Derek, Campbell

One day at a time

When i was early in recovery the idea of one day at a time made sense and helped me get sober. But there was always a lingering question in my head of when I would be able to drink again. Friends would ask me when I would be able to drink again and I would either say "I don't know" or "some time in the future". As I learned more about alcoholism I realized I could never drink again for the rest of my life. This realization came as I learned to accept my alcoholism. I know AA says no to worry about anything but today, but the acceptance of never being able to drink again makes it easier to stay sober. I say "one day at a time" got me sober and not drinking for the rest of my life keeps me sober. I'm not trying to go against AA teaching, just sharing MY experience, strenght, and hope. I can do a thousand different things, but drinking alcohol is not one of them. Today and forever.

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Aussie Glenda TrussPermalink Reply by Aussie Glenda Truss on July 26, 2009 at 8:14pm
i feel that i have got sober to stay sober for the rest of my life too! i do try to stay "in the day or moment" but we still have to plan certain things and i "plan" to be sober until i die lol. We do have that choice each and every day to be sober and i make that choice by living without alcohol because i dont want to die - it is that simple to me!
Michelle F.Permalink Reply by Michelle F. on July 27, 2009 at 3:48pm
Derek, thank you for the post. I keep saying (to myself of course) that I will be able to drink again. Some tell me "one day at a time" others tell me I am not spiritually fit yet. My family thinks that I just needed to slow down for a while and then I can go to the Christmas party and get wasted like I always do.

I get frusterated when I am told "Just worry about today OK?" - I am worried that I think the way I do, I am worried that I still do not play the tape entirely through, I am worried that I romanticize the drink, I am worrried that I may go out with my boyfriend if he decides too... I am told "Just for today, blah blah blah...".

I appreciate what you wrote - Accepting the fact that I can never drink again is totally different than accepting the fact that I am an alcoholic. I hope to stay in the rooms and gain this acceptance sooner rather than later - Thanks for you share again it helped me ..

PS ~ Saw you at a meeting Friday night - Nice Ride!! :)
kismetPermalink Reply by kismet on July 28, 2009 at 5:55am
Derek,
I have always believed that it is necessary to accept the fact that I cannot ever drink again. It doesn't matter whether I like it or not--it is simply something I cannot do. Furthermore, I believe that nobody gets and stays sober without believing that. Hell, we do EVERYTHING one day at a time....:-) Telling myself that I'm not going to drink "just for today" never really worked for me. I KNEW that the point was to never drink again. That pissed me off but until I could accept it I couldn't stay sober.

That is how it worked for me. Others may have a different experience.
Friend_of_Bill_WPermalink Reply by Friend_of_Bill_W on July 28, 2009 at 4:11pm

Friend_of_Bill_WPermalink Reply by Friend_of_Bill_W on July 28, 2009 at 4:11pm

Robert HPermalink Reply by Robert H on July 29, 2009 at 12:00pm
Hello Derek, in the beginning I hung on my hopes on the line in the book. Science may one day accomplish this, but it hasn't done so yet. Then it went to I can’t drink again and now it even if science could so call fit me I don’t what to drink. I no longer have any reason to drink. It has become that simple . The funny part is that I never made a decision not to drink again, my third step was to make AA my life process. I once I knew it could work I was going to keep coming back drunk, sober or crazy. The obsession was lifted and for 17 years it hasn’t come back. I keep showing up sometime sober some times crazy and some time both but never drunk. I don’t what the future holds but what I do know what is happening right now is pretty darn good
Sara VPPermalink Reply by Sara VP on July 29, 2009 at 12:45pm
One day at a time helped me a LOT in early recovery to stay sober TODAY. Every morning when I woke up, I'd ask myself "do you want to drink today?", usually followed by "so are you willing to go to any lengths to stay sober today?"...that got me through my first year.

I use "one day at a time" now that I've got a little time in the program to "practice these principles in ALL my affairs". It helps me get through family events, deal with people that are hard to endure, and reminds me that I can handle most anything for the next 24 without having to drink (or use) over it. Like Robert, I may have had my last drink, but I most certainly haven't had my last bout of insanity.
CHERIE LEAHY SMITHPermalink Reply by CHERIE LEAHY SMITH on August 14, 2009 at 6:52pm
I knew from the moment I accepted the fact I was an alcoholic and addict that I could never drink or use again. My sponsors drilled in my head that "One Day At A Time" might be for some individuals in the program, but not for me. As a result, I faced from the get-go that my drinking and drugging was a thing of the past and there was no loop holes. I was told there was no such word as "Relapse" in my dictionary of recovery. I watched many in the rooms go out time and time again some never making it back because they deluded themselves into thinking that they could start a new 24 hours whenever they wished, so what the hell could one drink or drug do in the scheme of things. Tossing aside the "One Day At A Time" slogan, I have lived a sober and clean life for the past 32 years. Their is no grey area when it comes to recovery.
leon dehaney jrPermalink Reply by leon dehaney jr on April 17, 2011 at 6:03am
HEY IM N RECOVERY THING GET HARD AT TIME IL BEEN CLEAN NOW THE 24 OF APRIL IM PROUD OF MYSELF 4 7MONTHS IM GLAD I CHANGE IM DOING COMMIT NOW IM GOING TO TREATMENT CENTER SHARING IM SHARIN N MY HOME GROUP IM DOING POSTIVE THING TO STAY SOBER TODAY IM LEARNIN TO HUMBITY MYSELF NOW I ASK ? NOW I DO THE STEP NOW AS THEY SUPOSE B DONE
leon dehaney jrPermalink Reply by leon dehaney jr on April 17, 2011 at 6:05am
ALSO I SAY THE SLOGAN THE PRAISE HELP ME STAY STRONGER N RECOVERY

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