I truly love the sober me (Guest Post)

This Guest Post was written by member @time2test as an update in the Members Feed, and I thought so powerful it was worth sharing here. 

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One year and one day ago I had my last drink.

I counted each day, each week, each hour, it felt huge.

Here I am a year and one day later and I have just gone and done It. I farken did it!!!!!

It has been huge, especially in the beginning, but it's now my new normal, so much so I missed my anniversary date by a day.

A year and one day ago I walked into work with the last hangover I will ever have and muttered to myself, "enough!".

I treated my sobriety like a new born baby. I nurtured it, cared for it, protected it.

I was vulnerable, scared and unsure of the future. What it would look like without the crutch of alcohol? What I would look like as a sober person?

Today I am a week away from completing my 8 week bootcamp and will be running 5kms for the first time ever.

Today I booked my first trip to Europe with friends using the money I have saved.

Today I woke up at 6am which I do now every morning, listening to the birds after a banging nights sleep. Knowing that I am going to show up on every level as my true authentic self.

Today I like me and, most importantly, I truly love the sober me.

I'm just a nicer, kinder, more interesting, reliable human being.

I'm not going to lie, shit still happens, life can still be hard and I have seen a lot of different responses from those people I had surrounded myself with.

I have lost a few friends along the way - drinking buddies that I assume felt threatened by me trying to improve my life.

I have grown a thick armor to the bullshit comments around sobriety, e.g being boring, no fun, it won't last, "one won't hurt you", "you will have a drink on my birthday won't you?", "how long are you going to keep this up for?"!!!!

Now a year on I have softened. I feel like me again, the 14yr old girl that felt pain, joy and excitement without alcohol. The girl who loved life just as it was.

I have created a life that is worth living for and not running away from.

I have given up alcohol, that's one thing!

I have gained back my life, my self respect, my dignity, my sense of fun, my sense of adventure, my authenticity.

This is worth fighting for.

I want to acknowledge this site and all the brave souls on it. Each and every one of us who make this feel possible. I would not be here, especially at the beginning, if I hadn't found my tribe.

I don't comment that often but have followed you all every day and drawn strength from each and every one of you.

Here's to all of us, the brave ones pushing against the tide.

Here's to sober people, they are my favourite people.

We are the ones that get it, we actually get it all xx

@time2test