For 20 years, I was told countless trivial things about what I should and shouldn’t do to achieve long-term sobriety. For example, I was advised to avoid alcohol completely and to steer clear of anyone who drank it because the temptation would supposedly overwhelm me. Numerous people warned me that if I didn’t avoid certain people, places, and things, I was destined to relapse.
This advice left me feeling powerless, as if alcohol would always hold control over me. At times, the warnings seemed exaggerated. I imagined scenarios where a gang of drunk people might tackle me at an event and force gallons of liquor down my throat (this, of course, never happened). Even more absurdly, I began to fear that the mere sight of alcohol might hypnotize me into consuming an entire bottle of whiskey and stumbling around like a zombie (this never happened either).
The Turning Point
Throughout my journey to sobriety, one thing stood out: no one ever asked me what I needed to become sober. Instead, people constantly told me what I needed and lectured me on why I could no longer drink alcohol. But my focus wasn’t on being told what I couldn’t have. I wanted to understand why I felt the need to drink in the first place.
It was a game-changing realization when I discovered the difference between can’t have and don’t want. Once I identified why I was using alcohol as a way to escape my thoughts, I stopped craving it. That was the turning point for me.
I’m no longer afraid of alcohol or what it represents. I’ve come to realize that I don’t need medications, plants, or meetings to stay sober. I’ve learned I don’t have a disease or a genetic disorder. I’ve simply gained the proper perspective on the people, places, and things I once feared.
A Life-Changing Perspective
One powerful quote has reshaped my outlook on life:
“Everything that happens to me is the best possible thing that can happen to me.”
This simple yet profound idea has entirely shifted how I approach life. I no longer feel powerless over anything in this world. Alcohol doesn’t scare me or control me. It’s no longer a master I serve, nor a poison I crave.
Freedom from Fear and Addiction
I’ve let go of the need to use mind-altering substances to escape the “bad” things in life. I’ve taken back control—of myself, the people I allow into my life, the places I go, and the things I choose to do. I refuse to live in fear.
I now live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and I won’t allow alcohol or drugs to dictate my time, crush my dreams, or kill my vibe. I’ve reclaimed everything those substances stole from me—and more. I am no longer an addict or an alcoholic.
Sobriety Is Empowerment
Sobriety is not a punishment or a restriction; it is a choice. And it’s one I make every single day.
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Tags: alcohol, DISEASE, POWERLESS, SOBRIETY