However, to set yourself up for success with your sobriety, you need to be organized in how you spend your time. No matter what it is, even if you have to catch up on being lazy for a few days, do it in an organized way. Set yourself up for success by being organized in what you are trying to accomplish outside of your sobriety, and the sobriety will become more natural. This year sober, I’ve learned to live my best and love myself more. I’ve made mistakes and met insane challenges, but I knew I could manage them. I’ve had less therapy, which was challenging at first, but it also freed me with a system of emotional self-support that I had but didn’t know I was ready to use on my own.
How To Find Your Purpose To Quit Drinking AND Stay Sober
I founded The Sober School to show you there’s another way out of your shame that doesn’t involve AA or rehab.
Pain Is The Catalyst For Growth
What I’ve learned is that the only thing I can control in any given situation is myself. At first, this drove me crazy; I wanted things the way I wanted them, and when that didn’t happen, I quickly became frustrated, upset and angry. I have learned so much in the past 5 years of my sobriety, and I continue to learn more every day.
Three fears holding me back from quitting Instagram (and how I’m letting go)
I can handle problems and pain without alcohol. I am supremely confident in a room full of strangers, without alcohol. I can literally do anything (hello, 5 years of living) without any need for alcohol. One particular drunken wedding was the spark that set my decision in motion, yet when I recently spoke to friends about it their version of who I was that night was vastly different to my own. Not only do I not have to design myself with labels, but I also don’t have to stick those labels onto me for all of those to see.
My Biggest Takeaway From 5 Years Of Sobriety
I worked in the morning and had the following day off, so I was going to celebrate my mini weekend with a night out. I got my hair done, got my lashes done, got my nails done, and I was prepared to celebrate — but the truth is, I didn’t have much to be proud of. The life I had created for myself then, at 28 years old, was one full of running, hiding, lying, cheating, half-assing, and blaming everyone for my circumstances but me. I had big dreams but no sense of responsibility. I had big ideas but only after a night of drinking and cocaine.
Years: Another Lifestyle
The second definition is more commonly used when discussing sobriety as a lifestyle choice. What matters most isn’t how you celebrate these milestones or even what those milestones are, but rather that you feel proud about how far you’ve come and feel excited about the future. Wendy is likewise managing a portion of the eventual outcomes of the numerous years she spent in dynamic habit with sobriety milestones, yet she is tracking down some splendid spots. Marty Markovits is the Chief Information Officer at TruHealing. He oversees the people, processes, and technologies of the whole organization to ensure the business is running smoothly.
The best part of my job is being able to show up for my team and clients; they all mean the world to me. I get to brainstorm and strategize with tons of different personalities. A lot of the team does not know, but I love learning from them. If I am not learning something about our industry or workplace, I am certainly learning how to effectively collaborate with different types of individuals. Anyone in my life knows how important sobriety is to me. Not just in prioritizing my recovery—which is also important—but in feeling thankful for it every day.
I permit myself to be me now, even when I don’t initially recognize him. Not at 30 days sober, 90 days sober, or 5 years sober. You get to cry as long and often as you need. Your deep grief and big aches are never going to leave you. As much as you demand, you won’t get over it. You will continue to hold people and places you’ve loved in your heart, long after they are gone.
We are all our own worst enemies, and once we realise that it all starts with us, then we release the power that we truly hold. This is perhaps the biggest surprise of all to me – I feel no guilt or shame at allowing myself alcohol after 5 years, which is a huge thing in itself. If you’re a sober writer, we invite you to contribute!
- He oversees the people, processes, and technologies of the whole organization to ensure the business is running smoothly.
- He’ll promise never to drink again, but days later he will – again and again.
- Or the 700 million people who are going to starve today.
- With the way I started off this article, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that sober life has been a challenge.
- Despite how ubiquitous the colorful tokens are with the organization, they’re actually an unofficial practice.
But it hasn’t all been plain sailing, and staying sober in an alcohol-infused world has served up many challenges. ‘Five years ago me’ would have loved to have known sober house what these challenges were, so I’ve decided to share some of the main lessons I’ve learned along the way. I hope I can help some people in a similar boat. The opposite of addiction is connection. Like so many women, I used to believe wine was self-care. I believed I didn’t deserve the good stuff that happened and I made myself numb to whatever was being celebrated as well as whatever was being mourned.
I had tried to manage my drinking, control it and “drink like a lady” (whatever that means), but my efforts were to no avail. At my core, I was a blackout drunk; as soon as I took a sip, I couldn’t stop. Reconnect with your mind, body & soul with timeless exercises to carry you through out your recovery journey.
- You see, on February 3, 2015, I took my last sip of alcohol.
- For example, a recovering alcoholic might say that they’ve been sober for 5 years.
- Matt Hunt is a documentary photographer connecting with people, sharing moments, and telling stories in Southeast Asia.
- I pretended to be someone else, using a fake name.
- There you have it…five things I’ve learned in five years of sobriety.
- That peace isn’t the negation of negative feelings.
Recovery Does Not Equal Perfection
Alcohol is an addictive substance to humans. If you’ve tried to quit or cut down and found it difficult or even impossible, do you know what this means? It means you’re a human who is struggling to control a substance that is addictive to ALL humans. Some are more at risk than others, for example if you’ve experienced trauma. That lesson has come up again and again, not just in my sobriety, but also in all aspects of my life. The most profound and positive changes I have made over the last five years have all blossomed out of painful situations.