5 Years Sober! šŸ„³

1826 days. One day at a time, Iā€™ve managed to make it to 5 years sober!! That is pretty mind blowing honestly.

This was me then on day 1. And this is me now.

Iā€™m an entirely different person that I was on day 1. I was sick. Miserable. Unhappy. My life was chaotic. My body was shutting down. And yet I still only intended to take a ā€œbreakā€ from alcohol for a little while with the logic my unwell wet brain had. I didnā€™t know any other life. Iā€™d been drinking since I was a child really. It was ā€œnormalā€ in my family and with my crowd. I couldnā€™t wrap my head fully around sobriety, I just knew I needed to make a change. And the day I knew for sure drinking was the source of my mystery rashes was the day I started my sober journey.

I lived on this forum for my first few years in sobriety. This place saved my life. It was talking to other alcoholics in sobriety that really helped me to see things in a different light. To see that there was no true good reason to drink, it was all just bs I was telling myself. I had to stop thinking I knew best, my best thinking led my to alcoholism & a miserable life. I learned I just needed to take things one day at a time and do whatever it took to stay sober. I made new sober friends and I started to see the solutions. I found the eye in the storm that surrounded me as the life I had known shattered and fell to the ground so I could build an entirely new foundation. A solid one this time, not out of the quicksand I was used to.

Has it always been easy? Hell no. It really hasnā€™t. But most things worth having arenā€™t. I can tell you that even on my worst day sober, itā€™s 10,000x better than my best day drinking. Over time, itā€™s certainly gotten easier as Iā€™ve reprogrammed my habits and discovered new tools to help me live a MUCH better life. To stop running and numbing myself. To do the work and clear out the clutter that held me down and to allow me to see things in a new way. To take new actions. Iā€™ll always get what Iā€™ve always had if I continue to do the same things Iā€™ve always done. I work my recovery consistently as the only day that truly matters is today. For so long, I wanted things to stay the same in my life and I resisted the changes I really needed to make to really allow in sobriety. But Iā€™ve discovered that itā€™s the best thing Iā€™ve ever done. Iā€™ve changed my actions. And now Iā€™m living in different results. Where I am today I could never have pictured being honestly.

It IS possible!! We can recover. We can follow in the footsteps of those who have walked this path before us. I found someone who I wanted what they had and Iā€™ve followed their guidance. Iā€™ve connected with others who live in the solution and who work on their recovery. And I keep my recovery a priority. I keep coming back because it works if I work it. And 5 years later, my life is far better than itā€™s EVER been.

Iā€™m grateful. For this site. For the connections Iā€™ve made and the people that have helped me along the way and continue to do so. Iā€™m grateful for my higher power. For recovery. For my program. My sponsor. My community. And for my sobriety. Today is the day that matters and Iā€™m ending another day sober. Just like I have the last 1826 days. One day at a time, we can recover! :heart:

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Wow!! Congratulations and thank you for sharing your journey :tada::tada::tada: Such an inspiration to me!!

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Huge congrats. Thank you for sharing your experience strength and hope

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A beautiful post from a beautiful lady. :heart_eyes:
You continue to inspire me and many others.
Congratulations on 5 years! :tada: :partying_face:

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Your story is awesome. It provides so much hope for meā€¦and all the other new comers. Congratulations!!

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So so wonderful :sparkling_heart: And you look FANTASTIC!! Congratulations :confetti_ball:

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Congratulations @MandiH ! I always love reading what you write ( also listening to what you say). I am so grateful that you stopped and look at you now! Sooo happy for you. Love your coin and the way you put it with the flowers!! Take care and always always always stay sober!!

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Funnily enough I read your 4 year post the other day. Well done for 5 years and ODAAT as you know :slight_smile:

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If I could like this 1000x I would. Your transformation is inspiring and this is gold :point_down:t3:

Keep getting better at getting better! :clap:t3::bouquet:

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Congratulations and you look amazing :slightly_smiling_face:

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Congratulations Mandy! Such a nice milestone! And what a change in your appearance! :star_struck:
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Congratulations on 5 years of sobriety and a better life :clap:.

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Wow! Congrats on five years sober!

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Happy soberversary :birthday::notes::bouquet:
What a transformation, thanks for sharing :pray:

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Very inspiring, congratulations! :grin::clap::clap:

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What a wonderful post! You look so healthy and happy :blush:. Sincerest congratulations :tada:

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Awesome!!! Great job. You are an inspiration.

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You have accomplished so much in five years! Congrats! Thanks for being here!

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Huge congratulations and thank you for sharing your experience! Itā€™s always encouraging to read them.
Keep enjoying your new life!

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