I have many bad memories involved with drinking which is why I decided to give it up, and I don’t regret my 5 sober years for a second. I have absolutely loved who I am and who I’ve become. She has useful tidbits for individuals in this camp as well. I can get into a reflective space as I run, simply considering what happened the other day and what necessities to happen today, and that assists me with remaining quiet for the day. Running likewise helps me to remember what my body can do.
- When you realize that your drinking isn’t necessarily your fault, it makes it much easier to forgive yourself.
- In fact, I think one of the most important lessons that I’ve learned that the early days of sobriety aren’t a good representation of what long-term sobriety is actually like.
- At the end of my drinking days, I was in an incredible amount of pain, and that pain was what ultimately enabled me to change my life.
- I’ve remembered that I am powerful, and that is a joy to behold.
- She should endeavor to avoid the substances she longs for, and she’s building up a framework to help her visit calm.
- In the five years since, I’ve learned an awful lot.
My Biggest Takeaway From 5 Years Of Sobriety
I have set goals for myself and achieved things I never knew possible. I have fallen flat on my face and failed in epic proportions. I have fallen in love with my life and all the beauty and pain that comprise it. I have done a lot of things right, but I’ve also done a lot of things wrong.
In March of 2019, the same day I signed myself up to try a sacred plant medicine called Iboga, I stopped drinking once and for all. In the five years since, I’ve learned an awful lot. My doc was both right and wrong about the things he told me all those years ago.
I normally blog on a Monday, but today is an extra special day – I am celebrating 5 years of alcohol-free living!
I knew I was going to stop drinking eventually (or I was going to die), but it most certainly wasn’t going to be on that summer day. And to think, I drank on and off for another five years. What I do know is that I am proud of both of my decisions; spending 5 years sober and the decision to break that sobriety amongst my family and friends on a special day. I allow myself to let go of the labels and allow myself to just be whoever I want myself to be; comfortable in the knowledge that I am enough, exactly as I am.
Learning to release the shame around drinking
Before I quit drinking, I had already spent years thinking about what it would be like to get sober. I had built up sobriety in my head as the solution to all of my problems. I was incredibly egotistic in those days, and I truly thought that with drinking out of my way, I’d become practically a superhuman. One of the first feelings I experienced was surprise. I really couldn’t believe that the world didn’t stop, the earth didn’t shatter, my head stayed on my head and the clock kept ticking, after that first sip.
The Most Important Relationship In Life Is The Relationship With Yourself
There are days that I wish that I was different, that I wish that things were easier, that I wish I had a “better” past or that I wasn’t an alcoholic. But no one ever said that recovery would be easy; they only said that it would be worth it. While my life isn’t always easy, it is beautiful.
I have a life full of joy, love, purpose and contentment. Recovery has given me the chance to dream bigger than I ever thought possible, to see the world, to truly open myself up to others, to love and be loved in return. Recovery may not be easy, but it is worth it. So, here I am, just a few days after drinking my first glass of alcohol (yes, it was champagne) and sharing the reasons why I made this choice, and how I’m really feeling about it. Gillian Tietz is the host of the Sober Powered podcast and recently left her career as a biochemist to create Sober Powered Media, LLC. When she quit drinking in 2019, she dedicated herself to learning about alcohol’s influence on the brain and how it can cause addiction.
I have learned that the only constant in life is that it will inevitably Sober House Rules: A Comprehensive Overview change. Whether things are good or things are bad, they most definitely will not stay that way. I have learned to appreciate every moment for exactly what it is, because I realize how fleeting these moments are. “I remain focused by speaking with my significant other during my sobriety milestones. If I feel a hankering going ahead, I advise him and we discover something to do that diverts me. We will probably NOT Harp on my compulsion, not live in it,” she says.
- At that point, I wasn’t even sure what trauma meant, let alone how much it was affecting my life daily.
- I remember being in awe of the shit that was coming out of people’s mouths.
- But then acknowledge that it’s your responsibility and fight for your life.
- One of the first feelings I experienced was surprise.
- On December 31st, I celebrated 5 years of continuous sobriety.
- I have learned that the only constant in life is that it will inevitably change.
Look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that. But then acknowledge that it’s your responsibility and fight for your life. When I look back at myself all of those years ago, it’s easy for me to find a profound love for Ryan Graves. I wanted to stop drinking SO badly. Getting on a plane and flying to Costa Rica for my date with Iboga was the single scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life. It was also my single greatest achievement.
I left my drinking habit behind on December 31, 2016.
I’m so glad to be on this journey with you. I once heard the saying “you’re either working on recovery or relapse”. It seems to be true, stay vigilant. 5 years of ODAATS… some seemed impossible, some were effortless. Plenty of misfortunes, deaths, illnesses and downtimes. Sobriety doesn’t make you immune from life, but it sure hell makes it easier to navigate.
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. The idea of drinking has haunted me for the past 5 years. That is by far the worst stage and I can’t tell you how long that lasts. However, what I would like to tell you in this special episode for my 5 year soberversary is the little micro realizations that I had right before I reached acceptance. I hope in hearing mine, you can start to pay attention to your own.
I was raised in a religion (which I will choose not to name here as not to offend anyone), and I had some definite ideas about “God” and what that word meant. When I heard in the program that we develop a higher power of our own understanding, it was hard to wrap my head around. To me, God had always been judgmental and something to be feared. In the past 5 years of my sobriety, I have been able to explore my spirituality and figure out what a Higher Power means to me, separate from any religion or dogma. This process has brought me more peace, solace, love and freedom than anything I have experienced in my life. It is truly one of the most precious gifts of my sobriety.