Honest and truthful sharing between recovering buddies has help me strengthen my belief and trust in recovery. They let me feel that I was not alone in this journey.

I have learnt to focus and look at the progress made in recovery and not at the imperfections. I learn to be grateful for the baby step progress that I have made in recovery and not cry about what I do not have.

I choose not to look back ward and forward, but only on TODAY. For me, it was already a huge victory won for each day not gambling.

One day at a time staying stop is more manageable, realistic and achievable. The positive result actually encourages and motivate me to try again tomorrow. I started believing that I can stay stop for one day call today.

The little success each day staying stop offer me hope for the future. I try to do the same thing every day and I shall keep on trying until my last breath.

If I chart my progress in recovery, it was not a straight line, there is up and down, sometimes it is two steps forward one step back, sometimes it is three steps forward and two steps back. Slowly but surely there was progress and this has kept me alive and hopeful.

Today I am an addict. Tomorrow will be no different. The addiction lives within me now and forever. I must never forget what I am. Gambling will surely destroy me if I fail to recognize and acknowledge my disease on a daily basis. I am not playing a game in which a loss is a temporary setback. I am dealing with my disease, for which there is no cure, only daily acceptance and vigilance.