Quote:
Originally Posted by sarahsweets
I too am in recovery. I am an alcoholic. I also go to AA meetings and have been sober 6 years. Emotional sobriety to me doesnt always come along with physical sobriety. I know that I got "clean" but wasn't sober- that part came a bit after I got clean. Having a sponsor help along with the steps. I also have BPII and the chaos of that with the active addiction was off the hook. I did a lot of damage. Little routines helped at first. I always wake up and go to bed in the same window of time 7 days a week. I did that because after getting sober I could no longer take sleep meds responsibly so I had to figure something out on my own. My mornings are pretty structured. I set my alarm and start my coffee which I set up the night before. I take my meds and in about 5 minutes the coffee is ready. I sit in what I like to call "my lair" which is just an area alone where I can have a cigarette, drink my coffee and fool around on the internet (like now). I do my dishes every morning. I do not always have an empty sink but 75% of the time its empty and I wipe down the counters. (I used to have overflowing kitchen mess when I was drinking or high) I am at my best in the early morning. My husband is the first one up(before the kids) so in order for me to have an hour to myself I wake up at 4 and I love it. Most people think I am crazy but its my favorite time of day. After the husband comes down I help him out with getting his lunch together. My youngest wakes up at 530. My other kids are older now but it used to be: Me-4am, husband-5am, oldest-515am, middle- 600 am, youngest 630am. My son is at college and my 18 year old lives in sober housing so its just the youngest and she is really good. Once everyone is out the door I like to continue doing internet/phone call stuff until about 10 and then I start working on a pressing issue or chore.
I had to accept the fact that my house will never be perfect. I will always have too much laundry to do. I will always have an errand to run. I do not work so "homemaker" has been my reluctant title. I got sober going to all noon meetings in the beginning but realized that I needed to expand my network of women and now go to evening meetings.
This is probably a lame example of my day but even these loosely crafted days have helped me stay sober. I structured my time around the "grand family schedule". The other thing I use us a giant wall calender. If its not on that calender then it doesnt exist. I know I could rely on my phone but its much easier to use the calender with everyone's stuff on it. I hope this helps.
|
I certainly hope this isn't a "lame" example of a day because it's a pretty accurate example of mine!  I can relate entirely to your post and honestly, it has confirmed that I am on the right track. I too wake up early, no later than 5:00am every morning. This gives me about an hour where it's just me and lets my wife sleep-in a couple hours. I feel that the early mornings are mine for the taking and help me establish a routine where I feel totally in control in a very healthy way. I certainly feel as if I am best in the mornings. I wake up, make my coffee, and take my meds... In the half hour or so where I may feel a little scattered, on edge, and quite frankly "unmedicated" I log in here, get some morning updates from everyone here, then I watch the news for a little bit.
Waking up this early has made me feel really complete. I recently read a book called "The Miracle Morning" and it seems to confirm a lot about what we've discovered in this wonderful morning time.
Thank you for sharing your routine (and even sharing your morning) with me
__________________
Recovering from the past. Growing in the present. Planting seeds for the future.
Dx: Bi-Polar II, PTSD, ADHD, SUD
Rx: Methadone 100mg, Lamictal 300mg, Abilify 10mg, Buspar 40mg, Clonadine 0.3mg, Trazodone 50mg, Nexium 20mg, Allegra 180mg
|