Posts by Ashley Ann
No More Excuses: A Reminder to Put In The Work
“Do as I say, not as I do.” I had an epiphany last night. My 9 year old daughter and I had a serious talk about her grades, and the amount of effort she’s been putting into her schoolwork. She’s creative and intelligent, but also not necessarily motivated by “good grades”. Rather than ask for help…
Read MoreStaying Sane In a Soberly Divided Marriage
Alison of From Wine to Fine is coming up on her one year anniversary in sobriety, and I’m so excited to share this guest post! I sent her a few questions as prompts, and I love how she took it a step further to give some seriously helpful insight on living in a “soberly divided”…
Read MoreIt’s Ok To Just Keep Showing Up This Year
It’s a new year as I write this post. 2018. Somehow, it feels like just another day. Maybe because it is just another day, hm? My biggest achievement in 2017 is that I stayed sober for each of the past 365 days. I’m not one to knock New Year’s resolutions or goals. Anything that kickstarts…
Read MoreI Ate a Salad, Have I Lost Weight Yet?
I’ve been eating pretty healthy for about a week now. Woohoo, go me! Right? Well. Here’s the thing: I haven’t lost any weight in the last 24 hours, and all of a sudden I feel like throwing in the towel over it. Me to my brain in the those moments: (via GIPHY) The allure of instant…
Read MoreI Stopped Apologizing For Not Wearing Makeup
“Sorry I’m not wearing makeup, it’s been one of those days.” I’m somewhat embarrassed that it’s taken me this long to stop apologizing for my face. The last few times I apologized for wearing makeup, it was primarily to men, and I remember them looking mildly awkward about it. Not awkward that I was without…
Read MoreDear Self: There Are Some Things You Need to Know
A letter I wrote to myself after a bit of a meltdown: Alright, Ashley. There are some things you need to know about how to live. You don’t really know them yet, but maybe by the time you check out of this life, you’ll have a marginal understanding of these things. We can only hope.…
Read More“Mom, Do You Still Want to Drink Sometimes?”
“How long have you been sober, Mom?” It’s a little weird to hear that from a child’s mouth, but that’s my world now. My oldest daughter is 11 years old. She’s never seen me drunk, and doesn’t remember seeing me drink any alcohol, but she’s been affected. I don’t say this to shame or pile…
Read MoreHow I Stay Sober Through The Holidays
Yep. It’s that time of year. Look, let’s be real. I’m an alcoholic. Every time of the year could be a difficult time to stay sober, if I’m being honest. It doesn’t have to be, but temptation doesn’t discriminate. Even if you don’t identify as an alcoholic, those of us who choose to get and…
Read MoreGifts Under $30 For Women In Recovery
Do you know a woman in recovery? I have a hunch that a fair number of you can answer yes to that (either for yourself, or others). Well. I actually got semi-organized and put together a list of gift ideas for you! If neither of those categories applies to you though, that’s ok – these ideas do…
Read MoreThings To Consider Before Coming Out As Sober
When I decided to quit drinking, I wasn’t sure how to tell anybody, or if I even should tell anybody. Frankly, if I could have stayed sober without telling a single person about it, I would have. I was nervous about telling my boyfriend at the time (now husband), that I’d become a teetotaler. He…
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