Hola Sober
Wisdom from the ladies on Pledge 100 Thomond 2022 + Tara 20222 VILLAGE VOICES
For me, the most powerful exercise was the acceptance statement. I have it on my phone also so I can read it every time I need to. Accepting being addicted and wanting OUT is for me the most important thing to always have present. Alcohol is everywhere and it looks so harmless. I was watching a series on Netflix yesterday and in EVERY scene, there were people having a drink. It was triggering. The white wine at dinner, the martini at the bar..And I thought about acceptance, my acceptance that I can’t moderate, I can’t manage alcohol. It might seem trivial, but it is not. Acceptance is a very hard realization. It is also the one thing I need to continue to come to terms with. There is still a part of me that feels flawed and defective because of my addiction. A part of me feels ashamed and secretive about it. A part of me misses drinking. Of course, there is another part -a much more important part - of me, that feels proud, happy, and strong regarding my choice to stop drinking. The part of me that wants to prevail above all else. The two parts coexist. I think that is acceptance too. Knowing that this is truly a battle against the beast of addiction.
CONSTANT vigilance IS the name of the game! If I think back to the moderation decisions I made 4 years ago I can see clearly the quick and inevitable slide back into addiction. Linda’s relapse shares resonate with me loud and clear. I know the clarity of AF living of the previous 14 years! It was fecking hard to get back here and I can’t risk going back…EVER! No question.
-K.H.-
The more I do this the more I learn that keeping it simple works for me. I do not need to figure it all out this week or next week. I need to figure out today, just that. That for me is progress. Accepting I need to keep my sober world simple. I get up, read my daily email, go to work, check into a meeting if I can and NEVER miss Sunday church with Susan. I Marco Polo my sober girlfriends daily. And that is me sorted and that is what works for me. -L. B.-
-A.C-
HOLA SOBER | MADRID
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker