Living Sober Sucks By Mark A. Tuschel
Living Sober Sucks
United States
Mark
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Q: "If living sober sucks, why do you do it?"
A: "Because living drunk sucks even more!"
Why the title
Living Sober Sucks?
Regardless of whether you’ve been drinking for only a short time or for years, it is going to suck when you first sober up. Many things will improve in your life but some will not. There will be added challenges and struggles that you will have to face - sober. This is not to say that it isn’t worth doing. I believe that your chances of maintaining sobriety and learning to enjoy living sober are heightened by accepting these realities.
Here’s how it’s going to suck: If you have been using alcohol as a crutch to avoid or alleviate stress, drinking for the pursuit of pleasure, or misusing alcohol to free yourself of inhibitions, it is really going to suck when you eliminate this crutch from your life. You are going to have to handle stress, seek pleasure and face social situations completely sober. That can be scary, tough and it will suck.
Reality is the enemy of drunkenness. Living sober will improve your chances of enjoying a happier, healthier and more engaged life.
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Welcome "Newbies"
If you are in the early stages of sobriety or are just starting to think about quitting drinking, then you are a "Newbie" and I want to welcome you to the hilarious world of sobriety. You’re going to learn all sorts of fun new terms and experience all sorts of fun new sensations during your first 90 days sober.
I do a lot of one-on-one and group recovery work. I have to hold back from laughing out loud when dealing with "newbies". They tell me how wonderful everything is, how great they feel and they wonder why they didn't do this sooner – they’re so excited. Then I ask, "So how long you been sober?" "I’m going on four days, this is great!"
Ya, well fuckin' wait... By next week you won’t be able to sleep. You’ll probably lose your appetite and you’ll have headaches. Let’s not forget that you might get the shits because your digestive system isn’t used to eating good food. Then in about a month when your car won't start, your kids mouth-off, your boss insults you, your spouse gets angry at you, the toilet backs up and your friends want to go out drinking - then tell me how fuckin’ great it is. Because I guarantee that at some point, your mettle will be tested.
But when you make it through some of those tests and your body starts feeling good again, you’ll be so proud of yourself and you’ll know that the early struggles were well worth it. I’m not trying to talk you out of living sober. I would rather be honest, that way you know what to expect and you won’t get disenchanted. This will help you take control of your urges and reduce your chances of relapse. You think living sober sucks? Relapsing and starting over again sucks a lot more.
All I can do is hope that in some way, the sharing of my experiences will help and someone else’s life will be better than they ever imagined.
Forget Recovery
Reinvent yourself!
Recovery is the accepted or recognized term for us drunks, as in: “I’m in recovery; I’m a recovering alcoholic, Recovery Program, etc.” For simplicity and to avoid confusion, I use the word recovery in my book. But this term makes me uncomfortable. Someone recovers after surgery, an accident or from a hangover.
I wasn’t recovering from any of those things during my sobering up process, I was reinventing myself.
This is why I prefer to think I'm “Reinvented,” because I’ve had to reinvent myself as a sober person. I had to discover ways to live without alcohol, uncover lost feelings and deep desires. I found new passions, activities and rewards. I had to radically change my view regarding how I respect alcohol, other people and how I approach social dealings.
The only thing I am recovering from is my own mistakes. And just because I no longer drink doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes. I still fuck-up plenty of things, but at least I’m sober when I make those mistakes.
I will continue to use the term recovery – it’s accepted and less confusing. But in reality, I have reinvented myself. That’s all I did.
What’s the difference between a Social Drinker and a Problem Drinker?
I get asked this question a lot. Just because you drink does not mean that you are a problem drinker. Even if you like being a drunk, good for you - just don’t endanger my life or someone else’s by driving drunk.
If you were to fill out a questionnaire from an alcoholism site, virtually any one of us who has ever drank or gotten drunk would qualify as an “Alcoholic.” There is no fixed mathematical equation which clearly defines a social drinker from a problem drinker – it is unique to each one of us.
I believe that instead of asking, “Am I a problem drinker?” a better question would be, “Is drinking causing a problem for me?” There are a few indicators that can show whether drinking is a problem in your life.
Some are obvious: Being arrested for drunk driving, missing work or appointments because of a hangover, volatile relationships due to drinking. These are just a few examples.
Some are not so obvious: Spending half the weekend sleeping off a wild night, neglecting to take care of bills or other responsibilities, falling asleep in front of the TV every night after a few drinks. Staying away from or avoiding certain events because there won’t be alcohol served. Again, these are only a few examples.
An indicator that drinking could be a problem in your life is if you participate in what I call Auto-Response Drinking. And what is Auto-Response Drinking? This is when stressful events occur in your life and you respond by having a drink. Stressful events can be bad stress and good stress.
Bad stress could be a rough day at work, some sort of inconvenience – financial or otherwise. An argument with spouse, boss, friend or family member. Death, illness, breakup or some other tragedy. Any event when “the shit hits the fan” is bad stress.
Good stress could be your Birthday, my Birthday, a promotion, a Holiday, an Anniversary or any other happy event.
Auto-Response Drinking also includes habit drinking:
It’s Friday/Saturday night and I always go out drinking.
I always have a drink before/with/after dinner.
I always drink when I go fishing, golfing, dining out, watch sports, go dancing, rent a movie.
Any time you say, “I always have a drink” is Auto-Response Drinking.
So what can you do? Buy my book and learn techniques to change your thinking about Auto-Response drinking. What else would you expect me to say? At least I’m honest. In exchange for $12.95 of your hard-earned money, I will give you something of value in return. You will get a book that describes strategies and techniques to control your drinking, save money, enjoy a normal life, have less drama, closer relationships and hopefully live a life that is better than you ever dreamed.
Just a few words:
A scientific study regarding the effects of alcohol on speech has been released by M.I.T. - Milwaukee Institute of Teachin’. As B.A.C. (Blood Alcohol Content) increases, the following words become more difficult to say.
Words that are DIFFICULT to say at .05-.09 B.A.C.:
1. Innovative
2. Preliminary
3. Proliferation
4. Cinnamon
Words that are VERY DIFFICULT to say at .10-.16 B.A.C.:
1. Specificity
2. Anthropomorphism
3. Prestidigitator
4. Transubstantiate
Words that are IMPOSSIBLE to say at .17-.25 B.A.C. (DRUNK):
1. No thanks, no more booze for me, I have to drive.
2. Sorry you're not my type.
3. No I can’t,,, I'm married.
4. Good evening officer. Isn't it lovely out tonight?
5. Sorry I'm not interested in fighting you.
6. No one wants to hear me sing karaoke.
7. Thank you for asking, but I won’t make any attempt to dance as I have no coordination and I’d hate to make a fool of myself.
8. No thanks, I'm not hungry.
9. I must be going home now, as I have to work in the morning.
Okay, so this is a joke. We drunks have to laugh at oureslve's once in a while.
Getting drunk is a choice (legally speaking):
I interviewed a Defense Attorney for this article. My question to him was, “Can alcoholism be used as a defense in court?” His answer, “Ha ha. Now that’s funny! Of course it can’t, could you imagine how many millions of cases that would be thrown out of court or would have to be reopened?”
Now keep in mind that this is a Defense Attorney talking – the person who would use ANY excuse they could to get you out of being responsible for a crime.
“Using alcoholism as a defense for one’s own actions doesn’t work. You cannot use the disease of alcoholism to benefit you in any way for being responsible for committing a crime. It (alcohol and alcoholism) can be considered as an element in the commission of committing a crime, but you are still responsible for your own reckless actions. In fact, depending upon the egregiousness of the crime, alcohol may make matters worse. For instance, if you run over and kill a pedestrian with your car you will be charged with reckless driving and then wrongful death in a civil case. But if you are drunk when this occurs, you are going to be charged with a criminal offense; homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle.”
“Claiming to be an alcoholic or being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the occurrence of a crime may be a mitigating factor in sentencing or a restating of charges. Such as First degree intentional homicide lowered to Involuntary Manslaughter.”
“The law does not see alcoholism as something that you can’t control. You made the decision to drink and regardless of whether you were drunk (or an alcoholic) when committing an offense, YOU are still responsible for your own actions and of course your own decision to drink in the first place.”
I believe that his answer supports my own personal position that alcoholism is a choice. It is your choice to introduce that first drink into your body – what happens after that first drink is in your bloodstream is anybodies’ guess. For the person who has no control over how much alcohol they drink once they start, abstinence is your best course of action (or would it be inaction?).
If the law doesn’t allow the excuse of “I couldn’t help it, I’m an alcoholic” or “I didn’t know what I was doing, I was drunk at the time” why should it be any different when it comes to inappropriate actions, abhorrent or reprehensible behaviors towards other people? Drunk or not, you are still solely responsible for things that occur in your own personal life and relationships.
The temptation and desire to drink may exist, but it is ultimately your choice whether to drink or not drink. There are ways to beat these temptations and reward yourself for the choice to live sober. They are detailed in the book Living Sober Sucks (notice my not so subtle sales pitch?).
Disclaimer: This is not to be construed as legal advice. As with any legal opinion, it is up to the interpretation of the court in a given situation, depending on crime and circumstances.
To Be or Not To Be…
An Alcoholic
Excerpted from the book Living Sober Sucks:
ALCOHOLIC - what a wonderful title to hold. For us problem drinkers, being an alcoholic is a badge of honor. It gives us a sense of being part of an elite group or club. Other drunks welcome us in with open arms. Then, if we stop drinking, our new title allows us membership into another exclusive group - the recovering alcoholics. We’re special, not everyone can be a member of either of these groups but I have been a member of both.
When I was actively drinking, I wasn’t embarrassed to admit to other drunks that I was an alcoholic. After I quit, I had to deal with the stigma of, “He’s a recovering alcoholic,” and people treated me differently. But now, I’m just someone who doesn’t drink. However that stigma keeps some people from being willing to share their struggles. They are worried about the embarrassment that their friends, family or partner will have to endure. Well chances are good that your friends, family or partner is already aware that drinking is causing problems in your life. And which is worse? The stigma of being a recovering alcoholic or letting alcohol run your life?
I believe that the title "Alcoholic" is overused as well as misused. Someone does not have to be clinically deemed an alcoholic to have problems in their life due to drinking. Sometimes people want to belong to this exclusive group to gain sympathy or attention, so they call themselves an alcoholic. Or they like holding this title so others will show them compassion and forgive their behavior. Calling one’s self an alcoholic also allows us the opportunity to offer an excuse for our behaviors such as, "Oh I know I'm such a fuck-up, but I can't help it... I'm an alcoholic." Or, "I can't quit drinking. I've tried but I'm an alcoholic." We often use the title "Alcoholic" so we don't have to accept responsibility for ourselves and our own decisions.
It’s nice to be able to blame something else for our mistakes, indiscretions and failures. “I'm normally not like that, it was the alcohol,” or "I was drunk, I didn't know what I was doing" and "I can't help it, I'm an alcoholic" are great excuses. And the nice part about using alcohol as an excuse, alcohol can’t defend itself.
The harsh reality is that "I'm an alcoholic" is not a valid excuse and you don’t have to be an alcoholic for drinking to adversely impact your life. (continued in book)
Suggested Reading: Reading books has helped keep my mind off of drinking, it has furthered my knowledge and has been helping me become a better person. Here's a list of some books that I suggest reading. They are not directly related to alcoholism or addiction but they have helped me to understand how to accept personal responsibility for my own thoughts and actions. Some are very thought provoking - some are just fun to read. I hope you enjoy them. "Mistakes Were Made (but not by me)." - Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson "How to Win Friends and Influence People" - Dale Carnegie "Blind Spots" - Madeleine L. Van Hecke "Blink" - Malcolm Gladwell "Outliers" - Malcolm Gladwell "Why We Suck" - Denis Leary "Why Your Life Sucks and What You Can Do Aout It" - Alan H. Cohen Check out my other website: Like this site?
Please link it to your site, Facebook, Twitter or blog www.LivingSoberSucks.com
"Free Divorce Support for MEN"
Reading books has helped keep my mind off of drinking, it has furthered my knowledge and has been helping me become a better person. Here's a list of some books that I suggest reading. They are not directly related to alcoholism or addiction but they have helped me to understand how to accept personal responsibility for my own thoughts and actions. Some are very thought provoking - some are just fun to read. I hope you enjoy them.
"Mistakes Were Made (but not by me)." - Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
"How to Win Friends and Influence People" - Dale Carnegie
"Blind Spots" - Madeleine L. Van Hecke
"Blink" - Malcolm Gladwell
"Outliers" - Malcolm Gladwell
"Why We Suck" - Denis Leary
"Why Your Life Sucks and What You Can Do Aout It" - Alan H. Cohen
Like this site?
Please link it to your site, Facebook, Twitter or blog www.LivingSoberSucks.com
Check out my other website:
"Free Divorce Support for MEN"
If you think this website is useful and entertaining, wait until you read the book. Loaded with great ideas on how to live sober. Just by following one of my strategies in Chapter #13 (The Reward System) you will end up with $300 in the bank.
Order
Living Sober Sucks
(Paperback)
Available in major Bookstores soon. Just ask for it.
Only $12.95
Free Shipping
Signed, with custom inscription. Just fill in the form when you Buy Securely through PayPal
Or
Order through Amazon.com
Start reading it NOW with
Amazon Kindle = $9.95
Or as eBook = $9.95
(All electronic formats - Kindle, Sony, more)
Signed copy - with personalized inscription when purchased through Mail or PayPal.
Published by: CW Media, Inc.
Living Sober Sucks!
My name is Mark Tuschel. I'm not embarrassed to tell you my full name. My family and friends are proud of what I've done and my wife already divorced me. This site is dedicated to helping those who want to stop drinking and live a normal life - sober. Be forewarned, I am profane, I say a lot of crude things. I take sobriety very seriously but I have a wild sense of humor. And I truly care about other drunks.
I've been sober for more than 4 years and living sober sucks! I would rather be drinking beer or Scotch right now, but I will stay sober - and no one can take that away from me.
My dogs keep me sober!
My dogs: Berkeley, Eva, Mr. Spidini, DeeDee & Greta.
Find your own damn keys!
This was said to me once (okay, more than once in my life). This statement really stood out to me. It helped me understand how this is what living sober is like. Here’s how I parallel “find your own damn keys” to sobriety:
If someone else keeps finding your keys for you, you’ll never look for them yourself. You’ll always depend on someone else to pull your titty out of the wringer (And having your titty in a wringer hurts!).
Being a drunk is similar to this. You make mistakes, screw things up, argue, get in trouble, whatever, and you consciously, or unconsciously, expect someone else to bail you out. If you are continually bailed out, you won’t ever look for your own keys.
You need to find your own damn keys. This does not mean that I won’t help you. Yes, I will help you look for them; I will ask questions, offer ideas on where to look (like in my book). But you won’t feel responsible for them until you find them yourself. Then, if or when you do find them, maybe you will be more careful with your keys in the future.
That’s what finding sobriety is like. I CANNOT do this for you; I can help, but you will have to do this yourself. Once you find your own keys to sobriety, stick with them. Realize that only you can find them, and only you can lose them again.
Knowing where your keys are may not be that exciting, but it is a very comforting feeling.
More on my Philosophy:
On this website I bare my soul to you. I share all of my feelings of depression, guilt, temptation and anger. However, if you were to meet me in person you would never know that I suffer from these feelings - and more important - you would never know that I don't drink. I share my private emotions and struggles with you here, on my website, because this is the place to do it. I talk openly about the difficulty of trying to live a sober life, and it can be a daily struggle.
I was under the foolish belief that once I stopped drinking I would be happy and everyone would love me more, especially the people that I love. WRONG! Life is not filled with flowers, fuzzy bunnies and the sun does not shine out of your ass just because you quit drinking.
When I first quit drinking I attended a few "meetings" and listened to people say how much better my life will be if I follow the steps and find a higher power. What a crock of shit! Sobriety sucks. Listening to "read the book" rhetoric just doesn't work for me - that's not how real life is - especially if you enjoy drinking. Sobriety is NOT always fun and it's NOT always easy. Just try to live a normal life in America and not drink or be tempted to drink.
I have had to learn how to stay sober using my own willpower. I live a normal, fully engaged life. I don't hide from the real world. I go to parties, concerts, sporting events, etc. - and I stay sober.
The hard part about sobriety is that you have to deal with life and other people as they really are, and you have to do this SOBER! When you're a sober man, huge ugly women stay huge and ugly all night. It’s the same for sober women - fat, dumb drunk guys don’t start looking good as the night goes on. Boring, stupid people get even more boring and stupid. (Continued on About me)
If you think this website is useful and entertaining, wait until you read the book. Loaded with great ideas on how to live sober (it's also funny).
Everyone knows someone who needs to read this book.
Order
Living Sober Sucks
Cheaper than a case of beer, a Drunk Driving ticket, a Divorce Attorney or a month stay at Hazelden!
Available in major Bookstores soon. Just ask for it.
Only $12.95
Free Shipping
Signed, with custom inscription. Just fill in the form when you Buy Securely through PayPal
Or
Order through Amazon.com
Start reading it NOW with
Amazon Kindle = $9.95
Or as eBook = $9.95
(All electronic formats - Kindle, Sony, more)
Signed copy - with personalized inscription when purchased through Mail or PayPal.
Published by: CW Media, Inc.
Little Eva(left) Dee Dee (standing) Berkley & Frau Greta (right)
Welcome to reality:
Click here for audio of this article
I receive emails from people asking me for ideas on how to control their drinking. But many of those people want the sobering up process to be easy and they want to continue doing all the same things they are doing now. Well guess what? Living sober is going to suck for a while - welcome to fucking reality!
I am not trying to talk you out of quitting drinking, but I would be lying to you if I told you that sobering up was going to be easy and fun. If (or when) you decide to start living sober, your life is going to change. You‘re going to change many of your habits, you're most likely going to change what you do for entertainment and relaxation. You’ll probably even change who you hang out with.
At first it’s going to be boring - real boring. You won’t know what to do with yourself. It will seem like everything you used to do revolved around drinking, and it did. All of your socializing, concerts, nightclubbing, sporting events, family gatherings, vacations, relaxation all revolved around drinking. All of these activities will seem boring when you first quit drinking. Welcome to fucking reality. (Eventually it does get better.)
Here’s the upside to living sober: I feel better, I sleep better, I think clearer, I have better relationships with people, I enjoy my work more, I am in control of my emotions, my thoughts and my life. I don’t want to forget to mention that I’m not pissing away thousands and thousands of dollars either.
Here’s what sucks about living sober. I have to sit and watch while other people freely drink. That sucks! But that doesn’t mean that other’s shouldn’t be allowed to do what they want. It doesn’t mean that other’s shouldn’t drink in front of me. Temptation is my problem - not theirs! Welcome to fucking reality Mark.
I still get bored, and when I do, I can’t just sit around watching TV guzzling beer, or go hang out at a bar for hours on end. I have to find other activities to keep me busy and keep my mind occupied. I read books, talk with friends on the phone, go to the gym, go over to a friend’s house and annoy them. I work on house projects, work on furthering my education, spend time shaving hamsters (okay I really don’t shave hamsters for a hobby - but it sounds like it might be fun). Now I am finally able to do all of the things I did as a drunk, I just don’t drink anymore. It took about a year before I really started enjoying my sobriety.
Living sober will be far different than what you expect it to be. Some things will be better than you thought, some will be worse. Some days it will be easy to stay sober, some days it will be tough, but it will be worth it - welcome to reality.
Respecting Alcohol:
Living Sober Sucks is not an anti-alcohol book. I think drinking is fun and a lot of drugs are fun. However, they can become problematic for many of us. I happen to be someone that knows that I shouldn’t drink or do drugs. Now that I know that, I make the conscious choice to not partake in drinking or drugs. You, or someone you know may also be in this same category.
Living Sober Sucks is not an anti-alcohol book. I think drinking is fun and a lot of drugs are fun. However, they can become problematic for many of us. I happen to be someone that knows that I shouldn’t drink or do drugs. Now that I know that, I make the conscious choice to not partake in drinking or drugs. You, or someone you know may also be in this same category.
Understanding what alcohol does: Alcohol is designed to effect the brain and give the user a sense of pleasure. However, as larger amounts of alcohol are introduced into the body, these euphoric feelings are also mixed with an inability for the brain to process data between the various areas coherently and correctly. This is what causes us to have poor judgment while we’re drunk. That is a simple explanation.
Understanding what alcohol does: Alcohol is designed to effect the brain and give the user a sense of pleasure. However, as larger amounts of alcohol are introduced into the body, these euphoric feelings are also mixed with an inability for the brain to process data between the various areas coherently and correctly. This is what causes us to have poor judgment while we’re drunk. That is a simple explanation.
In layman’s terms: Alcohol makes stupid people seem interesting. It makes fat, dopey people look attractive and it also causes your pants to fall off at the wrong time with the wrong person. Too much alcohol also causes us to have regrets. We regret what we said, what we did, or who we ended up going home with. (continued in book)
In layman’s terms: Alcohol makes stupid people seem interesting. It makes fat, dopey people look attractive and it also causes your pants to fall off at the wrong time with the wrong person. Too much alcohol also causes us to have regrets. We regret what we said, what we did, or who we ended up going home with. (continued in book)
There is no shame!
There is no shame!
There is no shame in being an alcoholic or problem drinker - many wonderful, loving and productive people have alcohol problems. The shame is if you don’t acknowledge it and do something about it.
You do not have to be defined by past actions or past experiences. This is not to say that you can live in denial. Consequences of your past must be accepted. Unplanned children, crimes, unsavory activities, embarrassing actions, debts, broken relationships - these must be accepted as realities - but they don’t have to define how you approach sobriety and how you start your new life.
A couple of examples:
(#1) I was at the burial service for my favorite Uncle. It was a beautiful sunny July day. The service was at a small country cemetery in central Wisconsin. Most of the people attending were extended relatives and friends of our family. After the service many people hung around and reminisced about George. I had numerous people come up to me and say, “Hi Mark, it’s so nice to see you again.” I would look at them and think, “Do I know you?” Then they would continue on, “Do you still have your lake house? That was so much fun when we came over.” They talked about going for boat rides and grilling out, what a wonderful party host I was. I had no recollection of who these people were, but they were at my house!
It was a sad reminder that I missed a lot of my life while I was a drunk. But I didn’t feel shame and I didn’t have to tell them about my “tale of woe” of how I no longer drink - I just enjoyed the moment with them. It doesn’t have to stop me from opening my heart and my home up to them in the future and getting to know them better.
(#2) I invited a friend over to my lake house. We could go boating, swimming, grill out and enjoy a nice summer day. They told me, “I want to come over, but I can’t because I want to have a couple of beers, then I can’t drive. I already have one D.U.I. Why don’t you come over to my house?”
While the part about not wanting to drink and drive is admirable - this is a very revealing statement. This person could have just as easily said, “I can’t go anywhere because my life is controlled by alcohol - I HAVE to drink to live.” I suppose I could have gone over to their house, but all I would have been doing was supporting and enabling their drinking.
I think it’s sad that someone would pass on and miss out on so many great opportunities for fun in life because their every action is controlled by and revolves around drinking. I’m glad that I no longer have to live under that control. I may feel guilt, sadness and remorse for my past life and actions, but I will not allow it to define how I approach the future. I like being able to fully engage in life - sober.
A few profound quotes By Mark Tuschel.
Everything doesn’t always turn out for the best, but you can make the best of how things turn out.
A smart person learns from their mistakes, but a smarter person learns from everyone else’s mistakes.
I don’t think I was all that bad, but I didn’t have to deal with me as a drunk... I was me!
This is fucked up!
Alcoholism isn’t a disease, it’s a choice.
I am paying the price today for what I did yesterday.
You never know how you look through someone else’s eyes.
Let go and let gravity! - Some things fly, some don't.
The day I needed help from God, He called in sick.
If you think you have a problem, you probably do have a problem
As long as I do something, something will happen.
Sometimes life is fair and justice is served - be patient.
Life can get better, if you let it, and help it along a bit.
Hey, this may suck, but at least I’m still sober!
I don't care!
I don’t care what YOU want to put into YOUR body. I care about what I put into MY body.
I don’t care if YOU want to drink or do drugs. I care whether I drink or do drugs.
I don’t care how YOU treat people. I care how I treat people.
I don’t care how YOU want to act or live your life. I care how I act and how I live my life.
I don’t care about who YOU hang out with. I care about who I hang out with.
I don’t care how many randoms YOU go home with. I care about who I give my love to.
I don’t care what you might think or say about me. I care what I think and say about me.
It isn’t that I don’t care about people. In fact, I care deeply about the important people in my life and I care about YOU, but I can’t care about what they do or what you do. I have to pay attention to what I do, what I say and how I react to other’s. If friends do things that I don’t like or that aren’t good for me or them, then I must decide if I want to hang out with them. All I can control is ME, and all you can control is YOU. I believe that this attutude will help you pay attention to your own sobriety.
People have done some pretty rotten things to me. I’ve been cheated on, tormented, humiliated, laughed at, belittled, emasculated, lied to, and emotionally hurt. I’ve had people die in front of me, had good friends die in my arms, been robbed, lost money, made money, had my ass kicked and kicked a few asses. I have been loved and hated. While I was a drunk I had probably done some of those same things to people that I love and I must live with that guilt, but that isn’t an excuse or a reason for me to drink. It doesn't matter what you’ve been through or what anyone has ever done to you,,, no one forces you to drink but YOU! There are NO excuses, no “good reasons”, there is no rationalization! I’m not superhuman and I’m nothing special,,,, I’m just honest with myself and with you. Try living sober for a while. What’s the worst that can happen?
Life is meant to be enjoyed:
Living sober may suck, but life is meant to be enjoyed. But how can that be? How can such complete opposite statements go hand in hand? Pleasures in life come with things that “suck.”
Here's an example. I own six dogs and it sucks when I have to pick up dog shit, but dog shit happens to come with dogs. If I want to enjoy the friendship, fun and love I experience with owning dogs, I must also perform a duty that sucks. The same applies for cat owners, horse owners, cleaning the aquarium, working for a living and living a sober life.
Living sober may suck but you can also enjoy life at the same time. You owe it to your friends, family, spouse, lover, partner and especially yourself to enjoy your life. If you are religious and believe in God, then you especially owe it to your creator to enjoy your life. Life can be enjoyed after recovery and even while you are recovering from an addictive past. Yes, life can be enjoyed without the aid of drugs or alcohol.(continued in book)
Thank you Dad for keeping me from killing myself.
Thank you to all of my family and friends that have stuck by me and helped me stay sober. Special thanks to my crazy friend Jhennifer.
Join me as a friend on facebook.
By Mark Tuschel.
Everything doesn’t always turn out for the best, but you can make the best of how things turn out.
A smart person learns from their mistakes, but a smarter person learns from everyone else’s mistakes.
I don’t think I was all that bad, but I didn’t have to deal with me as a drunk... I was me!
This is fucked up!
Alcoholism isn’t a disease, it’s a choice.
I am paying the price today for what I did yesterday.
You never know how you look through someone else’s eyes.
Let go and let gravity! - Some things fly, some don't.
The day I needed help from God, He called in sick.
If you think you have a problem, you probably do have a problem
As long as I do something, something will happen.
Sometimes life is fair and justice is served - be patient.
Life can get better, if you let it, and help it along a bit.
Hey, this may suck, but at least I’m still sober!
I don't care!
I don’t care what YOU want to put into YOUR body. I care about what I put into MY body.
I don’t care if YOU want to drink or do drugs. I care whether I drink or do drugs.
I don’t care how YOU treat people. I care how I treat people.
I don’t care how YOU want to act or live your life. I care how I act and how I live my life.
I don’t care about who YOU hang out with. I care about who I hang out with.
I don’t care how many randoms YOU go home with. I care about who I give my love to.
I don’t care what you might think or say about me. I care what I think and say about me.
It isn’t that I don’t care about people. In fact, I care deeply about the important people in my life and I care about YOU, but I can’t care about what they do or what you do. I have to pay attention to what I do, what I say and how I react to other’s. If friends do things that I don’t like or that aren’t good for me or them, then I must decide if I want to hang out with them. All I can control is ME, and all you can control is YOU. I believe that this attutude will help you pay attention to your own sobriety.
People have done some pretty rotten things to me. I’ve been cheated on, tormented, humiliated, laughed at, belittled, emasculated, lied to, and emotionally hurt. I’ve had people die in front of me, had good friends die in my arms, been robbed, lost money, made money, had my ass kicked and kicked a few asses. I have been loved and hated. While I was a drunk I had probably done some of those same things to people that I love and I must live with that guilt, but that isn’t an excuse or a reason for me to drink. It doesn't matter what you’ve been through or what anyone has ever done to you,,, no one forces you to drink but YOU! There are NO excuses, no “good reasons”, there is no rationalization! I’m not superhuman and I’m nothing special,,,, I’m just honest with myself and with you. Try living sober for a while. What’s the worst that can happen?
Life is meant to be enjoyed:
Living sober may suck, but life is meant to be enjoyed. But how can that be? How can such complete opposite statements go hand in hand? Pleasures in life come with things that “suck.”
Here's an example. I own six dogs and it sucks when I have to pick up dog shit, but dog shit happens to come with dogs. If I want to enjoy the friendship, fun and love I experience with owning dogs, I must also perform a duty that sucks. The same applies for cat owners, horse owners, cleaning the aquarium, working for a living and living a sober life.
Living sober may suck but you can also enjoy life at the same time. You owe it to your friends, family, spouse, lover, partner and especially yourself to enjoy your life. If you are religious and believe in God, then you especially owe it to your creator to enjoy your life. Life can be enjoyed after recovery and even while you are recovering from an addictive past. Yes, life can be enjoyed without the aid of drugs or alcohol.(continued in book)
Thank you Dad for keeping me from killing myself.
Thank you to all of my family and friends that have stuck by me and helped me stay sober. Special thanks to my crazy friend Jhennifer.
Join me as a friend on facebook.
By Mark Tuschel.
Everything doesn’t always turn out for the best, but you can make the best of how things turn out.
A smart person learns from their mistakes, but a smarter person learns from everyone else’s mistakes.
I don’t think I was all that bad, but I didn’t have to deal with me as a drunk... I was me!
This is fucked up!
Alcoholism isn’t a disease, it’s a choice.
I am paying the price today for what I did yesterday.
You never know how you look through someone else’s eyes.
Let go and let gravity! - Some things fly, some don't.
The day I needed help from God, He called in sick.
If you think you have a problem, you probably do have a problem
As long as I do something, something will happen.
Sometimes life is fair and justice is served - be patient.
Life can get better, if you let it, and help it along a bit.
Hey, this may suck, but at least I’m still sober!
By Mark Tuschel.
Everything doesn’t always turn out for the best, but you can make the best of how things turn out.
A smart person learns from their mistakes, but a smarter person learns from everyone else’s mistakes.
I don’t think I was all that bad, but I didn’t have to deal with me as a drunk... I was me!
This is fucked up!
Alcoholism isn’t a disease, it’s a choice.
I am paying the price today for what I did yesterday.
You never know how you look through someone else’s eyes.
Let go and let gravity! - Some things fly, some don't.
The day I needed help from God, He called in sick.
If you think you have a problem, you probably do have a problem
As long as I do something, something will happen.
Sometimes life is fair and justice is served - be patient.
Life can get better, if you let it, and help it along a bit.
Hey, this may suck, but at least I’m still sober!
I don’t care what YOU want to put into YOUR body. I care about what I put into MY body.
I don’t care if YOU want to drink or do drugs. I care whether I drink or do drugs.
I don’t care how YOU treat people. I care how I treat people.
I don’t care how YOU want to act or live your life. I care how I act and how I live my life.
I don’t care about who YOU hang out with. I care about who I hang out with.
I don’t care how many randoms YOU go home with. I care about who I give my love to.
I don’t care what you might think or say about me. I care what I think and say about me.
It isn’t that I don’t care about people. In fact, I care deeply about the important people in my life and I care about YOU, but I can’t care about what they do or what you do. I have to pay attention to what I do, what I say and how I react to other’s. If friends do things that I don’t like or that aren’t good for me or them, then I must decide if I want to hang out with them. All I can control is ME, and all you can control is YOU. I believe that this attutude will help you pay attention to your own sobriety.
People have done some pretty rotten things to me. I’ve been cheated on, tormented, humiliated, laughed at, belittled, emasculated, lied to, and emotionally hurt. I’ve had people die in front of me, had good friends die in my arms, been robbed, lost money, made money, had my ass kicked and kicked a few asses. I have been loved and hated. While I was a drunk I had probably done some of those same things to people that I love and I must live with that guilt, but that isn’t an excuse or a reason for me to drink. It doesn't matter what you’ve been through or what anyone has ever done to you,,, no one forces you to drink but YOU! There are NO excuses, no “good reasons”, there is no rationalization! I’m not superhuman and I’m nothing special,,,, I’m just honest with myself and with you. Try living sober for a while. What’s the worst that can happen?
Join me as a friend on facebook.
Living Sober Sucks
United States
Mark
