“What are the biggest benefits or gifts of sobriety?” We ask this as part of the My Sobriety Story series, and I recently posed the same question on Notes.
What a fantastically wonderful thing to read as I sip my coffee this morning. 💞 I feel like we are all part of the greatest club on earth. Sobriety is a superpower that continues to channel love in every direction.
Thanks for all you do here, Dana. You are one of the gifts of sobriety, for sure.
Sober motherhood, sober divorce, sober marriage, sober huge literary success, sober rejections, sober grief, sober joy. Life in all its complicated, painful beauty. Forty years this December. Thanks to AA.
The biggest gift for me has been finding who I truly am and actually liking the person. I thought I was getting sober to stop the anxiety and black cloud I felt after every drink. That has happened but I have actually found my true self in the process. I started drinking alcohol when I was 14 to fit in, to be better, to self destruct in, what I believed at the time, was a romantic, rebellious way. To be who I thought I should be. It turns out I was only ever supposed to be one person: ME.
These answers are super inspiring—thank you to everyone who shared, and to Dana for putting this together.
I'm committed to the theory that those who have struggled with addiction are of the most sensitive souls on earth, and this just confirmed that the world is that much more beautiful when sensitive souls are open to feeling, healing, and expressing from the heart. I'm proud to stand beside each of you on the journey.
So beautifully put, Kaitlyn. I was struck by how many people named feeling, experiencing, and expressing more fully as the biggest gift in sobriety. Hearts and gratitude to you! ❤️
Great thing to read first thing today. 💛 for me it is being able to feel and acknowledge my feelings- all of them and know that none of them are permanent. And my god getting to know the real me- not the one who I thought I had to be to loved or accepted. I am a class A nerd and I say that with the utmost respect and love to all my fellow nerds lol and yes of course the added bonus of never waking up feeling like shit on purpose. That NEVER gets old. Whenever I am up too late and have a big day the next I always think, well at least I won’t be hungover!
Heart-sourced gratitude to you all. Thank you for your presence here and for sharing so honestly, openly, and beautifully. ❤️
This is an amazing compilation and will help so many, thank you Dana!
Hearts to you, Maria! ❤️
What a fantastically wonderful thing to read as I sip my coffee this morning. 💞 I feel like we are all part of the greatest club on earth. Sobriety is a superpower that continues to channel love in every direction.
Thanks for all you do here, Dana. You are one of the gifts of sobriety, for sure.
Yay - such a beautiful club! Thank you from my heart, Allison. So grateful for you! ❤️
Sober motherhood, sober divorce, sober marriage, sober huge literary success, sober rejections, sober grief, sober joy. Life in all its complicated, painful beauty. Forty years this December. Thanks to AA.
Yes! Thank you for sharing, Molly, and heart-sourced celebration of your sobriety.
The biggest gift for me has been finding who I truly am and actually liking the person. I thought I was getting sober to stop the anxiety and black cloud I felt after every drink. That has happened but I have actually found my true self in the process. I started drinking alcohol when I was 14 to fit in, to be better, to self destruct in, what I believed at the time, was a romantic, rebellious way. To be who I thought I should be. It turns out I was only ever supposed to be one person: ME.
Yes! Beautiful, Becky. ❤️
💖💖💖 love this Becky
These answers are super inspiring—thank you to everyone who shared, and to Dana for putting this together.
I'm committed to the theory that those who have struggled with addiction are of the most sensitive souls on earth, and this just confirmed that the world is that much more beautiful when sensitive souls are open to feeling, healing, and expressing from the heart. I'm proud to stand beside each of you on the journey.
So beautifully put, Kaitlyn. I was struck by how many people named feeling, experiencing, and expressing more fully as the biggest gift in sobriety. Hearts and gratitude to you! ❤️
Yes! I noticed that too. Finding our way back to feeling. And doing something about those feels when it's called for. 💗
Thank you everyone for your inspiring answers. There’s some real food for thought here. And it’s nice to meet you too!
Appreciate you Dana for sharing these wonderful ideas from the sober community. What a wholesome start to the day.
Thanks so much for being here and for sharing, Adam! Your writing is full of such clarity and wisdom.
Wow I felt that one, Dana.
I’m so grateful, thank you.
Great thing to read first thing today. 💛 for me it is being able to feel and acknowledge my feelings- all of them and know that none of them are permanent. And my god getting to know the real me- not the one who I thought I had to be to loved or accepted. I am a class A nerd and I say that with the utmost respect and love to all my fellow nerds lol and yes of course the added bonus of never waking up feeling like shit on purpose. That NEVER gets old. Whenever I am up too late and have a big day the next I always think, well at least I won’t be hungover!
Big yes to all of that, Amy! And that’s exactly what I tell myself when I can’t sleep. xo, a fellow-nerd
Knowing that I can get through anything and trust myself completely ❤️🩹
Love that, Kristen!
Beautiful list. I’m in! ❤️
Thank you for being here, Dee! ❤️
What beautiful insights! Thanks for sharing them all, Dana!
Thank you for sharing and being here, Janine! ❤️
Let me count the ways. Sobriety has given me myself.