It's so interesting to see so many people talk about how the turning point isn't often loud and how it's always a personal choice in the end. Blessed to be surrounded by such a beautiful community.
I was whinging to a sober friend about feeling suicidal despair and he said “enjoy your shit.” I realized that my pain was not being relieved by alcohol but was being made worse by alcohol. I had to get sober to see clearly what was real and what was “my shit.” Sober since 1/3/91.
I really only stopped once, from the age of 13 to 30. My turning point came as a result of my decisions just like all the events that led up to that last day I drank, at 30. Sitting in a jail cell. nothing to my name and a laundry list of failures. I had accomplished things in my life, no doubt. I moved myself 800 miles from home at 18 and built a life that lasted for 11 years but beneath it all, my decisions led to the same path. Jails and institutions. lost opportunity. missed time. unmanageable depression, anxiety and a pill problem that left me detoxing in a moving truck with my bull dog, Stella all the way from GA to WI. Life sucked. For years I kept my head just above water. Just enough to breath. The water was right below my nose and that night, in the jail cell, the wave crashed and I broke. I could not do it anymore. I put down the bull shit and got to work on me. Life has not been the same ever since.
I remember another point where I felt a distinct lightbulb moment on my path to sober living. I wrote a letter to my organs (I know how this sounds...), apologising to each of them for the way I had treated them, to my heart for making it beat faster and raising my blood pressure, to my poor liver for all of it's hard work in ridding my body of the toxins, to my skin for drying it out due to dehydration, to my kidneys for making them work much harder than necessary. Each apology cemented my decision to start to treat my body well, and give it the love it deserved. The letter ended with gratitude to my body for keeping me alive during the prolonged onslaughts of my battle with booze. This exercise removed any desire to drink, and I recall my mindset shift from "I can't drink" to "I don't want to drink". It was so liberating!
For me it was getting fired. I had been fired before but this time it was different it was because of my behavior while under the influence. I made a promise to my wife to stop and haven’t drunk since. I am a better person sober. A better husband, a better father, simply a better person. I turn into a complete knob when I drank. I am 9 years 10 months and 23 days sober now. I found another job and carried on working for another 7 years before retiring.
My Sober Turning point was on May 23, 2025 was on a plane, on my way back to the U.S. from a vacation to Portugal and Barcelona. Prior to that vacation, which included a lot of drinking, I had a massive anxiety attack of intrusive thoughts that I know were fueled by drinking regularly. It was scary, but I continued to drink for a few more weeks and through vacation. The night before we were to fly home, May 22, 2025 my husband said to me, "You drink a lot." He said it as a matter of fact. No judgement. He had told me that before, over the years. I would try to moderate and would inevitably escalate to old drinking patterns -- gray area drinking, about 15-20 glasses of wine a week. On the plane, the free drink cart came by, and I just said no, not today. Then I got to thinking, I'll quit for 30 days, or maybe a year. Then I thought of all the events coming up that would be difficult to not drink at. I said, they'll never be the "right time", I just knew right then "it was time". I had to end my anxious suffering and I haven't had a drink since. BEST DECISION EVER.
It's so interesting to see so many people talk about how the turning point isn't often loud and how it's always a personal choice in the end. Blessed to be surrounded by such a beautiful community.
Yes! Thanks so much for being here, Kaitlyn ❤️
I was whinging to a sober friend about feeling suicidal despair and he said “enjoy your shit.” I realized that my pain was not being relieved by alcohol but was being made worse by alcohol. I had to get sober to see clearly what was real and what was “my shit.” Sober since 1/3/91.
❤️
I really only stopped once, from the age of 13 to 30. My turning point came as a result of my decisions just like all the events that led up to that last day I drank, at 30. Sitting in a jail cell. nothing to my name and a laundry list of failures. I had accomplished things in my life, no doubt. I moved myself 800 miles from home at 18 and built a life that lasted for 11 years but beneath it all, my decisions led to the same path. Jails and institutions. lost opportunity. missed time. unmanageable depression, anxiety and a pill problem that left me detoxing in a moving truck with my bull dog, Stella all the way from GA to WI. Life sucked. For years I kept my head just above water. Just enough to breath. The water was right below my nose and that night, in the jail cell, the wave crashed and I broke. I could not do it anymore. I put down the bull shit and got to work on me. Life has not been the same ever since.
Thanks so much for being here and sharing, Jordan. You made it ❤️
I remember another point where I felt a distinct lightbulb moment on my path to sober living. I wrote a letter to my organs (I know how this sounds...), apologising to each of them for the way I had treated them, to my heart for making it beat faster and raising my blood pressure, to my poor liver for all of it's hard work in ridding my body of the toxins, to my skin for drying it out due to dehydration, to my kidneys for making them work much harder than necessary. Each apology cemented my decision to start to treat my body well, and give it the love it deserved. The letter ended with gratitude to my body for keeping me alive during the prolonged onslaughts of my battle with booze. This exercise removed any desire to drink, and I recall my mindset shift from "I can't drink" to "I don't want to drink". It was so liberating!
What a powerful practice and liberating outcome, Carolyn. Love it!
Thanks Dana. It was an emotional exercise 🙏
Loved getting the notification that I was included in here Dana! And loved reading others turning points aswell. Thank you ❤️
Your quote was perfect for Dry January, Jen! Thanks so much for being here ❤️
Such amazing inspo here!
Thanks for being here, Helena!
My turning point was when I realized that my kid was being dragged around with me me being homeless and staying in a tent during the summer of 2025
Glad you’re here, John - thank you for sharing ❤️
I didn't fall off a ladder in a warehouse after drinking the night before. But I almost did. And that was that.
Sounds like you got the message, John! Way to go.
For me it was getting fired. I had been fired before but this time it was different it was because of my behavior while under the influence. I made a promise to my wife to stop and haven’t drunk since. I am a better person sober. A better husband, a better father, simply a better person. I turn into a complete knob when I drank. I am 9 years 10 months and 23 days sober now. I found another job and carried on working for another 7 years before retiring.
Beautiful, Christopher - thank you for sharing ❤️
My Sober Turning point was on May 23, 2025 was on a plane, on my way back to the U.S. from a vacation to Portugal and Barcelona. Prior to that vacation, which included a lot of drinking, I had a massive anxiety attack of intrusive thoughts that I know were fueled by drinking regularly. It was scary, but I continued to drink for a few more weeks and through vacation. The night before we were to fly home, May 22, 2025 my husband said to me, "You drink a lot." He said it as a matter of fact. No judgement. He had told me that before, over the years. I would try to moderate and would inevitably escalate to old drinking patterns -- gray area drinking, about 15-20 glasses of wine a week. On the plane, the free drink cart came by, and I just said no, not today. Then I got to thinking, I'll quit for 30 days, or maybe a year. Then I thought of all the events coming up that would be difficult to not drink at. I said, they'll never be the "right time", I just knew right then "it was time". I had to end my anxious suffering and I haven't had a drink since. BEST DECISION EVER.
Love it - thank you for sharing ❤️