*** Evening Update ***
Good evening everyone. I hope your Monday's going better than Monday's tend to ... but we're here, we're now. That's a positive.
I'm not going to write the 'G word' again in my posts. If I have to mention it, I'll add asterisks. Because g******* sucks. We should be living life as the rollercoaster it is (they'll be ups, they'll be downs) without the added 'uninvited party guest' that is g******* dragging us down. I don't think it's unreasonable to treat g******* with utter disdain. It might suit some people but it doesn't suit us.
If we do think about it, let's flick this 'devil' from our shoulders without hesitation. Let's kick it into the long grass. We don't need you thank you very much. "Bye bye and good riddance."
Thank you, Changing Habit, for the inspiration for my words above; you hit the nail on the head.
Let's switch to what really matters.
Us!
Here we are, with our individual targets that mean something to us. No particular order, all mixed up. A warm welcome to Adam; let's finish the year with fireworks to remember eh!
Adam123 31st Dec 2019
Spendlikewater84 23rd Dec 2019
Ineffable 21st Feb 2020
EsoxLucius 28th Feb 2020
Mixer 13th March 2020
Boo 17th Jan 2020
Fighter1 Hon. Member ? <-- our target is to reach and stay there!
Changing habit 28th Jan 2020
Danpo 7th Mar 2020
Murlo 11th Feb 2020
Determined to Stop 1st March 2020
Stephen 10th Feb 2020
Tomorrow let's support Ineffable. Ineffable, we are going to be the angels on your shoulder (lovely phrase, Determined to Stop). We are all behind you!
Have an enjoyable evening everyone. Always feel free to post anything, we're all reading, we're all here, we're a team that cares about each other 🙂
Mixer
Mixer,
I love reading your updates! Echo your sentiments, we are all here for each other.
Thank you, Murlo, that's very kind of you to say.
It's TRUE mixer you are a legend in the gf community
Hi DanPo - I'm just a fellow recovering compulsive g****** wanting to tame this 'beast', nothing more, nothing less. No egos here - they're left at the door.
There are so many of us here doing what we can for ourselves and for others, which is what makes it such a great community.
We're all decent, likeable people - we're all "legends" in the making ... and this site is helping guide us to what we know we have to do. We can get to where we want to be, which is to have a fulfilled life, for better and worse, without the added disadvantages g****** brings. We can tame this beast!
Have a nice evening DanPo.
GamCare lads and lasses are heroes every one
Eying the future up ahead they know what's right and wrong
The sun doesn't shine every day but rain won't last forever
One day at a time arm-arm marching forward together
I Agree with you Mixer. I think we should rename it the Devil or something else rather than G******. What do you think? The Devil where's many masks and trys very hard to take you down the evil path. It changes thought process which we think are beneficial to one's self and others but really wants you to self destruct and ruin as many of our friends and familys life's as well. I am not religious in any way but feel this is name I would like to call it. Thank you Mixer for all your help and everyone else on here. Much love to all and stay on the right path.
*** Morning! ***
Good morning everyone. As Stephen writes so poignantly in his lovely ode above:
"The sun doesn't shine every day but rain won't last forever."
The way I read that is that life (the sun) has its' challenges but we can hold off the g****** (the rain). It doesn't have to keep peeing down on us. There may be other ways to interpret Stephen's words. It's a nice line; any thoughts Stephen?
Changing habit - I agree with you, I think the devil is quite apt. Because the devil doesn't bother those that can cope with g*******; it harasses those of us that can't handle it; that's us, compulsively afflicted.
From a spiritual, or religious view, I think it fits in. It's about 'casting out' the devil and turn to a 'higher power', accepting that we are weak and that the 'higher power', God, or however you see it, is there for you. This reasoning underpins the Gamblers Anonymous ethos. The fact that the higher power is there for us should strengthen us. Any thoughts, anyone?
Let's, just for today, choose not to do the devil's bidding. Just for today, that's all. Let's do it for ourselves and our buddy Ineffable. We especially thinking of you today, Ineffable, behind you all the way, as you lead the way.
Thought of the day: When you read these words, or similar words from the many fellow Gamcare diaries and threads, you are making g****** recede bit-by-bit. You might not think so, but we are 'retuning' our brains, gradually, day-by-day. It's a delicate process, barley perceptible, but it's happening. Our brains are processing it all in the background, quietly 'chuggering' away.
Gamcare post of the day: there are so many great posts here in the forums it's easy to miss them. Here's a great example. https://www.gamcare.org.uk/forum/success-stories/25-years-off-one-day-at-a-time/ . Spotted others? Let us know!
Let's keep on track. We're getting there.
Have a great Tuesday everyone!
Mixer
Hi mixer I’m a 54 year old serial failure at abstaining from gambling. Sick of wasting money time & time again. Only one day gamble free, would appreciate it if I could belatedly join your challenge to give me some focus. Thanks.
*** Evening All! ***
Franco1875 - Welcome to our Challenge. Great to have you aboard. We're all, like you, sick of this addiction, so you've come to the right place. To cut to the chase, what I've found helps immensely is the comprehensive handing over of your finances to someone who you can trust and understands. I've found an approach to be chopping up your cards, and transferring monies (by phone, say) to your trusted person's account as necessary, for them to forward 'pocket money' to you.
No cheating or 'borrowing' your friends card. Joining Gamstop (5 year abstention) is a must. If nothing changes, nothing changes. You're welcome to share your thoughts with us, Franco. Like you, I've been 'there' so many times and this approach has generally worked for me (except when I had a new card through... wont do that again). I've also lumped money off the mortgage etc. so ensure it's not burning a hole to begin with.
The more we talk about confronting and beating this devil, the better our chances of giving it a right old battering. It's not our friend. It's our worst enemy, the house-guest from hell. It's not welcome. If it 'flutters' down onto your shoulder, flick it off (or something like that...!).
And now back to the rays of sunshine ...
Us!
In no particular order, always mixed up, our personal targets are presented below.
But just one small request first. Today we've chosen not to g******, for ourselves and also Ineffable; an extra boost for you, sir! Tomorrow, I will be thinking of Fighter1, our Hon. Member with 100+ days in the bag! But there's never complacency with this affliction and so you're welcome to join me in supporting Fighter1 keep right in the zone!
So, as part of our planning, let's focus on not g******* tomorrow. Just one day. That's all!
Danpo 7th Mar 2020
Murlo 11th Feb 2020
Determined to Stop 1st March 2020
Stephen 10th Feb 2020
Adam123 31st Dec 2019
Franco1875 19th Mar 2020
Spendlikewater84 23rd Dec 2019
Ineffable 21st Feb 2020
EsoxLucius 28th Feb 2020
Mixer 13th March 2020
Boo 17th Jan 2020
Fighter1 Hon. Member ? <-- our target is to reach and stay there!
Changing habit 28th Jan 2020
Gamcare Link of the day - There a lot of interesting posts to dip into here (sorry - the 'G' word appears in the link)--> . https://www.gamcare.org.uk/forum/overcoming-problem-gambling/favourite-posts/
Thought of the day: Some say life without g******* is boring. But, given sessions tend to be very short in duration, and incidentally very expensive, what's best? To be bored and skint (all month..) or bored with money to share or do something with? Think for a moment: What on earth have we been doing? It makes even less sense! No more!
Have a great evening everyone.
Mixer
im staying in tonight and in doing so not going to my usual poker game....onwards we go on this journey!! All the best everyone I defo think the devil would play cards and gamble that's for sure so I'm leaving that behind me and looking forward to days when my mind has been restored to its original self free from the beliefs and wants it currently has. One day at time ill take it one day at a time!!!!
Good for you Adam!
Quite some team being assembled Mixer ?
Wonderful.... ?
Adam - I'm delighted you've swerved the Poker. Heck, that's made my night mate. I know, you know and the devil knows what it means. You've saved a few bob too. And I've got an idea how you might want to treat yourself, will share with everyone tomorrow in fact. This will show how much life is out there when we open the curtains, curtains that have stifled our imagination because we've been zombified. But every single day we decide to choose life, not misery, we're free!
Murlo - what a team indeed; what characters we are when we're out of our shells. One day at a time, we're truly ourselves - warts and all (!) but unshackled; ourselves.
Boo - it's all wonderful. Life will throw stuff at us - my goodness, we all know that - but we can always face our trials and tribulations much better without that.
All we have to do today is choose not to do it. That's all!
Today, it's easy because it ain't gonna happen.
Enjoy the evening everyone!
Mixer.
Well done Adam. I think you have made a great step in the right path. Well done Boo. Well done Murlo. Well done all of you.
Mixer you are strong and determined as we all will be. Small steps Baby steps 1 hour 1 day and 1 year at a time climbing our own mountains. The Devil wants us to be week but together we stay strong In the right path to living life. Talk to each other, speak the truth, don't give in to temptation. Honesty is what i strive for. All the best to everyone.
One day one step at a time. Just for today I will not let the Devil in ? and cause so much hurt and misery not just for me but for everyone I love and Care about. X
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