In these moments, I have to remind myself that recovery isn’t just about not drinking; it’s about remembering that I am first and foremost responsible for advocating for my own well-being and boundaries. The stories here are about our journey to the light. It’s like a super-charged filter. What does life after addiction look like? I'm just sorry that there ain't no time left. I was 48 when I got clean. I want to give you three truths today that will not only encourage you and help you move on to find your purpose, but these three things will also help you stay sober. It’s part of investing in yourself. I had so much work ahead to just be able to drive a car again. You were created with a purpose. Holly Whitaker is the founder and CEO of Tempest, Inc. (formerly Hip Sobriety, Inc.), a company she founded when, in 2012, she was determined to deal with her problem drinking but found that the recovery program she needed did not exist. Ask any sober person whether they want to go to a cocktail party or stay in with a pack of La Croix, The Crown, and a bathrobe. I am morally opposed. Sobriety is necessary. Hi. Now that I am sober. You are a walking testimony. This is an opportunity to assert for your needs, and therefore assert your worth. So, back to the original question…I’m sober, now what? Not only because my portion of the check is significantly smaller than anyone else at the table, but also because I refuse to invest in Big Alcohol. Thankfully, there have only been a few times when someone at the table hasn’t pointed it out on my behalf and adjusted accordingly. The only way to navigate your new sex life is to (of course) make sure that you are with someone who will be gentle and respectful of you and where you are at, whether that’s a significant other who is up to speed on the status of your recovery process or a new partner that you feel comfortable with and trust. There’s no easy pass for me anymore, no more getting drunk and slipping past the part where you get to know each other. I get a chance to show the unconditional, extravagant love of Jesus Christ, while helping people right where they are…even if that means providing a clean needle and cotton swabs to protect a person in active addiction from contracting Hep-C or HIV. Work Search: now that it's over (and i'm sober) theskyisblue, tkreyesevandiaz. To help others be not ashamed of who they are and what we can accomplish is an amazingly great quality to share. For instance, if you’ve convinced yourself that you don’t actually have a crappy relationship with drinking, you may constantly be trying to find reasons that support the argument that you don’t actually have a problematic drinking habit (like the fact that all of your friends do the same thing, so nothing seems wrong here). Drunk me had loose neck muscles. There is no one way to deal with this. Now that it's over, feeling more sober, I think i should tell you we'll always be friends. Alcohol masked this truth about me. If you’re sober; if you’ve found the Solution, you have something in you the world needs. After moving back to Fort Myers, Florida, I’ve been working with a group of individuals to bring Narcan Training, opiate addiction education and a clean needle exchange to Lee County. Five years sober and I’m still navigating these situations. Life After Addiction: I’m Sober…Now What? Don’t let sobriety become your final goal. Look at you, a middle aged train wreck.”. Politely decline and remember that just because they offered you a drink-gift doesn’t mean you owe them anything but a polite declination of it. The same reward system that was triggered when we got into addiction is now activated for the right reasons. There will be people who don’t want to date you because you’re sober. Alcohol helped me forget my awkwardness and not-belongingness and it helped me talk to and be with people without my neck muscles freezing up (this is a thing that happens to me, I literally lose my neck function in large groups of people). Two of them know they are considered mentors, and one of them does not. These efforts, to me, are like working in the mission field. When you are around people who you want to be like, people who are in places in life that you want to be, you will glean from their lives. And if anyone has an issue with it or thinks I’m ridiculous, that’s their problem, and a sign that I’m going to dinner with the wrong people. Step back you're smothering me, When I stopped drinking, not only did my recovery dictate that I needed lots of time to myself, lots of self-care, and lots of nights in, I discovered that I was, in fact, someone who relishes in alone time. So if all of your friends drink alongside you, then there’s no issue, right? All the best health and wellness advice, tips, tricks, and intel, delivered to your inbox every day. For me, now that I’m sober and have intentionally joined the ranks of those who are not anonymous about their addiction and recovery journey, I owe it to everyone around me to remain sober…and that’s a really good feeling. Eddie felt like he was going to choke on his own tongue.