Now over 70 days since I last had an alcoholic drink!

#soberwarrior #SoberAF

@VidmoOreda proud of you. Keep on trying and don’t give up! Took me 10 years of trying to finally make it stick again. Now I’m here and life is so much better! Ping me if you need to talk (I’m booked solid at work today tho, so wouldn’t be able to respond until this evening).

#sober #soberAF #soberlife

For anyone who needs to know at this time of year, getting sober 411 days ago, has been the single best thing I've done in my life. Period

#sober #SoberAF #af #DrinkAware

This one goes out to anyone who is newly #sober in this holiday season who may be wondering how the fuck you’re going to get through the next month.

I’m going to be straight with you — it’s not going to be easy, but you can do it. I know because I got through my first holiday season without drinking seven years ago, and every year since as well.

There are going to be parties and there are going to be family events and all sorts of other triggers — which may lead you to think, “Fuck It, I’ll have a drink. I can start over after New Years.”

DO NOT LET THAT VOICE WIN

There’s no guarantee that you’ll get to New Years if you take that first drink. For those of us who have admitted that we have a problem, taking that first drink usually leads to a whole lot of progressively bad decisions, which put us in progressively more dangerous positions. The simple truth is, we will always have the option to have another drink, but we may not have the option to have another recovery.

First and foremost, it’s totally okay to say, “I can’t make it this time, but thanks for the invitation.” You don’t have to go to everything.

But if there’s an event you want to go to here are some suggestions that worked for me in the early days when I went to events where there might be people drinking.

1. Always have an exit plan. It doesn’t matter if you hurt someone’s feelings by leaving early if it protects your sobriety.

2. Always provide your own transportation to and from an event - that way you can leave when you’re ready.

3. Get your own drinks — that way you know what’s in them. Also, nobody gives a shit what you’re drinking. And if they do it says something about their relationship with booze. But if you feel self conscious at an event, club soda with lime looks just like a gin and tonic.

4. Call a sober friend before an event that you go to. Talk about your exit plan. Tell them when you plan to leave and ask them to make every effort to answer the phone if you call them in the next few hours.

5. Call them if you are in a tight spot at the event.

6. Call them after the event.

7. If you have a significant other or a friend with you, agree on a word or phrase that means “get me the fuck out of here now and don’t ask questions.” Have them commit to helping you GTFO if necessary.

8. Remember to play the tape forward. What happens when you drink? Why would it end differently this time? It won’t.

9. When you get home, relax and revel in the fact that you made it.

10. Not every event will be a challenge.

Remember to enjoy the time with your friends and family. Remember that the reason you got sober is so you can live a happy and healthy life.

Eat good food. Dance to good music. Laugh with your friends who love you. Love the people who love you. And be grateful for every day.

#RecoveryIsPossible #WeDoRecover #RecoveryPosse #Sober #SoberAF #AlcoholFree