Sing~dance~laugh~cry (but please don't gamble)

Welcome back, Stephen. I hope the break from the forum did you some good and you feel refreshed.

You’re spot on with your post. Payday is a testing time for many of us on here. Me included.

Personally, I think it’s important we don’t make a big song and dance about ‘payday’ and we try and treat it like any other normal day.

How have you been anyway?

I’ve noticed that you’ve taken down your gamble free days counter. Is there any reason for this?

(sorry if that sounds too personal).

Just tell me to shut up if it is. Haha!

Glad to see you back, Stephen.

Dan

Hi Stephen .... good to see you back here on the diaries and in a positive frame of mind.Hope you are keeping well and as you say lets just try and get through today gamble and then see what tomorrow has in store for us .... keep posting its always good to hear from you.

Thank you for the kind words of encouragement.

Excellent progress Dan, it is heartwarming to see you determined and upbeat. I am approaching my recovery this time from a different tack, not counting the days anymore and just focussing on today.... Love and light back to you San and to all our gamcare friends. I am enjoying my meditations and when unwanted thoughts arise I try to get rid of them by silently repeating my Green Tara mantra. Doesn't akways work but I feel I am benefiting from the practice.... So very impressed with your progress Chartom, you have my utmost respect. It is very difficult to let go of the past and give ourselves some slack but that is what you are doing. Your journey is both an inspiration and a shining example to others.

From the deepest depths of my dear old soul comes a desperate cry ~ "Lets Rock n Roll."

Went to the cinema tonight (Avengers Infinity War). Not really my cup of tea but different anyway. Back to friends house and had a chinese. Withdrew my weekly allowance from cash machine and gave friend my bank card back.

Bit sad being unable to keep my own bank card at age 67 but I can't trust myself with it. She has offered to go along with this arrangement for a year, by which time I hope to be more self disciplined.

No more money to the fat-cat bookie

I'm gonna wise up and be one smart cookie

Adventures and fun are there waiting for me

I'll find peace and be calm in the land of the free

Good morning, Stephen, and here's hoping all's well with you this sunny Sunday morning. May I also welcome to you back to the forums, my friend; it's always a pleasure to read your posts because they always come straight from the heart.

Mixer

Thank you Mixer for those kind words.

Congratulations to your good self. Come thursday you will be 300 days gamble free. A truly inspirational journey of recovery during which time you have been a rock to your fellow travellers. The Guru Challenge has helped many people by providing them with information, encouragement and good advice. The camaraderie of the challenge has drawn many people together and created a fellowship of recovering compulsive gamblers who are striving to improve their lives. I personally have stopped counting the days but I will know and be celebrating when I reach the guru status of 300 days gamble free.

Sitting here in the sun

My gambling days are all done

Me and my soul will heed the call

No more fobts ~ Let's rock n roll

Hi Stephen hope you've had a good weekend to? No probs about post! Have been working so much lately but hope to restore the eork/life balance. Great to see you back on track, take care Sx

Thank you Sharon. I am pleased to say that I have finally seen the light.

Having embarked on a new chapter in my life, I understand that I may occasionally feel a little sad but I should be able to live with that. My aim is to be free from gambling, free from debt and free to be happy, relaxed and at peace with myself.

My heart and mind have joined my soul and we're all ready to rock n roll.

I suppose that compulsive gamblers subscribe to GamCare for a number of reasons:

1/ A genuine desire to stop gambling.

2/ A wish to be seen trying to stop gambling.

3 /Encouraged by an irate family member, threatening with a big stick

4/ Living with the hope that it will help bring gambling under control.

5/ Enjoying the camaraderie of fellow gamblers.

6/ Sad unfortunates who believe they wish to arrest their addiction but are simply paying lip-service to the recovery program.

7/ The diaries can be a sanctuary where one can shed tears of remorse, anger or despair.

8/ It could be considered a cool place to hang out after losing the wages and waiting to get paid again.

After living through all of that, at one time or another, I am now totally resolved to be gamble free.

Life is really that, to enjoy and be happy with everything around us that is really incredible. Thank you very much for your advice, but it's hard to get out of this.

Chewed me up, spat me out - an itch I always hated

Little wins & beaming smiles - pathetic grins - elated

Than came the frown with a bitter sweet scowl - face looking all deflated

As I stood amongst the wreckage of a life so devastated

Thank you bluescreen for reasons 9 & 10. Excellent.

Thank you also Matias for posting on my diary. It does help to know that we are not alone in fighting our addiction.

I would have posted on your diaries but you don't appear to have one. It can be helpful as a record of our progress and for others to give us advice and support. Initially people tend to start a diary in the new members section and than progress to the recovery diaries. I wish you both every success in rediscovering your lives. We all have similar issues to deal with and can appreciate the challenges that we are faced with.

Hi Stephen your creative writing is amazing as always! Are you still at evening classes? Hope you're having a good week, take care S x

Thank you for the posts on my diary.

Bluescreen you are very open and honest which is a big asset in fighting this addiction. Letting go of the past and moving on is not easy but it has to be done. Wishing you every success.

Sharon I appreciate the positive feed back in your encouraging post. The creative writing class stopped in December but I have continued doing the Functional English level 2 course ( 1 Year). I have enjoyed it and the teacher & students are friendly. I am surprised more people don't take it up, especially considering the English & Maths courses are free. Take care my friend ...stephen x