My Sobriety Journey

A clear baseline might read: “Starting August 12, I’m tracking complete alcohol-free days. My current pattern is four drinking days per week, usually two to four drinks after work. I’ll also record craving intensity from 0 to 10 and whether I used one planned response before deciding what to do.”

That statement gives every entry a job. A “0” for alcohol use means something. A craving score of “7” tells you the day was difficult even if you stayed sober. A note that says “walked for ten minutes before calling a friend” shows which action helped.

Key takeaway: Progress becomes useful when you define exactly what you’ll count, when you’ll count it, and what each number means.

Be careful with the word “baseline.” It doesn’t mean you must recreate your worst period or record every detail of your past. Use the most recent pattern that helps you make decisions now. If you’re unsure whether stopping a substance is medically safe, speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making a sudden change. Withdrawal can be serious, and a tracker isn’t a substitute for medical support.

Build Your Baseline Card

Materials needed: Your Sobriety Tracker, a pen or notes app, and a calendar. Time required: 15-20 minutes. Expected outcome: One completed baseline statement, one primary measure, and up to three supporting measures.

Your Turn

1. Write the date you’ll begin tracking. If you’re starting today, use today’s date. If you’re preparing ahead, choose a date within the next seven days. 2. Complete this sentence: “Before I started tracking, my typical pattern was…” Include the substance or behavior, the number of days per week, and the usual amount or length of time if you know it. 3. Choose one primary measure. Select one: - Complete sober days - Alcohol-free days - Days without a specific substance - Days I followed my written sobriety plan - Another measure: ______________________________ 4. Define the primary measure in plain language. Finish this sentence: “I will count a successful day when…” 5. Choose no more than three supporting measures. Use numbers or yes/no answers where possible. Options include: - Craving intensity: 0 means no craving; 10 means the strongest craving I can imagine. - Sleep: number of hours. - Mood: 0 means very low; 10 means very steady. - Coping action used: yes or no. - Contact with support: yes or no. - Trigger noticed: yes or no. 6. Set a daily recording time. Pick a time you can repeat, such as 8:30 p.m. or immediately after brushing your teeth. 7. Write your baseline statement using the template below. 8. Check your statement against three questions: Can I record it in under two minutes? Does each number have a clear meaning? Could another person understand what I’m counting? 9. If the answer to any question is no, revise the statement. You’re finished when all three answers are yes.

Baseline statement template

“Starting on ________________, my recent pattern was ____________________________. My primary progress measure is ____________________________. I will count a successful day when ____________________________________________. Each evening at ______, I will record ______________________________.”

Completed example

> Starting on August 12, my recent pattern was drinking four evenings per week, usually two to four drinks after work. My primary progress measure is complete alcohol-free days. I will count a successful day when I have no alcohol from midnight to midnight. Each evening at 8:30 p.m., I will record alcohol-free day: yes/no, craving intensity from 0-10, and whether I used a planned coping action: yes/no.

Now read your statement aloud. Does “successful day” mean the same thing every time? If you’re tracking complete sobriety, avoid quietly changing the rule halfway through the week. If your plan needs to change, record the change with a date. That keeps your tracker honest without treating a difficult day as a failure of character.

Quick check

• [ ] My starting date is written. - [ ] My recent pattern includes a frequency. - [ ] I chose one primary measure. - [ ] I defined what counts. - [ ] My supporting measures use clear numbers or yes/no answers. - [ ] I chose a daily recording time. - [ ] I can complete the entry in two minutes or less.

You’re done with this exercise when all six baseline fields are complete and every box is checked.

Use the Baseline in Ordinary Days

Your baseline should work on a normal Tuesday, not only on a highly motivated morning. Keep the daily entry small. For example: “Alcohol-free: yes. Craving: 6/10. Coping action: yes. Note: left work and went straight to the gym.” That entry takes less than a minute and still tells you what happened.

Use the same definitions in different situations. If you’re at a restaurant, “alcohol-free” still means no alcohol. If you have a strong craving but don’t use, record both facts. The sober day is the primary result; the craving score explains the effort behind it. If you use, record it accurately rather than deleting the day. A tracker that hides hard information can’t help you spot patterns.

Suppose your baseline says you usually drink four evenings per week, especially after stressful workdays. On Friday, you record: “Alcohol-free: yes. Craving: 8/10. Coping action: yes. Trigger: conflict with supervisor. Response: called my brother and stayed out of the liquor store.” The expected outcome isn’t a perfect-feeling day. It’s a specific record showing that the primary measure was met and identifying a response worth repeating.

At the end of seven days, compare your entries with the baseline. Count your successful days. Then review the supporting measures. Did cravings rise on certain days? Did sleep improve after several sober nights? Did using a coping action make a difference? Don’t force a conclusion from one week. You’re looking for useful signals, not courtroom evidence.

If your goal changes, create a new dated baseline rather than rewriting the old one. For example, you may begin by tracking alcohol-free days and later add “no drinking alone.” Write: “New measure added September 3.” This gives your progress a clean timeline. You’ll know which definition was active on which dates.

Apply It

Complete this seven-day test after you create your baseline:

1. Record your primary measure every day for seven consecutive days. 2. Record each supporting measure using the same scale or yes/no rule. 3. Add one short note on any day with a craving of 6 or higher, or any day your plan changed. 4. On day seven, count your successful days: ____ out of 7. 5. Write one pattern supported by your entries: ______________________________________. 6. Write one adjustment for the next seven days: ______________________________________.

Your expected outcome is a seven-day record that can answer three questions: What did I count? How often did I meet the definition? What situation most affected the result?

Review Your Starting Point and Next Step

A baseline should make your next decision easier. It may show that your definition is clear and manageable. It may also show that a measure needs adjusting. That isn’t a problem. The point is to create a record you can trust.

Answer each question in two or three lines. Use specific dates, numbers, and examples where you can.

Reflect

1. What exactly will count as progress for you over the next seven days, and what will not count?

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2. Which part of your recent pattern is most important to record: frequency, amount, time of day, trigger, or response? Why?

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3. What will you do if your original plan changes or you have a day that doesn’t meet your primary measure?

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Keep your completed baseline where you’ll see it before making each daily entry. It’s the ruler for the first stretch of your work - not a verdict. When the definition is clear, even a short entry can show what happened, what helped, and what to try next.

End of chapter one. 6 more chapters in the full book.