We Are Living Sober (Pictorial Post)

Three years ago, on August 6th 2014, we launched this basic online platform Living Sober. It was a brand new site, simple in it’s construction, but with a good honest intention to provide a safe haven online for like-minded people to share their truths. We hoped it would attract a community. We hoped it would offer strength and hope. We hoped it would help people examine their relationship with alcohol. We hoped it would help people who wanted to quit drinking. We hoped it would help people live sober.

We hoped. We launched. We waited to see what would grow.

It grew beyond our wildest dreams.

The Living Sober community that we have in place today, three years on, is beyond our wildest dreams. It is large, active, kind, warm, intensely honest and unbelievably powerful. We have over 5000 members and many of them are living a life vastly different to that when they joined. 

People who belong to the Living Sober community are no longer locked  alone in their heads with their addictive thoughts, they are connecting with each other through this site – working hard to reframe their thinking around alcohol, facing up to emotions without numbing, and learning how to move around this booze-soaked world of ours without drinking.

They are connecting, sharing, empathising and fighting. And together they are winning.

Living Sober has become an unbelievably special little corner of the internet, full of heart and soul, and it has become that because of YOU the members of our community. This site would not be what it is without each and every one of you logging in with your good intentions, kind hearts and bravery. Without you it would be a useless empty shell, but with you it is far from useless.

To celebrate our site’s 3rd anniversary I have been asking members to submit photos showing something that inspires, helps keep you strong, fills in your non-drinking time, fills up your soul. We are friends and comrades through the internet, but by sharing little snapshots from our physical environment we  prove that we are more deeply connected than words on the screen… we are all working together to be the best versions of ourselves we can be. 

Enjoy these little glimpses into the behind-the-scenes world of Living Sober.

Love, Mrs D xxx

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@soberlynn: “This painting is entitled “Pull up a Chair” and represents empathy. A feeling that can either make the world go around, or stop it dead in it’s tracks. The large, never-ending table represents an invite, a safe place, where everyone is welcome. The mismatched chairs represent all walks of life. New, old, yellow, blue, poor, rich, wood or upholstered. They understand that they each have a story. And they can still enjoy dinner together. If we instill only one thing in our children, let it be empathy.”

@mari135: “A photo from a place that brings me joy in my recovery.  My comfy chair, including a white comfy blanket I got a few days into recovery, and my favourite “Life is a beautiful ride” coffee/tea mug, incense box, and meditation stones and mediation notes inspired by Sharon Salzberg.”

@frog: “This is a painting my son, his little friend and I all worked on together. It’s called “Fairies, Guys and Robots”.

@freyfreya: “This beautiful little girl is 2 yrs old and I came so close to losing my time with her as I was drinking around her. So shameful. Now I’m alcohol free and Maddy hurls herself my arms  saying: “Nanny.” It’s lovely xxxxx”

@enzedgirl: “This is an old desk I bought to restore and use for my studies. I have thought about restoring furniture for years but guess what – never did it till I was sober ???? This knowledge that I have now, that being sober gives me so much more time and energy and motivation – that keeps me going, and the desk represents that.”

@wiser4it: “This is me 1 year ago. Its my new target for fitness and health. I was 40 days sober back then and slipped up. So Today is day 14 and I’m doing dry July. I love looking at this photo as it reminds me of how good it feels to be sober healthy and clear headed, which is exactly how I’m feeling today and look forward to life’s new and exciting possibilities. Much love. Xx”

@gilbert: “This is from Mount Maunganui summit. I go walking up here lots.”

@oceania: “These boys are my true inspirations that have taught me more about life than I could ever teach them and they deserve a sober mummy :).”

@marmite: “I love walking on the beach with my girls, the lunatic dog always makes us laugh chasing seagulls and leaping around in the water. Hooray for sober mums!”

@liberty: “What I like to do in my sober time. This is a photo of a part of my vegetable garden.  Fine crop of kale this year; I like gazing upon their frilly oh-so-green abundance. Getting my hands in the soil soothes me and reminds me not to fret too much about the meaning of life.”

@nina: “Kaffir lime and soda water = the new Sauv Blanc xox”

@mullycatnz: “Candles, I love them and this has reminded me to burn them more often :-)”

@scared: “Sunrises are special to me because they promise a fresh beginning. Every day you have a chance at being sober and a better person.”

@seizetheday: “Hangover free weekends. Fully present. And a little mokopuna who will never see me drink!”

@prudence: “If I wasn’t sober I could never have paid the artist to paint directly on the walls around my daybed. I am happily reminded of this every time I walk up the hall, and I just love it!”

@morgan: “I have always needed time by the water, & it has been vital to my healing to get outside, wander, meditate, listen to Tara Brach for hours & hours.”

@emjaycee: “What keeps me sober? These guys.”

@kerris: “Yoga and Bronte two of my fav things.”

@clairet: “12 days sober and loving morning walks with my dog in north Wales UK. xx”

@elhall: “Getting outside keeps me on the right path.”

@gojo: “This is my much loved ancient cat Nanda (21 years old in September!) surveying our much loved garden, while sitting in my much loved sunroom. All 3 are very special for my happiness and wellbeing. I do my mediation in the sunroom. It is also a wonderful place to read or have a coffee and chat with my much loved husband who is being a great support for me on my sober journey.”

@Ange: “I am finally breathing some life into a long held desire – to learn to read music and play the piano (on my mighty iPad to start).  So far I’ve learned the notes C, D, E, F & G.  It’s like learning to live without booze;  a true desire, consistent practice and some basic tools, and I’m doing it!!”

@freedom1025: “My walking shoes which have totally inspired me on my journey.”

@mrs-d: “My relationships with everyone around me is so much better now I’m sober. There’s no way I’m going to jeopardise that by ever drinking again.”

@elsa1202: “My happy time and place. One of my favourite view this morning in my happy place at the start of another beautiful sober day!”

@reena: “What helps keep me sober and gives me great comfort is my home in the country to be in the woods or around all my flowers and trees makes me feel serene and peaceful.  It connects me to the self I want to be.”

@wildchild: “I make clothes mainly for myself. I experiment! And yes I firmly believe that I would not be creating  and learning if I was drinking. I wouldn’t have time or dexterity, I am really loving the feeling of amazement when I picture something that I want to make, and then actually making it, or damn near as close to. I’m not a sewing superstar, but I am a sober superstar.”

@wvlheel: “Here is a photo of two things that keep me healthy happy and sober.  The beach is a place I love to visit (and hopefully live) and fishing is a hobby I enjoy even more sober!”

@madandsad: “They were a birthday gift from Oliver, our oldest son – they came out as Christmas toys (Bed, Bath and Beyond) and I fell in love with them so they stay out all year. Also in the photo is an old Miner’s lamp which my father did a beautiful painting of which won a competition and the painting on the wall is done by him – it’s Oliver when he was not even 2 years old. There’s a lot of love and memories in this photo and it makes me smile.”

@quietlydone: “A little fairy garden I planted with the Grandbabies, sober life is beautiful.”