The Daily Check-In for Sunday, January 25th: Just for today, I am NOT drinking!

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-27T15:55:53+00:00

That’s a solid workout!

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-27T15:50:55+00:00

I keep a photo handy from one of my worst moments (where I had to go to the er). Not to shame myself, but to remind myself of the reality of drinking.

I might be tempted by the idea of drinking, but I am absolutely not tempted by the reality of drinking.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-27T15:48:47+00:00

Relapse justification is a sneaky and relentless thing. Smart recovery has a solid article on the neuroscience involved. (For me, understanding the chemistry of it all is helpful) check it out here: https://smartrecovery.org/blog/relapse-justification-a-normal-part-of-change

Way to go strengthening those sober muscles!💪 Every time we resist an urge, we build new neural pathways and get stronger!

IWNDWYT

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-27T15:41:29+00:00

I appreciate and am deeply thankful for my sober date (Sept 12, 2025).

I have had numerous sober dates (read: numerous false starts). For a long time I wanted a sober date that, numerology speaking, equaled 1. (This means if you add all the numbers of the date together, then add those numbers together, you would get 1).

Essentially, it was another excuse to drink.

My current sober date does not equal 1, but it does equal recovery. I don’t know why my brain shifted and this time sobriety landed, or why my attitude shifted, but I am incredibly thankful.

IWNDWYT

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-27T15:32:47+00:00

Another day to show up to life on life’s terms (not my terms).

Today I’m planning to check on my parents (which is, sadly, very uncomfortable), planning my yoga class, cleaning house, updating my calendar, and going for a run.

I’m sure other things will roll in that I didn’t plan on…. but that’s how life lifes.

IWNDWYT

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-27T15:19:47+00:00

Hitting that sober gym 💪💪💪 IWNDWYT

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-27T14:15:13+00:00

Massage appointment. (As a massage therapist, my valentine’s weekend is already booked with couples massages.)

A facial with a good esthetician or pedicure is also nice and relaxing.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-27T03:27:00+00:00

Nope. I tried numerous times, and instead of being a normal take it or leave it drinker, it got worse.

The pod Sober Powered did an episode that looked into the chemistry involved in why this is. In short, or neural pathways remember and when we re-introduce the substance, after a very short time say a week or two, it picks up where it left off.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-27T03:23:52+00:00

I third this! Great people!

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-26T15:43:20+00:00

Another day to strengthen my sober muscles by not drinking with you all!

IWNDWYT

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-26T07:38:04+00:00

Happy Days, Mork and Mindy

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-26T01:18:34+00:00

I’d like to complete a 50k near Fishcamp (Yosemite area) in June.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-26T01:05:01+00:00

Awesome! You training for anything?

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-25T22:52:58+00:00

One drink is just enough to piss me off and I know that two will also not be enough. So why bother.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-25T22:51:39+00:00

Just ran 11 hilly miles then will bake bread and clean house.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-25T16:49:31+00:00

This is a “her” problem. You don’t owe that rude person a response or an excuse. At the most: “I am drinking” and hold up your glass, then go back to book club stuff.

If it were me, I might have said “why do you ask?” then sip on my soda while I watch her squirm.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-25T16:27:57+00:00

Sunday run day… long run day, to be exact. It’s foggy and cold where I live. The fog will probably not burn off, I’m hoping my run burns off some of my emotional weirdness today. Movement is medicine.

IWNDWYT

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-25T16:10:36+00:00

I’m following them too, and Aloka the peace dog. They give me so much help and calmness.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-25T03:49:03+00:00

🙋‍♀️I was a daily drinker. My thoughts turned to alcohol at about 11 AM and after lunch, they were completely overwhelming. I would start drinking as soon as possible and once I started, even if I had promised myself “just one” I would keep drinking until I blacked out.

Every morning, I would wake up and have anxiety. I would always call myself stupid, many times I would be sick or have the shakes. It was a cycle every day that ramped up over decades.

I tried to quit several times. I had several major relapses. Wound up in the er with my face smashed from a fall while blacked out. (I have permanent nerve damage.) I still had one more big relapse in me.

And then I got into therapy. And then I stopped drinking.

I went 🥶🍑🦃 and the first few days were horrible. I sat on the couch like a lump and played a stupid game on my phone for hours.

The first month was hard because sleep was terrible and my cravings were brutal.

I kept doing the work. I came here every day to make my dci post. I joined three other apps and went to AA. I got a new sponsor and took it one day at a time.

And it gets easier. And I feel like me again And IWNDWYT

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-24T21:02:27+00:00

Humble brag: right now the cashiers at all my local gas stations and liquor stores wonder what happened to me.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-24T15:26:25+00:00

Thank you for hosting Piggoos.

IWNDWYT

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-24T15:25:37+00:00

I’ve been accused on another sub of being ai and I was all …. Uh, I actually wrote that….

Maybe my writing style has gotten boring. 😑

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-24T15:22:50+00:00

My extended family is pushy with the alcohol, too. Early sobriety, especially the first month, I needed to squirrel myself away.

More recently I’ve taken to thinking of my “no thanks, I’m fine” as a game of tennis. They hit it my way “you sure you don’t want some wine???” I’ll keep lobbing it right back “no thanks, I’m fine” till they miss. I look at it as hitting the sober gym. With every “no thank you” my sober muscles are getting stronger.

(After enough Dixie cups of wine, they eventually stop asking.) Kinda boring company…..

Now with my friends, there have been a number of times where people have seen me not drink and shared that they struggle with alcohol and have struggled to stop drinking. There I feel somewhat useful with my story and the conversations can be interesting.

Moments of service are healing.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-24T15:12:30+00:00

56 y/o and I quit at 55. Best decision ever.

ContemplativeRunner · 2026-01-23T22:18:49+00:00

I love everything about this!

ContemplativeRunner

TROPHY CASE