Getting Past Gambling

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A place to come and share experiences, to find support and strength, for those of us who are putting gambling behind us and finding new exciting and happier ways to live our lives.
" You never achieve real success unless you like what you are doing."
*Dale Carnegie {1888-1955 American Author & Achievement Expert}


ARE YOU GAMBLING WITH....
... the feelings of those you love most?
... with your family's security and happiness?
... with the roof over your children's heads?
... with money that you can't afford to lose?
... with the trust that your partner/parents/children/friends have in you?
.... with your future?


ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS TO SEE IF YOU ARE AT RISK:.....
Do you think about gambling every day?
Do you chase your losses?
Do you feel depressed because of your gambling?
Do you hide your gambling from people close to you?
Do you borrow money so you can gamble?
Do you argue with family or friends over money or gambling?
Do you often gamble until your last dollar is gone?
Do you let bills go unpaid because you use the money for gambling?
Do you find that you are not talking honestly to anyone about how often or how much you spend on gambling?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may have a problem.

Tell others about your problem and decision.
It is easier to overcome your problem if you have some support.
Take financial control.
Become aware of the situations that have turned your gambling into a problem.
For example, when you are bored, angry, have some spare cash, feeling lucky or thinking about losses.
Think about your thinking.
How you think about your gambling will strongly influence how you act.

Money Management.
To gain perspective on the value of money, try to reorganise your finances.
For example, pay bills by direct debit, have your partner collect your wages and leave the credit cards at home when you go out.

Organise your time.
When gambling becomes a problem, it takes up may hours of the week.
Many gamblers feel a "gap" when they reduce their gambling time. Try socialising or taking up a hobby or sport.

Relaxation is important.
A lot of problem gamblers are intense about many areas of their lives.
Learning to relax is one way of overcoming the initial strong desire to return to gambling.

Saying positive things to yourself can determine how you feel and act.
It requires a deliberate effort to overcome negative self-talk.
Try to remember the good things about not betting.

Make a commitment to be honest to yourself and others.
If relationships have broken down due to dishonesty make a big effort to be totally honest in the future.

Remember that it sometimes takes a few efforts to reach your goal.

KEEP FOCUSSED ON YOUR SUCCESSES.

Monday, May 30, 2005

THE DAILY GURU...Messages That Guide You Daily

Live Now"
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."
-- Annie Dillard

We lose the power of the moment because we're so rarely in it. We're reliving the past or speculating about the future. We continue to believe that tomorrow's the day when I'll be more capable, more wealthy, more fit and more loving. Meanwhile, I'm just putting in time, dreaming of better things but not making any concrete move to realize them.

When you find yourself thinking of the future or the past, bring your awareness into the present moment. Really experience how you feel and what's happening around you, without judgment. If we can treasure each moment, our lives will be rich, no matter what we have accomplished.

"Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered for they are gone forever."
-- Horace Mann"

If, before going to bed every night, you will tear a page from the calendar, and remark, 'there goes another day of my life, never to return,' you will become time conscious."
-- A. B. Zu Tavern

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