PEGGI COONEY CHATS TO AMANDA SHEEREN, THE SOBER ILLUSTRATOR
Peggi: You recently celebrated your 4th Soberversary - can you talk about what made you decide to go alcohol free? Anything you would like your readers to know about your sober story? Amanda: Yes! I can hardly believe it’s been four years!! Reflecting on my decision to become sober, I realize that while my intentions were simple (drink less, have more energy, feel better, model healthy living) the implications of living a sober life are so much further reaching. I know a million people have probably said this, but sobriety is really about becoming comfortable with who you are and learning to sit with whatever discomfort arises out of that. I’ve been in therapy for the better part of a decade, trying to piece apart my tendency towards anxiety, depression, paranoia, etc. It was only in sobriety that I could see everything clearly. Every day that I am sober feels like a day I am choosing to live authentically. Peggi: What is something you want the reader to know about you that I didn’t ask? Amanda: While The Sober Illustrator is a huge part of my life, my primary project is actually an online mental health guide called If Lost, Start Here. I started ‘If Lost’ with my best friend about 5 years ago when we recognized a need for a resource that brings people closer to the places/projects in the world that make life better. We’ve branded ourselves as “a guide for the anxious, the curious, the lonely and the lost” because we are aiming to reach people who have struggled to find their way in the world like we have. We center on ten key pathways to wellness and help people find ways to work them into their everyday lives (things like connection, nature, and creativity). The project is so meaningful to me, because as someone who has experienced extreme anxiety and the overwhelm that comes with ADHD, I’ve often felt like the “guides” of the earth weren’t made for me. Our guide is designed in a way that is intended to make the world feel more accessible to people. And furthermore, it leads people to places that have the power to make their days and lives more balanced and meaningful. It’s been really fun to exist at the intersection of these two projects as I am able to bring my illustrations to If Lost and my experience as a mental health writer to The Sober Illustrator. As with everything in my life, sobriety has only made both of these projects more interesting and fulfilling.
By Peggi Cooney | Author This Side of Alcohol | Hola Sober Host + Columnist | TSOA on FB + Instagram |
Peggi: How can our readers contact you ?
Amanda: You can find me on Instagram and email me amandasheeren@gmail.com or head to my website
www.ifloststarther.com! Click for Amanda's Instagram HERE
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