Here’s a Little Secret: Alcohol Doesn’t Make You Happy
By Adrienne Kaliszak
“I once heard a sober alcoholic say that drinking never made him happy, but it made him feel like he was going to be happy in about fifteen minutes. That was exactly it, and I couldn’t understand why the happiness never came, couldn’t see the flaw in my thinking, couldn’t see that alcohol kept me trapped in a world of illusion, procrastination, paralysis. I lived always in the future, never in the present. Next time, next time! Next time I drank it would be different, next time it would make me feel good again. And all my efforts were doomed, because already drinking hadn’t made me feel good in years.” ― Heather King, Parched
This is exactly how I felt when I drank. I would be happy soon if I drank that alcohol.
Wasn’t happy though, I was miserable.
Was a terrible way for me to live.
Alcohol poisoned my mind, my spirit, my soul, my body, and my heart.
It wasn’t until I finally stepped away from it that I realized what a beautiful life I could and do have.
“When I drank, I wasn’t in charge of my life. Alcohol was.”
I was wandering aimlessly and recklessly, without direction or purpose. My self-imposed purpose was to get as drunk as possible every night.
Did I say night? That’s not completely accurate as some days I would wake up in the morning and crack a beer, take an afternoon “nap”, then start again when I woke up.
I can’t believe that was me. But it was. My heart breaks for that girl. It breaks in pieces for her. She was a lost soul for many, many years.
“I personally believe this: We have only today; yesterday’s gone, and tomorrow is uncertain. That’s why they call it the present. And sobriety really is a gift… for those who are willing to receive it.” ― Ace Frehley, No Regrets: A Rock ’n’ Roll Memoir
While I’m sad for the girl I once was, and especially sad and extremely sorry to the people I hurt as a result of my alcoholic tendencies, I know I can’t live in the past. I can’t change the past and I can’t dwell on it. I must live in the moment, for today.
I honor the girl I once was as well as those I love and care about by living my best life now. Which for me includes not drinking, taking prescribed medication for schizoeffective, being connected with others who are also on a sober pathway, eating healthy, keeping active, and making time to meditate and pray.
Those things I do to live a great sober life may sound like they’re a chore to you, but I actually find joy and contentment doing those things. They give me a purpose. Remaining sober, healthy, and happy is my purpose and ongoing goal now. It will be this way until I leave this world. And I’m okay with it. More than okay. Thrilled.
If I hadn’t experienced life in a drunken haze for the last 36 years, I don’t think I would experience the deep awe, humbleness, joy, and gratitude I get to experience now, as a result of becoming awake and alive from putting alcohol aside.
Look. If you drink and you’re happy with yourself and your life and you haven’t hurt anyone including yourself because of it, by all means continue having an occasional drink. But if you’re anything like I was and you find yourself miserable inside, knowing there must be more to this life beyond the bottle, why not take a break from alcohol.
Give yourself at least a month to experience some of the benefits of an AF life. If you decide you’d rather drink, well alcohol will always be there, and you can pick-up again.
I’m betting, however, that if you take a step away from the bottle, you’ll discover a life far greater than you could have dreamed of.
This is my invitation to you. Make that one decision, to not pick-up that drink today. You can deal with tomorrow when it gets here, but for today say no to that demon called alcohol.
'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.
#keepmovingforward #positivequotes #positivity #yourtango #growthmindset #growthquotes #motivationalquotes #motivation #soberquotes #sobrietyquotes #lookforwardnotback #leavethepastbehind #movingforward #quotestagram #selfhelpquotes #positivemindset
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!
#bestbooks #nautilusbookaward #nautilusbookawards #nautilusbookawardwinner #sheldonpress #hatchettebookgroup #hodderandstoughton #addictionbooks #adictionmemoir #alcoholbooks #sobrietybooks #soberbooks
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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#RockBottomandRising #SoberLife #Sober #SobrietyCoach #Sobriety #StopDrinking #Freefromalcohol #AlcoholFree #SoberBook #SimonChapple #BeSober #Howtogosober #quittingalcohol #teetotaller #teetotal #alcoholism #aa #cutdown #alcoholic #thisnakedmind #addiction #problemdrinking #soberjourney
Watch the best videos from my YouTube Stop Drinking Channel
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