(01-01-2019 11:07 AM)DTD309 Wrote:  Greetings All and Happy 2019,

I did a one-year wagon here a couple of years back. Ready to do it again. Please count me in for a wagon year starting today, 1/1/2019.

DTD309, that's good to hear -- I've wondered at times about how you were doing, and was hoping to see this post.

Welcome aboard as of January 1, 2019 and I look forward to hearing more from you in this thread as time goes on.

(01-01-2019 02:58 PM)Kentemo Wrote:  Me too, starting from 01/01/2019 just after midnight!

This is one of the only New Years ever I drank so little (just one last beer before 12 and a glass of champagne at midnight).
The thing is I had a lot of fun, socializing without alcohol. Seems like nobody really cares that much as long as you have fun.
The curious questions I will get why I don't drink I won't mind, I used to be that person.

Excited for this journey!
A happy New Year guys, that all your goals may come reality!

Kentemo, thanks for confirming your start date. Welcome aboard as of January 2, 2019 and I hope to hear more from you here over time.

(01-01-2019 06:59 PM)musashi Wrote:  3 years today for me fellas. Take the challenge, you won't regret it!

musashi, congrats on the 3 years, it's a great wagon milestone and one that I always like hearing about. I can only assume from your recent posts here -- which I appreciate and have enjoyed a great deal - that you are renewing for year number 4, but please confirm this if you don't mind and I will be delighted to welcome you back on board.

(01-02-2019 04:37 PM)JayR Wrote:  I am in! Wagon start date is today, Jan. 2, 2019.

Just got back from the lab to get a blood draw. Ordered a hormone panel (T, Free T, and SHBG). Curious to see how cutting out the massive amounts of alcohol I've been consuming for years will impact these numbers, as alcohol is known to destroy T levels. Will re-test hormone levels in a year at the end of the wagon.

Fear I'll fail? Anxiety at having to navigate life sober? Yes to both. But the time has clearly come for me. The benefits were long ago outweighed by the negatives, so I'm ready and looking forward to a productive year.

Good luck to all.

JayR, thank you for the post. The before and after hormone levels will be of some interest, but please keep in mind that they are just one -- noisy -- data point, especially if you are comparing a single result on a particular date now to a single result on a particular date one year later. Of far more relevance will be your overall sense of health and well-being throughout the entire year: your quality of sleep, your mood and energy, your physical and mental performance, your day-to-day stress levels, and just the way you feel about your life very generally. These are the real indicators that you should be taking stock of a year from today.

Welcome aboard as of January 2, 2019 and I look forward to hearing more from you here as time goes on.

(12-31-2018 11:48 AM)Wutang Wrote:  I never posted in this thread before, but I actually pledged not to drink for all of 2018 and I'm less than 24 hours from completing the goal. It's actually going to be a bit over a year since I started abstaining in the middle of December of 2017 but the commitment I had made was for all of 2018, not just one year so that's what I stuck to.

My story is different from most of the people's here. I never had any sort of struggle or issue with alcohol. In fact, I was never a big drinker in the first place. What prompted me to take the pledge was me thinking about why exactly I drink when I don't derive the same joy from it that most people do. I can't tell the difference between the types of beer or wine and I find myself always rolling eyes when I hear people talking about IPAs, microbrews, how hoppy a beer is, etc.

So why do I order beers or drinks when I'm out? I believe it's just because I'm following the cultural programming: hey I'm out, there's lots of loud stimulation. A lot of people get alcohol in these environments, so I'll do the same. When I look at it from a cost-benefit analysis, I see that I'm getting very little benefit for the cost of bodily damage. Now, I probably was having no more than 2-3 drinks a month so the damage no where compares to the damage inflicted on a person who goes out drinking regularly on the weekend...but why should I accept even this small amount of damage when I'm deriving little positive feelings out of it? I also drink soda which I enjoy and I accept the affects on my health and waistline because I like having a coke with my fries in the same way someone likes wine with their steak, but why should I accept a similar negative effect for something I don't particularly enjoy consuming?

Having said all that, I was wondering if I should continue being as strict going into 2019 as I was this year. If I'm out with some of my friends and someone offers me a beer, should I go out of my way to decline it in the same way I was this year? I don't think I'm in danger of falling into any sort of bad habit considering that I was never a big drinker even when I imposing any sort of rule of abstinence on myself, but then there's the reasons I gave above. Any thoughts?

(01-01-2019 11:16 AM)Spaniard88 Wrote:  Count me in also for 2019.

I had like 8 beers in 2018. Looking to cut it to zero for 2019.

Wutang and Spaniard88:

As I've noted here from time to time, this thread is for men who commit to a 1 year drinking wagon because they require one; because they've drunk hard enough for long enough that they've started taking on some of the more obvious as well as the more subtle damages that come from going to the well too often -- or may be on the precipice of experiencing these damages and are catching themselves in time. For these men, nothing short of complete abstention will do; not one drop, for any reason, on any occasion, for a full year, through its entire kaleidoscope of moods, seasons and locales. For men like this -- the true hard drinkers -- the wagon is a serious, even a solemn undertaking; and even otherwise strong men will quail at least a little when they face it, as well they should.

Of course anyone is free to take a year off alcohol for any reason or no reason at all. But for men who are essentially non-drinkers, or true moderate drinkers -- as is the case for both of you -- such a decision, whatever its merits, does not have the gravity associated with a real drinker's wagon. I think that it would be best to keep this thread dedicated to its great and indispensable purpose, and to discuss the resolutions made by non-drinkers and true moderate drinkers in a different context.

(01-02-2019 09:16 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  Of far more relevance will be your overall sense of health and well-being throughout the entire year: your quality of sleep, your mood and energy, your physical and mental performance, your day-to-day stress levels, and just the way you feel about your life very generally. These are the real indicators that you should be taking stock of a year from today.

Thanks LOZ. Yup, I look forward to experiencing all those glorious benefits, and only hope my aging body can bounce back from the abuse I've inflicted.

I had to go in for a blood draw anyway, and I figured this would be a great opportunity to see just how much alcohol impacts my personal hormone levels. And we all know how important T levels are for man's sex drive, well-being, lots of the very stuff you mention above.

Thanks for creating this thread -- reading through the first 20 pages or so a few weeks ago was one of the factors that got me to commit.

(01-02-2019 08:58 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

(01-01-2019 06:59 PM)musashi Wrote:  3 years today for me fellas. Take the challenge, you won't regret it!

musashi, congrats on the 3 years, it's a great wagon milestone and one that I always like hearing about. I can only assume from your recent posts here -- which I appreciate and have enjoyed a great deal - that you are renewing for year number 4, but please confirm this if you don't mind and I will be delighted to welcome you back on board.

Hey Lizard,

Thank you brother! Without this thread my life would be drastically different at this point. My plan going forward is yes, year 4. My goal is 1 million usd in assets before I hit 5 years. If I don't achieve this goal (I WILL FUCKING ACHIEVE THIS GOAL) I'll continue on the wagon indefinitely until I hit it. Once I go back to drinking my habits will drastically change such as a maximum of only 2 drinks at a time, and only with certain people. So yes to answer your question I'm on day 3 of year 4 .

(01-03-2019 11:44 AM)musashi Wrote:  

(01-02-2019 08:58 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

(01-01-2019 06:59 PM)musashi Wrote:  3 years today for me fellas. Take the challenge, you won't regret it!

musashi, congrats on the 3 years, it's a great wagon milestone and one that I always like hearing about. I can only assume from your recent posts here -- which I appreciate and have enjoyed a great deal - that you are renewing for year number 4, but please confirm this if you don't mind and I will be delighted to welcome you back on board.

Hey Lizard,

Thank you brother! Without this thread my life would be drastically different at this point. My plan going forward is yes, year 4. My goal is 1 million usd in assets before I hit 5 years. If I don't achieve this goal (I WILL FUCKING ACHIEVE THIS GOAL) I'll continue on the wagon indefinitely until I hit it. Once I go back to drinking my habits will drastically change such as a maximum of only 2 drinks at a time, and only with certain people. So yes to answer your question I'm on day 3 of year 4 .

Thank you for confirming. I ascertained that your start date was December 31, so welcome back aboard as of December 31, 2018 and I look forward to hearing more from you here over time.

Hi there,

I've been considering jumping on the wagon for a long time but kept hesitating because I couldn't figure myself not drinking at all. I think I was afraid. Like other posters here, I've tried moderation many times but failed badly. Once I had a couple of glasses, it seems that I just can't get enough booze.

I've been drinking for more than 25 years now, and it has come to a point where I drink every day, not always too far, fortunately. Alcohol is definitly ruining my sleep, my energy and my peace of mind. I guess it's time for me to quit before things get truly ugly.

I've been sober for a week already, so count me in for the year to come, starting on the 2nd of January.

(01-09-2019 06:03 AM)Frater Angelico Wrote:  Hi there,

I've been considering jumping on the wagon for a long time but kept hesitating because I couldn't figure myself not drinking at all. I think I was afraid. Like other posters here, I've tried moderation many times but failed badly. Once I had a couple of glasses, it seems that I just can't get enough booze.

I've been drinking for more than 25 years now, and it has come to a point where I drink every day, not always too far, fortunately. Alcohol is definitly ruining my sleep, my energy and my peace of mind. I guess it's time for me to quit before things get truly ugly.

I've been sober for a week already, so count me in for the year to come, starting on the 2nd of January.

Frater Angelico, thank you for this post. As always, I'm deeply honored when a poster makes his first post in this thread, especially when that post is declaring a much needed 1 year wagon.

If you've been drinking very regularly for 25 years, the wagon will be an immense and disorienting change. Especially over the first weeks and months, you are likely to go through a wide range of experiences and emotions, from elation to dejection and back, from sleeping like a baby for the first time in years to an insomnia as bad as any you've had. Just take it all in stride and stick to your guns; things will start normalizing a couple of months in. That's when you'll have to really dig in and simply endure the wagon, until it becomes comprehensible to you as your life.

Through it all, the main thing you will have to remember is very simple: no one can force a drink down your throat, only you can do it -- so it's always up to you. Any moods, emotions, and desires, however intense and seemingly unanswerable, can always be acknowledged and dismissed, each in its own turn. If you just remember this and act accordingly, 2019 will prove to be perhaps the most memorable year of your life, and will put you in a position to have an immeasurably better and more enjoyable life for many years to come.

Welcome aboard as of January 2, 2019 and I look forward to hearing more from you here as time goes on.

Forgot to do so earlier so I'll sign myself up for another year as of 10/15/2018.

I am crossing goals off like no tomorrow. I doubled my income last year and im on track to do even better this year. My savings went from literally $0 to 5 figures. Everything is going pretty good for me. There are some parts that I still struggle with but I am excited for what the future holds. A big step from dreading what tomorrow will bring.

Checking in here as it has been more than a month. I actually had a false start and drank on the 9th and 10th of December. Was on a road trip and saw an old friend whose wife had just left him, so beers were had...

Anyways, been on track since then, first couple weeks replaced booze with food but diet and fitness have been solid since the holidays. Got through xmas and NYE no problem and feel good, more weight finally coming off and starting to get some more mental clarity.

(01-11-2019 10:42 AM)rdvirus Wrote:  Forgot to do so earlier so I'll sign myself up for another year as of 10/15/2018.

I am crossing goals off like no tomorrow. I doubled my income last year and im on track to do even better this year. My savings went from literally $0 to 5 figures. Everything is going pretty good for me. There are some parts that I still struggle with but I am excited for what the future holds. A big step from dreading what tomorrow will bring.

rdvirus, that's great to hear. Keep it going -- the second year is crucial in consolidating the gains made in the first. Get the deuce under your belt and you'll be well on your way.

Welcome back aboard for year 2 as of October 15, 2018 and I look forward to hearing more from you here over time.

(01-13-2019 09:19 AM)RVF400 Wrote:  Checking in here as it has been more than a month. I actually had a false start and drank on the 9th and 10th of December. Was on a road trip and saw an old friend whose wife had just left him, so beers were had...

Anyways, been on track since then, first couple weeks replaced booze with food but diet and fitness have been solid since the holidays. Got through xmas and NYE no problem and feel good, more weight finally coming off and starting to get some more mental clarity.

RVF400, there is no such thing as a "false start". You committed to a 1 year wagon in this thread as of November 25, 2018 but you broke your commitment just a couple of weeks in. That doesn't mean that you need to get down on yourself or believe that your next wagon (if there is one) is doomed to failure, but you should do better than to mention your failure so cavalierly, and in the passive voice -- "beers were had" -- as if the choice to have them was made by anyone but you. It is very easy to convince oneself that there is a good, indeed unselfish, reason to have those beers -- isn't that something that you owe an old friend in trouble for old times' sake? But the truth is that you've made a solemn decision to have not one drop, for a full year, on any occasion or for any reason. It is always up to you to abide by that decision in the face of any temptation, however appealing a mask it seems to wear.

In any case, since you broke your first wagon two weeks in, it is now a thing of the past. If you would like to commit to a new 1 year wagon, please do so in this thread and post your new start date. Before you do that, you should reflect on the reasons for your commitment and make sure that you will take it more seriously the next time around.

Today is 4 months! Feeling a desire to get hammered on my birthday coming up on Saturday. I think I'll work instead and see how much money I can make before the weekend is over! Maybe I'll treat myself to a great meal for my birthday... Coping with emotions without alcohol is getting better every day. Rational thinking is getting better, slowly. Overall, I am much happier and much more stable. Thanks, everyone!

I am a teetotal since birth. I have always somewhat looked down at people who regularly drink to get drunk.
I am curious to know if people who were heavy drinkers and have stopped feel the same than me now ?

(01-15-2019 11:33 AM)Polniy_Sostav Wrote:  I am a teetotal since birth. I have always somewhat looked down at people who regularly drink to get drunk.
I am curious to know if people who were heavy drinkers and have stopped feel the same than me now ?

I don't look down on drinkers. I'm just jealous as hell.

First 2 weeks without alcohol - must be already my longest streak ever.
My sleep slowly improves already, feel a bit less tired when waking up, and I start to remember my dreams again.
Just a minor effect, but already a good start.

Went 2 times to a beergarden last week, just drinking orange juice. And I actually had a good time. My friends respected my choice, and made some good jokes about it. Didn't really feel different than while I was drinking. I like parties in general, and seems like I can have fun without is.

Meeting new people (I live in hostel, travelling now), without beer is a bit hard. Beer just fits so good with bonding and making new friends.

(01-15-2019 11:33 AM)Polniy_Sostav Wrote:  I am a teetotal since birth. I have always somewhat looked down at people who regularly drink to get drunk.
I am curious to know if people who were heavy drinkers and have stopped feel the same than me now ?

I used to look down on other people for a whole variety of reasons. As I have gotten closer to middle age, I find myself not doing that anymore. I think that perspective is related to your individual life experience, instilled belief system, and diversity of worldview as you age.

I would say that I look down somewhat on my younger self as relates to better decisions that could have been made (including drinking habits), but would not call that self-pity or regret. Self awareness is helpful so long as it helps to propel you forward in a positive way. Looking down on others for whatever reason really does not give me that same sense of purpose.

(01-15-2019 04:29 PM)Kentemo Wrote:  First 2 weeks without alcohol - must be already my longest streak ever.
My sleep slowly improves already, feel a bit less tired when waking up, and I start to remember my dreams again.
Just a minor effect, but already a good start.

Went 2 times to a beergarden last week, just drinking orange juice. And I actually had a good time. My friends respected my choice, and made some good jokes about it. Didn't really feel different than while I was drinking. I like parties in general, and seems like I can have fun without is.

Meeting new people (I live in hostel, travelling now), without beer is a bit hard. Beer just fits so good with bonding and making new friends.

Congrats on the 2 weeks! I read somewhere that brain cells take about 21 days to "germinate." I have experienced something similar before... look forward to improved mental function starting next week as a new batch of brain cells born post-alcohol go online!

Finished!

I'd like to do a write-up soon on what I learned over this past year, but wanted to check-in here. Good luck everyone!

I was hardcore. One day I just quit. That was 20 years ago.

(01-20-2019 03:17 PM)Gmac Wrote:  Finished!

I'd like to do a write-up soon on what I learned over this past year, but wanted to check-in here. Good luck everyone!

Please do, looking forward to reading it and and congratulations!

Me too, definitely interested in reading it. I've been in 20 days, and it's already getting tough

(01-20-2019 03:17 PM)Gmac Wrote:  Finished!

I'd like to do a write-up soon on what I learned over this past year, but wanted to check-in here. Good luck everyone!

Gmac, congrats on the 1 year wagon -- it's a real achievement and I hope you take some pride and satisfaction from it. +1 rep point from me.

Given what you've written in this thread before, I was wondering if you might consider extending for another year. In any case, I look forward to hearing about how this year went for you.