Happy six years sober, Dana!!! Thank you for putting this post together in celebration (and for all the work you do in this space). I'm grateful to be part of such a beautiful community like this one, and reading the responses of fellow sober folks continues to inspire me.
How many strangers would genuinely care about my sobriety in the rooms of AA. And the difficulty of dealing with raw emotions instead of drowning them. And how proud the smallest victories would make me feel. And how much closer to God it would bring me.
I did not believe that I had a problem When I stopped drinking I thought that I just needed a break that once I stopped for a while I would be able to go back and drink safely it took a year of not drinking for me to admit I had a problem. 14 years later I still find myself amazed that I didn't get it
So many surprises, and in summary - how easy it was once the decision had been made; how life opened up in the most unexpected ways imaginable; and lastly, that not only could I dance sober, but I actually preferred it! Happy sober birthday Dana, I hope you are dancing 💃❤️
Congrats Dana!! Huge accomplishment. Thank you for all you do. What surprised me most was the amount of “backlogged” feelings I needed to feel after years of suppressing. It was overwhelming, but ultimately quite freeing. Pre-sobriety, when big emotions arrived, I’d quickly drink or smoke weed so as not to be conscious for it. Now, I actually have to feel it, and though it’s difficult, I feel so strong when I’ve arrived safely at the other side of the storm. I’ve also been filled with immense compassion for my younger self where once I had only shame — numbing was the only tool she had. Life is hard. It makes sense that she needed to self-medicate, but I don’t have to do that any longer. I trust in my own ability to feel my emotions safely, and process my experiences healthily.
What still astonishes me is the courage I’ve found in sobriety. I used to call alcohol “liquid courage,” but by the time I quit in 2020, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Alcohol shrunk my self-worth, stunted my curiosity, dimmed my vibrancy, and damaged my relationships—most notably the one I had with myself. Sobriety has taught me about true, lasting courage. It is the living with accountability and authenticity; my thoughts, words, and actions match. I am the same person in any room I enter. I am finally safe to be the awkward, silly, and soft soul I tried to find at the bottom of a wine bottle. I am willing to be new at something and follow my once-dormant dreams. I am far more able to give and receive love. I am brave enough to see the bigger picture and ask myself the deeper questions. In sobriety, I have learned to savor solitude and slowness. And I found the courage to trust the answers always lie within, if I can go quiet enough to hear them.
Happy six years, Dana! It is incredible the ripple effect one courageous person can have, not just in their inner world but in the lives around them. You embody that. Thank you for being a beacon, a bridge builder, and someone who brings so much goodness into the world. Celebrating you big time today, just as you lovingly celebrate all those around you. ✨
Thank you from my heart, Jennifer. I feel so deeply grateful today, both for sobriety and for the beautiful connections that could only have come into my life through sobriety.
I love, love, love your revelation around courage. Yes! Your words ring so true ❤️
I was surprised at how proud I've become of both my sobriety and who I am as a person. When I quit drinking, fear and shame were dominant emotions and I felt like it was a lifetime sentence of living in that negative space... and that couldn't be further from the truth.
Thank you for your beautiful shares and presence here, everyone! ❤️
Happy six years sober, Dana!!! Thank you for putting this post together in celebration (and for all the work you do in this space). I'm grateful to be part of such a beautiful community like this one, and reading the responses of fellow sober folks continues to inspire me.
Thank you, Kaitlyn! So grateful for our connection and your presence in this space ❤️
Likewise, Dana! So so grateful.
How many strangers would genuinely care about my sobriety in the rooms of AA. And the difficulty of dealing with raw emotions instead of drowning them. And how proud the smallest victories would make me feel. And how much closer to God it would bring me.
Beautiful - thank you for sharing.
I did not believe that I had a problem When I stopped drinking I thought that I just needed a break that once I stopped for a while I would be able to go back and drink safely it took a year of not drinking for me to admit I had a problem. 14 years later I still find myself amazed that I didn't get it
Thanks so much for sharing, Thomas. Sometimes it takes the clarity that sobriety brings to really see clearly. Congrats on your 14 years!
Your personal cipher for alcoholism is encoded in childhood topography—not in obvious trauma but in nooks and crannies.
Thanks for sharing!
So many surprises, and in summary - how easy it was once the decision had been made; how life opened up in the most unexpected ways imaginable; and lastly, that not only could I dance sober, but I actually preferred it! Happy sober birthday Dana, I hope you are dancing 💃❤️
Thank you, Carolyn. And what beautiful surprises! ❤️
Congrats Dana!! Huge accomplishment. Thank you for all you do. What surprised me most was the amount of “backlogged” feelings I needed to feel after years of suppressing. It was overwhelming, but ultimately quite freeing. Pre-sobriety, when big emotions arrived, I’d quickly drink or smoke weed so as not to be conscious for it. Now, I actually have to feel it, and though it’s difficult, I feel so strong when I’ve arrived safely at the other side of the storm. I’ve also been filled with immense compassion for my younger self where once I had only shame — numbing was the only tool she had. Life is hard. It makes sense that she needed to self-medicate, but I don’t have to do that any longer. I trust in my own ability to feel my emotions safely, and process my experiences healthily.
Thank you, Margaret. And I love that so much ❤️
What still astonishes me is the courage I’ve found in sobriety. I used to call alcohol “liquid courage,” but by the time I quit in 2020, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Alcohol shrunk my self-worth, stunted my curiosity, dimmed my vibrancy, and damaged my relationships—most notably the one I had with myself. Sobriety has taught me about true, lasting courage. It is the living with accountability and authenticity; my thoughts, words, and actions match. I am the same person in any room I enter. I am finally safe to be the awkward, silly, and soft soul I tried to find at the bottom of a wine bottle. I am willing to be new at something and follow my once-dormant dreams. I am far more able to give and receive love. I am brave enough to see the bigger picture and ask myself the deeper questions. In sobriety, I have learned to savor solitude and slowness. And I found the courage to trust the answers always lie within, if I can go quiet enough to hear them.
Happy six years, Dana! It is incredible the ripple effect one courageous person can have, not just in their inner world but in the lives around them. You embody that. Thank you for being a beacon, a bridge builder, and someone who brings so much goodness into the world. Celebrating you big time today, just as you lovingly celebrate all those around you. ✨
Thank you from my heart, Jennifer. I feel so deeply grateful today, both for sobriety and for the beautiful connections that could only have come into my life through sobriety.
I love, love, love your revelation around courage. Yes! Your words ring so true ❤️
I was surprised at how proud I've become of both my sobriety and who I am as a person. When I quit drinking, fear and shame were dominant emotions and I felt like it was a lifetime sentence of living in that negative space... and that couldn't be further from the truth.
Love that, Jeff. Thank you for sharing.