Tag Archives: sobriety

Day 2913 – Sober For 1007 Days

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I started this post as a “something that makes me angry” type post, but I’m not going to do that. I’ve been pretty angry about some things about drinking, sobriety, and society in general the past few weeks, but I think I need to marinate on that a little more, those thoughts will likely end up in my memoir. As I was writing, I wanted to see how many days I’ve been sober, and I discovered I completely missed 1000 days last Sunday!

The last 1007 days have been quite the journey of self-discovery, cleansing, and just all around “Yay, I’m not an alcoholic anymore!”

I don’t have much else to say other than, no matter where you find yourself today, you can change. If you can admit you need to change, and that you need help.

This photo here was one of my last drinks, probably my very last margarita.

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Day 2850 – Beating Yourself Up – or – Getting Over Former Mistakes

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A few days back, one of our friends shared a video about drunk driving. I watched with tears streaming. It was hard to relive what could have been when I was driving drunk 10 and a half years ago. I am so thankful that I was pulled over and didn’t hurt myself or anyone else. Knowing myself, hurting or killing someone would have completely broken me. It’s so tempting to fall into beating myself up for my mistakes. It’s so easy to think I ruined everything that day.

Thankfully, that isn’t my story.

To help me get over my former mistakes, I am reminding myself of what my story is, not what it could have been.

– I am sober.

– I have clarity of memories, since I’m not drinking during the fun times anymore.

– I have no hidden secrets, now that my former hidden alcoholism is out in the open.

– I have (hopefully) helped others through my honesty.

The journey to sobriety isn’t easy, especially when your mistakes try to drag you down, but I am so so so thankful that sobriety is my story today.

How do you stop beating yourself up? Let me know in the comments below when I, or other readers, have the hard days.

For fun, here’s a photo of lattes in Guinness glasses!

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Day 2835 – repost – “Can You Go Into Bars?” “Can You Hang Out With People Drinking?” And Other Common Questions About My Sobriety

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I’ve shared my story about struggling with alcoholism before. It’s common knowledge that I don’t drink. I want to say at the start that everyone has a different experience with sobriety, alcoholism, etc. This is just MY experience and what it’s like for me. Don’t take this post as a “oh my friend doesn’t drink, so this will apply to them!”

I, thankfully, experience almost zero temptation and struggle with drinking. The only reason for this is God’s work in my life. This is not a will power thing. It’s all God.

Ok, let’s jump right in!

“Can you go into bars?”
Yes! I love hanging out with my friends and bars are a great place to do it. Happy hour specials can be fantastic! It’s a cheaper bill for me either way! 🙂 I will say, there are some times, especially when I went to Padonia Station/Ale House a few weeks ago, that I think about memories (ha ha, or non-memories) of my drinking experiences. I joked with one of my friends there, oh yea, I remember throwing up in that bathroom and that one. Fun fact, I was driving home from Padonia Station the night I was arrested for a DUI. So, I will say, there are SOME times that I think about these things. But it doesn’t make me sad or make me want to not go to a bar. It makes me SO thankful that God did not leave me where I was. Thankful that God had mercy on me during those times and kept me safe.

“Can you hang out with people drinking?”
Yep! If anything, I may be a bad influence to those who are drinking….I get drinks when they need them…this is especially true if I’m driving. Again, not everyone has the same experience with drinking. Some people can actually control themselves and not make a mess of things. I am not one of those people! So, I’ll just drive the ones that can! 🙂

“Are you tempted to drink?”
I would say, there might be a little temptation here and there. Bret has a box of wine in the fridge right now and I’ve had the passing thought – “I’m an adult, I can decide to drink a glass, I’d be fine.” But since I’m sober when I’m thinking this, I realized, um, no, I’d not be fine. My biggest weakness was after that first glass, I’d HAVE to have as much as possible. So, any time I feel a slight temptation, God very graciously reminds me of what I gave up.

“Will you ever drink again?”
No. I have no intention of drinking again. There is absolutely no reason for me to do so. I can celebrate with friends with a can of coke just as much as a shot or glass of wine. I can go to Ireland and tour the Guinness factory and not have a drink (one day soon, I’ll share about my first brewery tour – which was actually the brewer of the last beer I drank). It was making this decision that finally sealed my sobriety. Every time I would “quit” before, I would find an excuse to drink down the road. So, no, no more alcohol for me.

Are there any questions I didn’t answer, let me know in the comments and I’ll do another post!

And for lack of a photo that really fits, here’s a “shine” that I do drink. 🙂 (oh my, I crack myself up)

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Day 2649 – How To Move On When You’ve Messed Up For The Thousandth Time

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One of the things I mentioned in my testimony about my alcoholism was this – “But I can now more fully say I understand forgiveness. I can more fully express that God is waiting with open arms to take us back. Even after we’ve fallen for the second time…the fiftieth time…the thousandth time.”

I felt like such a failure so many times when it came to my drinking problem. I would feel retched when I would see the sadness and pity in Bret’s eyes. I would be ashamed of the things he told me I did that I couldn’t remember. Some days, it would be hard to move on to the tasks of the day because of the weight of guilt and shame. There are days I still feel this way about other sins I struggle with. I am grateful drinking is no longer a problem for me but just reading my old journals and letters to Bret, I can see I take a LOOOOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGGG time to deal with things sometimes.

So what do you do? How do you pick yourself up and move on?

– Acknowledge that you messed up. Don’t make excuses. Don’t blame it on someone else.
– Accept God’s forgiveness – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
– Don’t dwell on your failures – “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8
– Practice thankfulness

What about you? How do you move on when you’ve messed up…..again?

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget.
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
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Day 2636 – My Life Changed One Year and 364 Days Ago – or – The Last Time I Drank

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When I blogged about the time I was arrested 10 years ago, I didn’t share that September is Recovery Month. I had NO idea this was even a thing until a few weeks ago. I wanted to share a few thoughts on an important day 2 years ago today.

Two years ago:
– I was drinking my very last drink…er….5 drinks.
– I was watching a show, which I would have to watch again the next day because I was so intoxicated I didn’t remember everything.
– I thought I needed to drink to have fun/escape/forget.

Two years ago tomorrow:
– Was the last time I would wake up hungover.
– Was the time I FINALLY took my alcoholism seriously, admit I really did have a problem and accept that I could never drink again.
– I experienced the start of one of the biggest transformations of my life. I am SO thankful God completely changed my heart with drinking. When people ask about how I stopped, it was all God. He put the desire to stop drinking in my heart, He gave me the strength to not drink again, He continually gives me strength to say no.

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