. I couldn't and nobody could stop me, it was 2 hours!

Now I must not do it again, otherwise I would be a very, very naughty boy! 🙂

Night mate

Glad the course went ok. You've come along way in those 2 years and learnt a lot about yourself and now im sure your seeing the benefits. Have a great couple of days off, enjoy the rest. Although if jess is about i suppose it wont be to restfull lol.

Thanks for your post im glad the thread could help you with a bit of focus and i thank you for being part of it and helping make it become a success. I am gonna do another one as i think it will help me keep my focus going. It would of course be great to have you on board again but i know you don't do a lot of threads so if you feel you wanna give this one a miss no worries.

Have a great weekend.

Hey Castle,

Very uplifting to read that the course went well and you come out more stronger and sure about yourself after it. Great stuff!!:-)

Once again thank you so much for your encouraging words and i do take them on board. It's lovely to have so many wise people on this forum, which makes it all feel right...i learn and learn..and i love it. I am growing bigger and more confident each day and all i can say is thank you so much.

I wish you to enjoy your days off this weekend with your little one and looking forward to follow your journey to the better future:-)

Real inspiration.

Take care and take day at a time

Sandra x

Thanks Andy Dave Sandra

Called into work sat just to read some emails and check all was ok has had not been there since Mon, 5 hours later! I left I guess deep down I knew that would happen so not complaining, Saturdays are always a struggle and had a huge urge to gamble I love football and always keep an eye on the league tables and one team who got off to the worst start ever picked up a bit of form and there was a real temptation to bet on them been promoted at what would av been big odds the justification to myself that this would av been a one off bet and last all season obviously I didn't follow it through and I think subconsciously that's why I stayed at work as I left just b4 3, checked the results sat and that team won so just goin to av to deal with that now

Like all of us there's lots of fear of placing that 1st bet as its a green light to carry on and that's something I don't want to go back to, for me its just a reminder that gambling demon is lying in wait ready to pounce given the chance

Hey Castle,

Aggreing with you, keep your bar high and get that bat out for the urges when they come 😉

Doing well i have to say and should be very proud of your achievement!

Take care and thank you for your continued support, means a lot

Day at a time

Sandra x

P.s. will be no stopping me with a links lol, i love music, just don't think my rave will be much of joy to others lol...better think before upload;-)

Hi castle. Well done for staying strong. There's definitely some strong temptations around but you did well to say no. Your wise enough to know what one bet leads to. Well done mate and great to have you on the new thread once again, be a great way to end the year and start the next.

Thanks Sandra Dave

No more thoughts bout the urge at the weekend when ever my usual routine is broke they will come and go like u say Dave know enough now not to react to them,

Read the worst gambling stories with interest and as always it was great to see everyone debating bout it with positives and negatives been taken on board, for me this site is all bout sharing our experiences helping others with our own recoveries and the hope of others reading and not making the same mistakes or see the warning signs for themselves, I know when I av relapsed I put every single detail down one to remind myself for the next urges that come my way and like I said others who read may just relate to that and don't fall into the same trap

Work continues to keep me so busy and then jess takes up most of my other time which gives me very little time of my own but it works for me and as become a routine so I'm really quite happy to carry on like this its not the exciting of lives but it beats the one I had b4 my miles and miles

Rome wasn't built in a day

Hey castle,

Thanx for popping in. You are right, we all need some chilax time now and again:-)

I am glad to read that you are busy in your daily life( at least no urges) and happy for you and ur little one.

Hope work not too stresful and you will enjoy your day.

Keep up the good work, we all know we are heading to the right direction.

Day at a time....

Take care

Sandra x