What I’ve Gained by Becoming Alcohol Free
By Adrienne Kaliszak
While it wasn’t always rainbows and flowers, the decision to take alcohol out of my life is still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Since adopting a sober lifestyle over 15 months ago my life has changed dramatically. My relationship with both my husband and daughter has improved tenfold, I love and respect myself more, and I’ve created a fulfilling life for myself.
My Relationship with My Husband and Daughter Has Improved
While I was drinking my relationship with my husband and daughter was shit. My husband and I had no common interests other than drinking. We wouldn’t go on dates together, as we both wanted to stay home and get drunk. If we did go out, we would be talking about drinking and planning out our next drink. We were consumed with thoughts and desire for alcohol.
When we were both home drinking, we’d often be in 2 separate rooms. He’d be on the computer talking to other girls and me other guys. Alcohol was destroying our marriage as well as our family.
We used to hate it if our daughter was going out for the night and needed to be picked up, because that meant one of us would have to stay sober in order to pick her up. We took turns doing that.
When our daughter was home while we were drinking, she often didn’t want anything to do with us. Can’t blame her, we weren’t ourselves when we drank. We became loud and obnoxious, selfish, and uninterested in anything but our beer.
It breaks my heart that we put alcohol before our daughter, that will be a regret I hold with me for a long time.
Since we ditched the alcohol our relationship with our daughter, Lily, has improved tremendously. Our daughter respects us and is proud of us. She wants to be with us. We enjoy our time together and are totally present and, in the moment, when we are spending time together. We’re not obsessing over our next buzz, we’re giving her the time, love, and attention she absolutely deserves.
I Love and Respect Myself More
I had such self-loathing for myself when I drank. After a night of drinking the next morning, I would feel awful about myself. I hated myself, I felt such shame and sadness. My life was full of regret.
Since quitting alcohol I no longer feel that shame and regret in the morning, or the hangovers for that matter. I feel joy, happiness, and wonder at the new day ahead. It’s really like night and day now.
I take better care of myself now. When drinking I didn’t take care of myself properly. I wouldn’t shower or wash my hair as often as I should and wouldn’t always brush my teeth, I’d stay in the same clothes I wore the night before. I was essentially nasty.
Now, I take pride in myself and my appearance. I shower and brush my teeth regularly, change my clothes and even go to the spa to get my eyebrows waxed and nails done. I’m able to go to the spa occasionally as I have more money since becoming alcohol free.
After a night of drinking, I’d also binge eat on anything and everything, gone are those nights! I’ve even lost weight from cutting out the alcohol and the drunk munchies.
I’ve Created a Fulfilling Life for Myself
Since I stopped drinking, I’ve created a very fulfilling life for myself.
When I drank that was pretty much all I cared about. I found it difficult to concentrate on other areas of my life for long periods of time. Now that I’ve got my concentration and drive back, I dove head first into my art work as well as writing and have encountered success with both endeavors.
My husband and I go on dates once again and love going on jeeping adventures out in the desert or at nearby lakes. We enjoy camping together as well now.
I take pride in our house, keeping it clean and organized and enjoy cooking delicious meals for our family.
I am more thoughtful and less self-centered. I help my in-laws clean their house and cook meals for them, as well as for other family members.
Drinking alcohol was a life of bondage, filled with hopelessness, and regrets. Breaking those chains of bondage was by far the greatest thing I could have done for myself and my family.
***While I was able to stop without medical intervention, I still recommend talking to a health care professional before taking that leap to freedom as it’s possible to have DT’s (delirium tremens) and other health issues when quitting alcohol abruptly.
'Your windshield is bigger than your rearview for a reason; the mirror is there to help you glance back at where you’ve been, but if you focus too much on it, you’re going to crash.
We are ALL affected by our past and we are ALL reminded of it now and again, but we cannot live in it unless we want to repeat it over and over again. We need to learn from it, take lessons from it, know what’s good (and not good) for us, and adjust accordingly. Mistakes are only mistakes until we learn from them and then they become lessons.'
Love this from the Your Tango blog, it sums up the need for a forward focused growth mindset in sobriety and life in general.
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Having an amazing time in #Japan and managed to head south out of Tokyo for a few days today to Kamakura by the ocean.
The drinking culture here is totally different to the UK, but all the bars are full, not many AF options either, but I wouldn’t want to visit such an amazing place and spoil it by boozing.
#tokyo #kamakura #tokyonight #tokyoneon #kamakuratemple #japaneseshrine #buddhisttemple #japantravel #tokyotrip #ramen #japaneseculture #japanlife
Wow! Rock Bottom & Rising has won the GOLD medal at the @nautilusbookawards for the best Addiction Recovery Memoir.
The book has 21 incredible stories by real people who have quit alcohol and turned their lives around, it is a truly inspirational read.
So this award is for everyone who contributed to the book, congratulations and thank you!
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Woohoo! Just seen one of my books on the shelf @theworksstores #anxiety #anxietybook #theworks #bookshop #selfhelpbook #bookstore
Just finished recording a piece with @itvnews about the growing number of people quitting alcohol and the sobriety movement as a whole.
It airs next week, so look out for my shiny head on your TV screens.
#itv #sobriety #itvnews #sobermovement #sobercoach #tvinterview #newsstory #alcoholfree #soberlife #sobrietyrules
These two inspiring books from leading sobriety coach Simon Chapple are out today!
Read more...Repost @sheldon.press
Featuring contributions from some of the most well-known personalities in the Sober Space, Rock Bottom and Rising brings us real, raw, relatable stories from individuals who’ve found joy in an alcohol-free life.
The perfect companion to Rock Bottom – The Sober Life Journal captures the essence of journaling and provides space to grow and develop as you embark on a sober life. With hundreds of writing prompts, pages for reflection, focus, inspiration and guided exercises, this beautiful new journal supports your intention to create something lasting and meaningful to accompany you on your journey to an alcohol-free life.
Ideal for anyone contemplating a sober life come the new year, or from #dryjanuary.
Find out more in our bio.
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Watch the best videos from my YouTube Stop Drinking Channel
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