[cat438]

It is interesting as we start a New Year I am thinking about all the resolutions that I have made over the years. I never seemed to be able to carry them out for more than a few days. I now know that the New Year does not mean that I will not gamble if I set a resolution. In fact I remember saying one year I would not gamble in the New Year and was at the Casino on the 1st of the year. I now look at every day as a new beginning and that is how I get through this by taking it one day at a time!!! I wish everyone a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous 2014. I don’t want to tie prosperous into money, but more into prospering in looking after ourselves in our recovery. I don’t focus on not gambling this year, but I do focus on not gambling today!!!

[icandothis]

My New Year’s wish for you:
May God grant you,
12 months of Happiness,
52 weeks of Fun,
365 days of Success,
8760 hours of Good Health,
52,600 minutes of Good Fortune,
and 3,153,600 seconds of Gamble Free Joy!

[desdemona]

Here’s hoping for a gamble free 2014 for everyone, one day at a time! Carole

[vera]

What great greeting, Ican!
Same to you…odaat!

[cat438]

I join you on that greeting for everyone!!!

[cat438]

Focusing on a day at a time seems to be the way to go for me. I am finding that I am not looking forward to the next anniversary related to gambling, whether it is monthly or otherwise. I know that for me there was a time that I was so focused on making it through a week, a month etc., but now I just think about today.

[vera]

Hi Cat and thanks for posting to my thread.
One day at a time is the only way.
I have my “Lump Sum” and pension settled now. Thanks for your good wishes and prayers. It was a miracle that things turned out so well for me financially. I must admit I did overspend at Christmas on presents, decorations food etc but its over now and it’s time to get back to reality.
Work has become very stressful . People who have remained in contact with me, tell me things are going from bad to worse. One ex colleague described it as “nightmare on Elm Street!” so, yes , the absence of stress will help me to remain G Free but having said that, work is not the only type of stress we have to deal with I think stress and chaos follow CGs so we need to “step on the stress bug” as well as the G bug before they rise up and bite us!
As you say Cat, odaat!

[p]

Well.. i am not gambling on this day in January, ever present in the moment feeling the full consequences of my actions, and massaging my very full belly because i could not control myself with a box of crackers and cheese.. it was doomed from the start i knew with the first bite i was gone… hehee.. could be so much worse right now, oh, and i thoroughly enjoyed every bite

P

[desdemona]

Here I am the 10th of January, totally gamble free, and with all the gamble free days I have in the past year. My recovery in 2013 has not been perfect, but a work in progress. I have been in recovery for 3 years now, and I have regained the coping skills that were lost to me when I was actively gambling, plus have developed others I didn’t have to cope with this nasty addiction. Not to mention that I have made friends of the heart on my journey. One day at a time! Carole

[icandothis]

This was not an easy month not to gamble. Is there such thing as an easy month not to gamble? Let’s just say, “This was a difficult month.” The last couple of days have been brutal. I had time and space to gamble, and that is what I wanted to do. What I didn’t have was access to money, and for that I am very grateful. I still wish that I could commit to the idea of never gambling again. Still, I am committed to recovery, and taking my recovery and my life one day at a time. I don’t count days. But, I love looking at one calendar month and knowing I did not gamble for that month. Thank you, Cat, for these monthly pledges. I had such intense urges to gamble yesterday and then again today. I kept thinking, “Just hold on…two more days and January will be gamble-free!” …and so it was, and for that I am counting my blessings. Tomorrow begins a new month, but also, it begins a new day. We always have a new day…a new day to be gamble free!

[cat438]

I was not sure about starting another month, but after your comments I will. It is interesting how although we take it one day at a time that we may not focus on counting days. However, there is something about telling ourselves we got through a month without gambling. I believe any day we get through not gambling is a great day, and some days it is hard to get through one day and we have to break it down to hours and minutes. It is worth it though!!!

[Author]

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