Encouraging those new to sobriety 💜

[SoberHappyJessi]

So today I am 965 days. I just want to give a little encouragement to those who feel like they can’t do this without their drug of choice.

I am a alcoholic who also struggled with drug and sex/love addiction.

When I started this journey to sobriety I had just had my first daughter that was 12 years ago. Between then and May 2017 I have many day ones, and when I say many I mean for the first year after she was born I eased back into the drinking and did no drugs. Then I went off the rails. I started doing coke big time and my drinking was out of control.

After a year I realized I needed to quit again because I was missing out on the good times with my baby girl. So I completely detoxed the coke. It sucked so bad but I did it. I still drank because hell alcohol was legal so it wasn’t bad for me right? That was around the time that the mommy needs alcohol to relax was getting big. So I thought it was ok.

Then I realized that my drinking was just as out of control as my coke problem was so I was determined to quit before someone realized I had a problem. So I set out to quit. Every night I would drink and by morning I would swear I was never drinking again.

I did that for 10 LONG ass years I would make it a few days a week at most then start drinking again.

In May of 2017 something in me changed I quit drinking. My detox and withdrawals were horrible and long but I did it. I got sober and since then life has had its ups and downs but I’ve been sober since.

I’ve thought about drinking but never once have I acted on it because I know it wouldn’t be good for me when I play the tape all the way through.

So I recently moved in with my boyfriend who doesn’t have a drinking problem nor does he drink often. In the years we were friends before we started dating he only drank twice. So while in the kitchen yesterday I was just kind of moving stuff around to make room for my stuff that will be here Wednesday and opened the cabinets above the fridge. In there was nothing but liquor and mixers all different kinds. You could tell they hadn’t been touched in forever because the layer of dust was amazing and hilarious. I’m talking enough to get a house party drunk.

So the whole point of this post is when I found the alcohol I simply moved it all to one side of the cabinet so I could put what I wanted to up there after laughing at the layer of dust and moved on.

Had someone told me 965 days ago that this is how I could respond to a shit load of alcohol I would have honestly laughed in their face and told them they were crazy. Shit I probably would have laughed if you told me that on my one year soberversary I would have laughed but here I am not even bothered by it.

Last night I was talking to Ben about it and he said he forgot it was up there because it was from his birthday in 2018 he didn’t want me to ever feel uncomfortable about it so he took it all out and took it to work with him today for all the young guys he has hired to take home with them.

So just some encouragement for those in new sobriety because it won’t always be so hard.

And as always you can always message your friendly neighborhood Sober Happy Llama former unicorn

[SassyRocks]

I just love this!! I am so happy for you!! I hope you are very proud of yourself because you sure should be!!! Congratulations!! I also love the pic of you and your partner.

[Dazercat]

Great story. Thanks for sharing. Maybe I don’t know you but Im proud of you. And you should be so proud of yourself. Hopefully some day I can catch up to u. But for now one sober day at a time.

[claire-lo]

love this! you’re such a rockstar. and your relationship sounds wonderful x

[beaniebun]

Thank you for sharing this

[SoberHappyJessi]

Thanks everyone

[GVLNative]

Thank you for sharing this!!

[Just_Laura]

Great message and great numbers! Love that last quote. I just finally started aa this week and today was my first women’s group I got to. It was awesome. I havent had any female friends since high school, you know, bc I was too busy being drunk or f-ed up. And the way they welcomed me and asked to exchange numbers etc was amazing. And unlike the other meetings I’ve been to, mostly older aa veterans, there were quite a few younger women in the room as well. It’s just honestly nice to be able to talk freely to others that 100% understand with no judgment. A great relief has come over me and I strive to be in your shoes 899 days from now. Keep going strong

[Linn]

@SoberHappyJessi Thank you for sharing your story. It’s beautiful.

@Just_Laura It makes me happy to read, that you found a group of women to connect, be friends and support each other. I’m really happy for you.

[Lisa07]

Huge Congrats

Thank you for sharing your story, it’s very inspirational.

[J_Lo_Ste]

Here’s my attempt at giving encouragement

Addiction can be very punishing

• you chose to drink
• you chose the drug
• you chose the problem rather than a solution
• you chose to waste all that time
• you chose silence rather than fight craving
• you WAS a victim
• you are being watched
• you ARE the only one at a meeting
• you shy away
• you aren’t alone
• you not the first
• you not the last
• you chose life now
• you choose sobriety
• you chose happiness
• you are my inspiration for sobriety
• you are with me on a clean journey
• you are a shining star
• you can do this
• you are a champion

During the first days of sobriety i felt like i was not going to make it. I made it to meetings. I found love of myself and healthy living. Doing all the things that kept me from sober living was easy.
Sometimes, sobriety can be hard.
But, you must push on.
I must push on

Then, i stopped using the word YOU and focused on me. Then I started my days with better choices. I started taking things very personal

I, Me, Mine, My,

Life from addiction can be rewarding

• I choose not to drink
• I do not choose the drug
• I chose the solution rather than a problem
• I chose to take all that time for myself
• I choose healing
• I choose cleansing rather than craving
• I am not victim
• I am sharing life
• I am not the only one at a meeting
• I see NEW people and welcome them
• I participate
• I am not alone
• I am the first in line
• I not the last in line
• I chose life now
• I choose sobriety
• I chose happiness
• I am my inspiration for sobriety
• I am with ME on a clean journey
• I am with YOU on a clean journey
• I am a shining star
• I can do this
• I CAN share
• I am a champion
• I AM HERE WITH YOU

I love each and every one of you. Some of ME might piss you off but I ask you to stick around. SOME of ME might say something worthwhile to save us from falling into despair

Stick around.
It only gets better

[50ber]

Thank you for sharing your heartwarming and inspirational story. I love how it shows that your 965 days sober, while very impressive, did not come easily. Through the lapses and relapses shines your courage, strength and fire to reach the milestone you have achieved today. You and your partner look incredibly happy and deservedly so. I am inspired to keep going OODAT!