You are a lot like me in that regard then. When I stopped counting it felt like I dropped so much weight off my shoulders. It unshackled me in a sense and made me feel more free in recovery.
I literally don’t know my exact date either. I know it was a little over a year ago but I couldn’t give you that number. It is very exciting in the beginning to make the changes and see all the pieces come together. I’m glad you are at a better point in your life Nancy !
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That’s a perfect way to describe it for me. A ticking time bomb. I felt so relieved when I stopped obsessing over a number. I love that quote at the end from your friend. It’s so true.
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In my opinion, we celebrate and keep track of our time not for ourselves. We do it to show others that it is possible to be and to stay sober.
I don't have to think about all the horror and problems I had in the past all the time but I can't forget it either. If I do it's possible I can relive it all over again. And I really don't want that.
Don't drink or use
Stay strong
And keep moving in the right direction.
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That’s a good point Angelo. I wish I could count to let others see it can be done. However it just stresses me out, and puts my own recovery in jeopardy. I totally understand counting can be a useful tool for someone. Especially the new comers that look up to the people in the room with 10 years or more. I definitely don’t have an issue with other people counting. I guess it just made things worse for me unfortunately. I agree though. Keep moving in the right direction.
I agree with you. I will look at milestones, in the beginning 30 days is a huge deal, and years are big. But if I focus on the number of days I lose track of the important things and have relapsed due to "celebrating " 90 days before 
Whatever works for you stick with it, we all share alot of the same stuff, but are still very different people!
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Exactly. The world would be a boring place if we were all the same. I like your mindset.
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When I first started I couldn't believe the amounts of time people could put together. No way, impossible they're full of it. Today I believe them. And if they could do it, then so can I. The only way that it's possible is...
One day at a time.
Do whatever you need to and whatever works for to stay sober.
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That's awesome. Not everyone's recovery looks the same, if that's what works than roll with it. Congrats on staying sober for a year!!!!
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I judge myself more from the progress I’ve made than time. I don’t count days. I may have a rough estimate of my last drink or the last time I took a prescribed drug but it’s more about the inner change. I know what it was like living in that world and I know how much better I’m living now.
That being said I cast no judgement on someone counting days, months, years. I’ll congratulate anyone who tells me they have any amount of time.
As for relapse, people beat themselves up by thinking about having months put together and think that makes the relapse so much worse. In my opinion to relapse is awful feeling, but you have to look at all you’ve learned while sober and build on that. If your able to help someone struggling worse than yourself than you are of use, no matter how long you’ve been sober.
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I am the first to say what ever works for you. I like to help anyone who asks for help. I keep track of my date because people ask. I think it gives them confidence that I really might be able to help. It doesn't mean much to me as long as I'm sober.
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Hi--i'm Amy. My apologies, i haven't been on Loosid 4quite some time. But
I'd like to state- in many ways-- u are correct! If u think about it... "technically" there are only 24 hrs in a day. Therefore, you can only be sober for 24 hours. I too, have NOTHING wrong with those who choose to count their time sober in terms of days, months, years or decades,etc. And i too-- took a heavy toll on myself after relapsing when i had 12 years sober. And the concept of "you can only be aober for one day"-- i read this somewhere in sober literature... and it resonated with me. The only thing we have-- is TODAY. So i see it as we can only sober today. God bless those that continue to be sober 24 hrs.
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I respect your opinion but I believe that people relapse for one reason and one reason only. They believe the LIE; that this time, everything will be okay.
Do you know when I started to experience real freedom from alcohol? When I stopped trusting my own thinking and started doing what other AA members had suggested.
After that, the days, months and years go by and you don't even think about it because you have experienced the entire psychic change that is mentioned in the Doctor's Opinion from the Big Book of AA.
I don't really count days per se but I am always aware of my length of time that I've been sober. I do it one day at a time.
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To each there own.some people count some don’t.everyone is different.
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