I love this for you! Love the two stories and how others are finding their way towards sobriety. 
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These are not happy accidents or coincidences. These are manifestations of a higher power making plain what you can become.
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This may not be interesting to many others on here, but it’s a very huge deal for me. Yesterday, I hit an average of 7 hours of sleep for a 30-day period, for the first time in my adult life. This has been a goal of mine since I started tracking my sleep last year. My average sleep in 2024 was 5h40mins, and would have been less than that in 2023 when my daughter was born.
It wasn’t until a couple of months ago that I reached 7 hours average for any single week as an adult.
This would be impossible if I were still drinking alcohol, and I would still be constantly exhausted. I am loving feeling better, and no doubt building more sustainable long-term health by getting adequate sleep. Onward and upward I go.
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It is a big deal and I feel many here will recognize as such. Congrats friend. Excellent work.
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A huge deal and I’m so happy for you! So glad to hear that you are finally getting some rest 
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Congrats @PositiveThoughts thats huge
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I don’t know if this is the case for you but for me it was really hard in the beginning. No one took me seriously and assumed that I would drink. I didn’t want to label myself an alcoholic and no one believed that I was one. Even my husband who knew exactly how much I drank didn’t think that I was but I knew that I was. As time has gone on most people know that I will be drinking a diet Coke and whenever anyone asks why I am not drinking I tell them because when I do I drink too many. I have also started volunteering to drive whenever I do go somewhere where others may be drinking. This way most people don’t ask why I’m not drinking.
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Hello! In October, I dug my way out of a little financial hole. Since February 2024 when my daughter started daycare, I’ve been running one to two paycheques behind, having to borrow money and pay it back the balance every month to pay bills. Looks like I will stay fully above-water this month; hopefully I am still in this position when the January Christmas credit card bill comes in.
I’m grateful to not be funding a heavy drinking habit anymore. I remember going through and adding up my credit card bills for 2021 to see how much money I spent on beer, not including restaurants. The amount was and is still maddening when I occasionally think of it. I have forgiven myself, but I need to not forget this, and I need to read this message again in the future. I can’t ever go back to the cycle of spending a bunch of money on beer, and having it gone three days later, and going back to the store. . Those days are done.
Onward and upward! 
No going back.
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Congrats! Im happy for you! Thanks for sharing!
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Grateful that you have forgiven yourself and are doing so well in your recovery. It’s a wonderful thing when we can start seeing all the benefits of our sobriety.
So happy for you 
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Yippee…. You are doing so great. So glad you are here.
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Important success story on my sober journey:
Saturday (yesterday) was my birthday! 
It was my 3rd sober birthday as an adult (consecutive 
)
My wife and daughter made it a special day, and time with them was the highlight! I kept it low-key this year, and we didn’t do a big shindig. Friends and family hangouts were special. I started the day leading my workout group for a 60 minute workout at 06:30 that couldn’t have gone better. It was the third year in a row that I committed to some sort of planned physically and mentally demanding activity that required me to stay present and execute / hold myself accountable to a high standard.
This was a birthday that was rewarding, and it reminded me to stay balanced, and keep perspective on what matters in the big picture of life.
Take care of yourself, and thank you as always for being here.
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Happy belated birthday 
…what a lovely update and story. So very happy for you and how far you’ve come.
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Belated happy birthday. It sounds like a meaningful way to celebrate.
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2025 Sober Journey Re-cap
It’s a bit early for a year-end review, but tomorrow is never fully granted so I’ll follow the Spotify lead, and here it is:
I had 11 streak resets this year. 4 of them were clustered around summer parties in June-July, and 3 of them were clustered around a trip “home” to my parents, and the Blue Jays’ playoff run. November 8th was my current last sip. I’m fully confident that that will be my last drink for 2025, but I will steer away from arrogance or taking anything as permanent.
11 resets is a high number, but there are still way more positives than negative take-aways this year. Relevant thoughts for me to keep in mind:
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Attending NHL games are my number one remaining risk for streak resets. I’ve had 3 streak resets in the last year and half due to having that first beer at a game. I’ll be honest: Going to an arena to watch a game with a buddy is very time-expensive, and really a dreary activity - walking through crowds to be indoors watching a bunch of dudes with 8-figure net worths putting a frozen rubber disc in nets isn’t my jam while sober. I need to focus on the fellowship and connection I have with whoever I go to the game with.
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My longest ever streak (169 days) came to an end on Friday May 23rd. I looked at the calendar and can’t see specifically what was going on. I finished a bunch of long weekend parties the weekend before sober, so I’d like to have a talk with me from that day and tell ‘that day me’ that a crappy week is not a good reason to grab a guest beer to sip while barbecuing.
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Despite the 11 resets, I will close 2025 having consumed less alcohol than *any* individual month (or likely, closer to any two-week period) from years 2003 to 2022. This is major progress, not perfection. 2025 is still the tail end of a long phase-out. ODAAT.
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My daughter born in 2023 has still never seen me buzzed or drunk, and never will. There are no good resets, but at least they all happened on nights where she was not in my presence.
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In regard to health benefits, there’s no doubt I’ve added to longevity, and long-term sustained good health by being sober. The brain fog is lighter, but of all the research I’ve done - I’m tending to agree with those experts who say it takes a year plus to mitigate most of the damage from long-term heavy drinking. I’ll never know how I would feel right now if I didn’t spend ages 18-39 as a heavy drinker, but I do know I’ve made my life 40+ better for me and all who love me, by making the right decision to cut alcohol consumption out of my life.
Thanks as always for stopping by here.
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Love your recap and your awareness of what could possibly cause a relapse. Way to get ahead of that. Way to be working towards closing 2025 strong 
. Keep pushing forward and working that amazing recovery 
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What a lovely review. Its an awesome goal for your daughter to never see you use. Keep on fighting. You deserve to live a happy, sober life.
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Kudos to standing up to yourself & decisions I can relate with the moderation attempts … I failed miserably & took a stance as well even thou I’m on day 6 I know with the support of this community, I can gain more A/F days… I “once” made 73-A/F days… so I’m challenging myself to do better * many blessings to you & may the universe provide you with the strength you need 
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Thanks for sharing your year in review!! Keep at it, we can learn so much each day by day. 
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Good story. I’m certain that ‘25 will end successfully
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