Recovery Messaging Training With Young People In Recovery

/
Recovery Messaging Training With Young People In Recovery

I talk a lot about recovering out loud, breaking the stigma of addiction, and telling your story. But I've never really considered how my rhetoric can affect the public's perception of this disease that I'm dealing with.

Last Saturday I crossed over to the other side of the state and visited Boynton Beach to attend a Young People in Recovery event called Recovery Messaging Training. It sounded like something that was right up my alley and I had been wanting to attend a YPR event for awhile now so this was the perfect one. I met a lot of great people and learned new information about how I can present my recovery to the world.

Read More

The 4 Stages Of Early Sobriety

/
The 4 Stages Of Early Sobriety

Lately I've been receiving a ton of messages and emails from my readers about early sobriety. I realize that many of us contemplate sobriety for months, or even years, before we decide to take the leap and make a change. Before we do, we want to know exactly what it's going to be like and what's going to happen when we get sober. I'm sure that's why a lot of you read my blog in the first place. You want to know - is getting sober possible? Is it enjoyable? What is everyday life going to be like? Well, to briefly answer those questions, early sobriety is different from years of sobriety, as I am quickly learning at 2 years and 3.5 months sober. I think early sobriety can easily be broken down into 4 realistic stages which I will detail for you below.

Read More

The Anatomy of a Blackout

/
The Anatomy of a Blackout

If you haven't heard of the book, Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank To Forget by Sarah Hepola yet, you've most likely been living under a rock. She has been on all of my favorite recovery podcasts, blog sites, and news sites, (even CNN and NPR!) and I'm not surprised because her book is just as good as all the hype it got.Not only is her storytelling ability and candidness refreshing and captivating, her story is one I can 100% relate to. I found myself thinking at several points in the book, wow, it's like she is taking thoughts out of my brain and writing them in this book. I literally couldn't put the book down. I kept thinking she is me, I am her, we are the same person.

Read More

Everything You Need To Know About Sober Travel

/
Everything You Need To Know About Sober Travel

I really can't believe I haven't written a specific post about this before. Most of you know that traveling is one of my favorite things and it's 1000% better now that I'm sober. Travel can be intimidating when you're newly sober. I am often asked about places to avoid, what I do differently now that I'm sober, and overall how sober travel compares to drunk travel. I'm going to answer these questions and share my experience on how sober travel is for me now and how it was when I first got sober.

Read More

No Amount of Alcohol is Safe to Drink if You're Pregnant

/
No Amount of Alcohol is Safe to Drink if You're Pregnant

No I'm not pregnant! Haha, but I do know several people who are. I recently watched a documentary sent to me by a reader called Moment to Moment: Teens Growing Up With FASDs [Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders]. On the blog I often talk about drinking and how it has affected my life, as well as the widespread consequences caused by addiction. I read a lot about the devastating effects of drugs and alcohol on bodies, the epidemic of overdosing, and the constant suffering experienced by the families of addicts. Something I don't see a lot about when I read about addiction is mothers-to-be who drink while pregnant. Did you know each year 2-5% of all babies born in the U.S. have been affected by their mother's drinking alcohol during pregnancy? I didn't. I also didn't know Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is the number 1 cause of preventable intellectual disability in the U.S. These are only a couple of facts I learned from watching this documentary. The scary part is some women believe drinking during pregnancy has no effect and others are too wrapped up in their addiction to care. If you're one of them or know one, please take into consideration the devastating effects alcohol could have on your unborn child. Watching this documentary allowed me to see with my own eyes the long-lasting consequences.

Read More

My First International AA Convention Atlanta 2015

/
My First International AA Convention Atlanta 2015

As summer is flying by, I had a unique opportunity to join a friend and her mom at the International Convention in Atlanta from July 2 to 5. It worked out perfectly as I was able to celebrate my friend's 1 year soberversary while we were there and speak with her mom, who was one of the first people I messaged on the day I decided to stop drinking. I knew she was in the program and I thought she might have some advice for me. She told me to get a Big Book and that I would live a life beyond my wildest dreams. She was so right. Reminiscing with those gals was enough to make the weekend worth it, but I also attended a bunch of fun meetings too. Let me explain what an International Convention is all about.

Read More

I Drank Alcohol By Accident, Did I Relapse?

/
I Drank Alcohol By Accident, Did I Relapse?

s most of you know I've been on vacation in Canada since last week. My trip has been amazingly unforgettable with lots of soccer, culture, food, and memories. I've had experiences that will last a lifetime. I've also had a few traumatizing things happen to me while I was away.

Read More

12 Lessons Learned From the 12 Steps

/
12 Lessons Learned From the 12 Steps

I recently finished my first time through the 12 steps. I did this through a local step study class and with my sponsor. I wasn't sure how it was going to go and I think a big reason I avoided attending AA for so long was because of the 4th step where you write down your ugly past and then tell your sponsor about it in step 5. I was terrified. It definitely didn't go how I thought it would and it was not as scary. Plus, I learned a whole lot of other awesome stuff along the way. Here is what I learned during my first time through the 12 steps

Read More

This is 30 - Birthday Reflections From a Sober 30 Year Old

/
This is 30 - Birthday Reflections From a Sober 30 Year Old

As a gemini my birthday is the most important holiday of the year by far. Fellow geminis, I'm sure you can relate! We want everyone to know it's our birthday and how they can help us celebrate. June 7 is that day for me. As with most milestones in my life I took the time to sit down and reflect about how this birthday is different for me and what I've learned so far in my 30 years on this Earth.

Read More

Anonymity in AA and the Age of the Internet

/
Anonymity in AA and the Age of the Internet

'm not new to derogatory comments and people who don't agree with me. I learned after the first time my article went viral it's not a good idea to read all the comments. Instead I enjoy the positive emails and messages I receive, while ignoring the negative. After Huffington Post published my article on Monday and shared it on their Facebook page, I got the usual uptick in traffic, email, and messages. One thing was different though. To my surprise, I got about 10 messages from AA-goers who were clearly not happy with me. Apparently my candid mention of "Alcoholics Anonymous" and what its taught me in my 2 year article did not sit well with them. They did not hesitate to tell me their thoughts. Here are a few of the messages:

Read More

Love in the Time of Sobriety

/
Love in the Time of Sobriety

“It was the time when they loved each other best, without hurry or excess, when both were most conscious of and grateful for their incredible victories over adversity.” — Love in the Time of Cholera Warning: this post is about love and it could get sappy! Having just celebrated my soberversary, I have been reflecting on a lot of things in my life, not just my sobriety. One of the most beautiful things about my life is the ability I have gained to love and be loved.

Read More

Two Years Without Alcohol

/
Two Years Without Alcohol

If anyone can possibly believe it, it's been a whole year since I wrote my infamous One Year Without Alcohol blog. The one that gave me internet fame, a platform to talk about my sobriety, and propelled my writing career. It was the first time I outed myself as a sober person. I was terrified and relieved at the same time. Who knew that getting the crazy thoughts out of my head and into a blog would resonate with so many people? I sure didn't, but I'm glad it did. Now here I am 2 years sober. On May 6, 2013 I took my last drink. Since then my life has done a complete 360. I am a different person. Here is what I've learned so far.

Read More

10 Reasons Why Being Alone is Awesome

/
10 Reasons Why Being Alone is Awesome

Being alone is often thought of as lonely, boring, or even a waste of time. I find this is especially true among addicts and alcoholics. If you're anything like I was, being alone is like hell. I thought being alone was for losers. I tried hard NOT to be alone. I surrounded myself with people, parties, drugs, and alcohol just so I didn't have to be alone. I never realized at the time that I was doing this on purpose. It wasn't until I got sober that I realized I hated to be alone with myself. Being alone meant thinking about everything and I hated to let my mind wander. Alone time meant beating myself up, questioning my whole life, my existence, and constant anxiety about where my life was headed. It made sense that I chose to occupy my life with fake friends, nights out at the club, and literally anything else that would keep my body and my mind busy. I couldn't figure out why there were people who actually enjoyed being alone, staying in on the weekends, or even, ::gasp::, people who quiet their minds on purpose.. also known as meditation.

Read More

Break the Stigma of Addiction, Run Heroes in Recovery 6K

/
Break the Stigma of Addiction, Run Heroes in Recovery 6K

I’m always looking for reasons to break the stigma of addiction. In fact, I don’t normally need a reason, I just come to my blog and start writing. However, in this case, there is a very cool event happening that is perfect for anyone whose life is affected by addiction. I’m also always looking for fun, athletic events to participate in. If you are a person in recovery or know someone who is, you should be running this race. Even if you are not affected by addiction, but you’re an athlete who enjoys a good race, and contributing to a good cause, this event is for you.

Read More

15 Shocking Alcohol Statistics For Alcohol Awareness Month

/
15 Shocking Alcohol Statistics For Alcohol Awareness Month

Often times, people get caught up in the glitz and glamour of alcohol. Cocktails for every occasions, drinks that smell good and look pretty, and the fact that alcohol is a drug is promptly forgotten. That's why once a year it's good to remind people about the dangers and health implications associated with alcohol.

April is alcohol awareness month. This year's theme is "For the Health of It: Early Education on Alcoholism and Addiction." It actually shocked me when I read that Alcohol Awareness Month has been in effect since 1987. What?! Where was I? Granted I was 2 years old in 1987, but I was sober last April and still somehow missed this important celebration. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence says Alcohol Awareness Month is designed to reduce the stigma associated with alcoholism. They reach out to the American public with information about alcohol, alcoholism, and recovery. This is a movement I can get behind.

Read More

Sober Fun at Winter Music Conference in Miami

/
Sober Fun at Winter Music Conference in Miami

If you've read some of my older posts, you know that I still enjoy a good party and great house music once in awhile. When I got sober, I promised myself that I wouldn't miss out on life and that includes fun festivals, shows, or parties that might include drinking. During my first months of sobriety, these types of events weren't that enjoyable because I was still mourning the loss of alcohol and drugs. I was still learning how to have fun sober and how to feel comfortable sans mind-altering substances. I continued to attend events throughout my early sobriety and now almost two years sober, it's becoming much easier to be sober everywhere.

Read More

10 Name Concepts For Your Own Higher Power

/
10 Name Concepts For Your Own Higher Power

Now that I've been attending AA for about 5 months and I'm working the 12 steps, I've had to explore the concept of a higher power. Like I've mentioned in my previous posts, anything with the word God attached to it used to make me cringe. I would run far far away from whatever it was. Organized religion and the word "God" still don't sit right with me, but what I love about AA is that it has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with spirituality.

Read More

Why is St. Patrick's Day a Drinking Holiday?

/
Why is St. Patrick's Day a Drinking Holiday?

If you're anything like I was when drinking, you celebrate your right to binge drink on every holiday, or you make up your own to get in more drinking. That leads us to today's wonderful holiday - St. Patrick's Day. It's like this holiday was made for drinking. It's what it's all about right? Everywhere you look it's green beer, bar crawls, Irish car bombs, etc. Marketing has gone crazy around this holiday with green clothes, Hallmark cards, and bar promotions. How did this happen? And what's St. Patrick's Day REALLY about?

Read More

Serenity Interrupted: When an Addict Comes to a Meeting High

/
Serenity Interrupted: When an Addict Comes to a Meeting High

This post is kind of a bummer. There have been two times in the past few months where drunk men came into our women's AA meeting that I attend during the week. Each time it was handled with calmness and grace. It was clear that even as a women's meeting, we would never turn away an alcoholic in need of a meeting. Both times I felt a bit awkward, but not uncomfortable and overall I felt that the men enjoyed the meetings. One of them even wrote us a letter that a member read out loud the following week. He thanked us for our kindness and he said he was getting help. No harm, no foul.

Read More

Living in Paradise: Why Addicts Go to the Caribbean

/
Living in Paradise: Why Addicts Go to the Caribbean

This post is different from my normal ones. A few weeks ago I was approached by a fellow sober blogger named Marilyn Spiller who I have chatted with via Twitter and blog comments before. I love reading her blogs and I can relate to almost everything she writes. We share many similarities. We both lived in Caribbean destinations abroad, and we're both alcoholics who got sober and now share our experiences through writing. We both agreed on the fact that the Caribbean is paradise living and a place that attracts big drinkers and alcoholics. To explore this topic more in depth we did an interview style blog post together. It was fascinating getting to know Marilyn better and interesting how similar and different our experiences were.

Read More