it has been one week into 2018 and i am man enough to admit that i have welcomed weakness into my heart already. but no longer will i keep my guilt bottled up. i strive to reach 70 days. words of encourgement are welcomed. i will do my best to update my status daily, and weekly highlighting the difficulty of that day or thought. today's thought is a qoute by Andre Benjamin aka Andre 3000 "No looking back, Spaceships don't come equipped with rearview mirrors. they dip as quick as they can, the atmosphere is now ripped"
Hey @pooh-bah , There is so much support on this forum, the profiles and the various groups. It works if you work it. I don't offer advise. I offer only my ESH (experience, strength and hope). Work it? Oh yeah. There's work to be done, that's what's worked for me. Two things I've found necessary. 1. I had to Learn the NoFap Program. 2. Getting involved with the community on here was vital to help my recovery. Learn the NoFap Program The resources listed on the "New Users: List of Rebooting Resources" helped me find my way around the reasons behind the program and the terms used. They are: Download the free Getting Started guide. Set up a PMO-Counter Badge. More info here! Basic introduction to the science of porn addiction! Basic information about rebooting and how our challenges can help you recover from PMO. This is the most important page to read. If you only can read one page, read this one. About NoFap. Watch this video - it is an epic intro resource if you want to get particular details about porn addiction and how it changes how your brain works. This is a good light-weight video about porn addiction. Read through the journal sections and see what other rebooters have experienced. It is good to know what to expect, otherwise the "chaser effect", "the surge", or the "flatline" might throw you off. If you come across vocabulary that you can't understand, check out our rebooting glossary of terms. GET ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR HABITS! Sign up for a peer accountability partner. Otherwise if you want more professional-hosted solutions, check out NoFap Premium or Reboot Camp. If you can afford to invest in yourself, these are great options. You can find this same list on the top of the forum you posted this message on at - the "New to NoFap" forum. Get Involved with the Community The community has been my lifeline. I've found journals I love, people who are very supportive and a place where I could get to work helping in a small way others. I'm nobody important around here. Just a normal user with no magic powers. But, I can: Read Journals, and comment when I have ESH Find people I admire and stay in touch via their profiles Pick a forum and make sure evvery post gets and answer. I can't answer them all, but that's good - different opinions make for a better group. Post in my journal (I could be better at it - but I do milestone posts at least) To make a journal go to the section listed by age and start one. Keep all your journal posts in one thread. But, for random thoughts, you can create a new thread. Looking forward to seeing you around on the forums, - L PS - Think of pmo like a wolf. Stay near the center of the group with the winners and the wolf has a more difficult time finding you. But, stray near the edges of the community and the wolf can pick you off.
One of the ways I got involved with the fellowship was by reading some really great journals. I've included journals from all age groups, spiritual members, religious members, secular members, male and female. You should find journals that help. If not, look around, there are hundreds of others from which to choose. When I say "it works if you work it", reading journals is part of that work. Once you open a journal, click "Watch Thread" in the upper right of the page to get alerts when new posts are made. Here are just a few: @2525 Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/147264/ --- @Visor Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/144228/ --- @Dragonnlife Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/136148 --- @weddingnails Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/143418/ --- @Struggle Bug Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/141911/ --- @BigDawg913 Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/145872/ --- @Sunshadow Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/75108/ --- @kropo82 Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/78164/ --- @tet2vd Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/144513 --- @Protagoras Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/109842/ --- @Tomoya Okazaki Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/143534/ --- @DavidGibson Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/143325/ --- @Euklid Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/146663/ --- @LilD Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/147764/ --- @BreatheDeeply Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/139097/ --- @LiquidShoes Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/134044/ --- @Reverent Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/143845/ --- @zakes Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/149243/ --- @Former_CD Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/87827/ --- @PatrickR Journals at: https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/139570/ --- There are many more, and you can discover them on your own. But, these are great places to start. This is a work in progress. So, if a journal has changed or is no longer active, look around there are some amazing journals on here. - L
Wow! Big thanks to @StopTheMusic I greatly appreciate the support and info. No doubt other users & lukers will greatly appreciate your reply. Thanks for taking the time to share. Have a victorious day @StopTheMusic
Morning of Day 3 Thoughts: i've been keeping myself busy with work, gym, family, and friends. i've removed myself from social media, stop watching TV, and started listening to instrumental music. i've started to read the journals @StopTheMusic reccommended. So far i had one urge yesterday. Did not act on it or entertain the thought but the urge was there. I will acknowledge that. i want to start listening to the Art of Manliness podcast again. and find an accountability partner. Quote: "...But a tiny spark can set a great forrest on fire." James 3:5
gentleman i relapse. im sorry for being weak. i have multiple regrets running through my head right now. it back to square one.
This morning i relapse but instead of giving up and playing my violen i decided to force myself to have a good day. and crazy enough it worked. i joked with co workers, flirted with females, and even caught this young lady starring at me (hopefully my zipper wasn't down) but what hurt me more was not talking to the young lady. that hurt me more then the relapse. idk it really pissed my off that i didn't say a word. i felt powerless and all of a sudden i had to forgive myself all over again *sigh* im about to go to the gym. to release some stress.