Well, the day is here. Day #365 (technically not until 10pm EST tonight).
Truthfully, day 1 doesn’t feel so long ago. I remember. And yet, here we are.
I’ve arrived at today’s milestone with a clearer mind, battle-tested resolve, cleaner conscience, and a spirit of optimism. I live with integrity, discipline, and I am someone who can be trusted and relied upon by friends and family alike.
Best things about sobriety? Waking up between 4-5am every morning, and being able to get up and start getting shit done. No more mornings wasted in bed, sick. I don’t have to worry about what I said or did the night before. I don’t have to dread checking my bank account after a night out. My fitness pursuits no longer suffer from poisoning myself. My mental health is not 100%, but so much more stable. My relationship with my Father has reached heights I never, EVER thought possible. I don’t have to constantly count adderrall pills to see if I have enough to get to my next refill. I don’t have to worry that my heart is just going to give out from going too hard for too long.
Of course, my mind drifts towards the future and the work I’ve left to do. I set my post-one year goals on my timer this morning. I want to keep at trying to get on top of my mental health. I want to keep striving to be better and better. I want to be a good example to others – not just in sobriety, but as a human being. If I can inspire other people to reach higher, then my time on this earth has been worth it. Now that my relationship with my Dad is in a great place, I’d like to work on improving my relationship with my Mom. I’d like to keep trying to be more social and outgoing, rather than finding that being out in the world is an exhausting, abrasive experience. I’m getting better at that already.
Won’t be much fanfare for me, today, in “real life” at least. Just the nature of it, and I’m cool with it. Outside of this forum, my sobriety journey has been a relatively private endeavor. I know I can talk to my girlfriend or family about it whenever I want, I just usually don’t. This is just how I live my life now. It’s a matter of fact. That doesn’t change whether it’s day 365 or day 10. Speaking of my girlfriend, I would be amiss if I didn’t mention that she’s been so great through all of this. Love that woman.
I was going to write out thanks to members of the forum individually, but goodness, there is just too many of you that have helped me, supported me, and been great friends to me throughout my time here. Many of you since my Day 1, and the rest along the way. I am grateful for so many of you. You have made this journey easier, and yes, more amusing 
we’ve got a certain brand of humor here. It has been an honor and a pleasure to walk alongside you.
Of all the things I have learned throughout my attempts to get sober, the most important realization I’ve come to is that the only thing that can make me drink, is me. Blaming it on an external factor (the actions/words of another person, work, stress, etc) is an excuse, pure and simple. You decide how you react to the external. Alcohol, especially, is everywhere – there is no such thing as hiding from it – but at the end of the day, nobody is strapping you down to pour liquor down your throat, shove a pill up your nose, or press a needle into your arm.
The path to freedom lies in this: It’s on YOU. Make the decision and stick to it. Do the work. Use your brain, be smart about your decisions. If you’re looking for a reason to get sober, look in the mirror. That person is worth it. You only get one shot on this earth.
I’ll end it with my favorite quote.
“I have always regretted drinking. I have never regretted not drinking”.
Thank you again, all of you. Beautiful 75°f day here today. Sun is shining, Buena Vista Social Club spinning on the turntable. Life is good.
TMAC
