1. Shame doesn’t live here anymore.
For years, I carried shame and guilt like a second skin. I’d wake up hungover, sick, and angry with myself, whispering, today is the day I’ll quit. By noon, I’d already broken the promise. Sobriety freed me from that cycle. The shame that once chained me has no place in my life anymore.
2. Everything feels lighter.
It’s not just one thing — it’s everything. From the moment I open my eyes, life feels easier, clearer, lighter. I no longer drag through the day weighed down by regret. Instead, I wake up free, and that freedom colors everything.
3. I’ve gained myself back.
Sobriety returned a billion little pieces of me I thought were gone. And with them came new ones I’d never known before. I value myself differently now. I’m proud of myself, happy with myself, and content in a way I didn’t think was possible.
4. The pain doesn’t last forever.
If I could go back to the woman I was 10 months ago, I’d tell her this: Keep walking. It won’t always hurt like this. You will get to the other side. That truth has carried me through more days than I can count.
5. People’s reactions surprised me.
I didn’t expect how curious or judgmental others would be. Some wanted to measure my story, asking, “How much did you drink? What was your rock bottom?” Others compared their own habits: “That’s not even that bad.” But what I’ve learned is this: every step toward bettering yourself deserves celebration, not comparison.
6. Mornings are pure gratitude.
I’m still a night owl, but mornings feel incredible now. I wake up happy. I notice the colors in the leaves, the way the light hits the water, the simple rhythm of breath in my lungs. Gratitude fills me in ways that make me want to use every hour well — a balance I’m still learning.
7. Joy can be a trigger.
The hardest thing I’ve discovered is that I wanted to drink most when life was good. Something inside whispered, you don’t deserve this. That realization broke me. But facing it has allowed me to start healing. Sobriety is teaching me that I do deserve joy.
8. Faith became my anchor.
I never thought I’d say this, but faith has been my lifeline. The Bible, prayer, sermons on the way to work — they’ve reshaped how I see the world. Even music sounds different now. Once your lens changes, you can’t unsee the truth. God has carried me through the moments I couldn’t carry myself.
9. I love myself now.
The noise in my head has quieted. I can sit with myself and feel peace instead of shame. Gratitude has become my compass. Every time I do better for me, it ripples out and helps others too. Sobriety hasn’t just made me kinder to myself — it’s made me more present for everyone I love.
10. Choose your hard.
Sobriety is hard. Being an alcoholic is hard. Life is always going to hand you something hard. But only one of those paths leads to freedom, and that’s the one I choose every single day. And it is so, so worth it.
Ten months ago, I was just surviving.
Today, I am living.
And I’m only just getting started.