Some background for anyone reading this thinking of getting sober, I started drinking heavily at 23. I was a late bloomer and a total double edged sword because from 23-28 I was at a bar every other night if not every night but because 20-23 I worked hard (and was sober) I could swing it.

I can’t tell you how many times I’d wake up after a bender and feel like shit. Anyone who is reading this and isn’t sober knows what I’m talking about. The bag of fast food half eaten next to me, my breath smells and sometimes I don’t even know where my phone is as I wipe my eyes clear. I shit, drink a glass of water like that’s going to do anything and start my day with a cigarette. By now I already have a long day ahead and I’ll be right back at the bar tonight as a well earned reward.

I did this so often it felt normal. I thought I was fine, I thought it didn’t matter. I still had a job, payed my bills, etc.

At a certain point you realize a few things:

1. Nothing happening at the bar tonight hasn’t happened a million times. I’ve already experienced it countless times. I’ve actually met those same bar flys over and over again with different names. It’s always the same-conversation for conversations sake with shots mixed in.

2. I am less productive than I think. Everything from hygiene to relationships and job performance will fail over time. I didn’t even notice it, but it was happening.

3. I got to a point when thinking back on the last few years-I could remember them sure. I couldn’t feel them. I couldn’t look back and reminisce. Why? Because I spent those years racing from morning to night and then repeating.

I started cutting back in January and finally this past month really kicked alcohol out of my life. I have a calendar on my wall and every morning I put a Blue dot in the day before. My reminder and reward for not drinking.

My tips:

-Find things to do in the evening. Read. Play video games. Clean. Call friends you haven’t talked to in while.

-The day you liked going to the bar the most is now your evening grocery store run. Once a week. Eating better is important.

-I stocked my fridge with all kinds of sparking water. When I crave a drink, I drink that.

Thank you to this whole sub. Reading reminders and all the encouragement helps daily.

IWNDWYT