Recovery
The Darker Side of Sharing My Story
“Your story is powerful.” Share your story. Put yourself out there. Be authentic. Be real. None of this is necessarily wrong, but I’ve seen some downsides since I wrote about sharing your story, and it’s been on my mind lately. I write this, knowing full well it’s hypocritical as hell. It’s also purely me writing…
Read MoreLet’s Absolutely Insist On Enjoying Life
Recovery is not all sunshine and rainbows. But there are sunshine and rainbows. Earlier this week, I watched Remember the Titans with my daughters. It’s one of my favorite movies, and they had never seen it. I laughed and cried like it was the first time to watch it (my girls thought I was a little…
Read MoreA Woman of Extremes
From my private journal, May 10, 2015: “This is the first time that I felt even mildly confident that I could quit, the first time in a long time that I truly feel I’ve just had enough. I’m just done. Any other promises to quit were met with screaming voices in my head. Now, I…
Read MoreA Sober Birthday: 32 Life Lessons
Birthdays feel a lot different as I get older. It’s just another day, really. Not because I’m depressed about aging or anything, but the celebratory nature of it just isn’t there. I wish I was one of those people who could make everything a party. Every holiday, every birthday, every accomplishment and milestone becomes something…
Read MoreDefying The Voice
I want to write. “What’s the point?” Hush. My words matter. My story matters. Doesn’t it? You’re a narcissist. Self-absorbed. Other people don’t have to celebrate making it through life without getting drunk. Other people just deal with their problems quietly, they don’t have to bleed out all over the internet to validate themselves. Do…
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 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 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…
Read MoreMy Journey From Shame to Sobriety
This is an excerpt from a post that I wrote for the wonderful Holl & Lane magazine in May 2017. “My journey to sobriety has been twisted, stubborn, and miraculous. Once upon a time, I could take a drink or leave it. Sometimes, I try to remember what may have flipped that switch. It’s almost…
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