Seven Years of Sobriety
Today marks seven years of sobriety for me. Hard to believe sometimes because if feels longer in some respects, but shorter too.
This past year has been challenging to say the least. So much so that this is my second attempt at writing a blog post. After being away from writing for so long the words don’t seem to want to come out. But I will try my best.
In the days leading up to today I have been searching for the right words to convey how challenging, yet also gratifying, this past year has been. And then I opened my email this morning. The daily AA Grapevine quote is the one I used for the picture above, and I feel it sums up this past year well. No matter what, don’t run, keep going.
On January 31st of last year, I quit my job and decided to start my own coaching business, like I’ve dreamed of doing for so long. But the Universe had other plans for me. Around the time I decided to get started, the pandemic hit, and my plans were put on hold. Okay, no problem. Keep going.
In February my little girl kitty was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. In May, she took a turn for the worse, and I had to put her down. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, and it almost broke me. But I kept going.
Around the beginning of July, I started having stomach troubles, which lasted till November. There were some dark days during that period. Some so dark I struggled with suicidal ideation and didn’t know if I would make it through the day. But I kept going.
Through it all, I kept going, putting one foot in front of the other. Was it easy? No, absolutely not. If it weren’t for my little boy kitty, I would not be here today, writing this blog post. My sponsor helped me through my loss. And my family too.
But there were blessings too. Not working allowed me the opportunity to spend more time with my fur baby boy. I was able to heal not only my body, but my mind as well, and focus more on my mental health. I was able to plant a bigger garden this year as well. And I learned the importance of paying attention to what I eat, and that I can always improve my diet. Because sobriety is so much more than not drinking. It’s taking care of yourself — mind, body, and spirit.
If I could give you a piece of advice right now, I’d say, keep going no matter what. Life is hard sometimes, and there’s no guarantee of happiness. Trial and tribulations will come for all of us, but they usually don’t last long. Brighter days come back, you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, one day at a time.
Blessed be,
Mindy
Originally published at https://www.mysoberashes.com on January 16, 2021.
