Finding the Yellow Brick Road (guest post from @prudence)

Beloved member @prudence wrote this marvelously stirring and inspirational update in the Members Feed the other day and I thought it was rather brilliant and too good not to share more widely. She says it’s a message to people who are new, but I will take it as a message to myself as well. It’s very powerful….

@prudence: “To all of you new to this sobriety kick, PLEASE hang in there. Maybe think of this sober journey as walking along a little goat track. Precarious and narrow and vulnerable in parts but soon to join up to a wider and more stable path, and then to become a comfortable and solid road on which to travel happily along your way.

Think of your lives in two ways. Carry on as you were. Or make the big effort. Think first of yourselves and what you want your life to be like. Think then of your true loved ones and hold that thought. You can be one way or the other for yourselves and those you love.

I think we’ve all wanted this sobriety thing for a long, long time but it’s simply easier to put it off to some future date when we think we might be ready. Take it from me, that lasted till I was 58 until I had the guts to do something about myself (shame).

All the stuff at the beginning is so tough, telling people, friend’s opinions, our own damaged belief in ourselves, the learning from the books we are suddenly reading, the temptations along our goat track, but there is a quiet little spark of determination in us, a courage that grows each sober day into a strong and healthy resolve not to turn back, not to give in, not to settle for second best.

Get in touch with that spirit within you, that strength, that hope and gentle knowledge that this is actually do-able and we are so worthy of what the effort brings to our lives. YES this is what we want, and by God we are going to have it.

At first I was so wobbly. I could hardly believe I was even going to try it. Then I could hardly believe that I had actually gone 3 whole days without a drink, then I made it to a week. Then I thought “this has got to be just some wee flash in the pan, I’ll be back on it by next week” “Ah well at least I gave my body a wee rest”, “Never mind”, “Love drinking anyway”, “Well I wasn’t That bad”, “I’m still a pretty together person” and on it goes. Well I just stuck with it, and I checked into LS every single day, heaps of times, and others helped me so much, and gave me the guts to carry on.

Unbelievably I haven’t even slipped up. I am afraid that if I do, then that’s it for me, my sobriety is history. The thing is that after some time, the feelings of doing something good in your life, the wellness you feel, the good skin, the lack of guilt, the higher productivity, they all make you start loving your sobriety and it becomes this precious thing that you wouldn’t want to sabotage. It has taken a long time for me to feel this strong, but my goat track has become my flipping Yellow Brick Road!!

I see my future shining, the road is clear, I’ll knock all obstacles out of my way. I am actually doing it, and loving it, and loving myself, and nature, and everyone and everything a whole lot more. Please believe in yourselves. Trust yourselves. I want you all to see the road wide and clear and solid in front of you, even though you might be stumbling along on your little goat tracks today. You’ve got this. You have.

Lots of love xoxo

@prudence

17 Comments
  1. Free 9 years ago

    You are so right, @Prudence, I felt this way during my longest abstinence and I want it again. Thank you for so eloquently reminding me of how GOOD it can (and will) be! 🙂

  2. morgan 9 years ago

    Finally I am doing a little catch up & read this properly. So very good Prudence, see, I said you were a writer. Book soon please! Maybe in the tranquility of the Diamond, it will have a chance to flow forth. Hope so. Xxx Thank you so much for taking the time & sharing xxx

  3. freebreezi 9 years ago

    wow @prudence, what an awesome post.
    I loved it and am sure it’s inspiring to people beginning this journey. It was a lovely reminder to me and just makes for a beautiful peaceful read and reminder.

  4. Seizetheday 9 years ago

    Oh wow @prudence I just read your yellow brick road post. I love it. It’s so true and we all feel the same I think. Thank you so much you precious thing! Xo

  5. rose_river 9 years ago

    Thanks @prudence. I’m on Day 3 & feeling it. Headaches, nausea, dry mouth… But I know it’s worth it. I’ve already got some nice messages from people on here already. I am drinking alcohol-free beers (Bitburger Drive) because I really NEED a crutch.

    But I can be proud of a milestone today. I managed to tell my brother that I’m alcohol-free because I’m trying to lose weight for my Bali trip. I was willing to hang out & have a coffee instead. To which he responds, ‘That’s the same as a beer!’ Calorie-wise, he meant. So I just said, ‘Look! For me a beer turns into 5 so I’m avoiding it altogether!’

    Hopefully, this will change others’ expectations of my social behaviour.

    • Prudence 9 years ago

      Hey Rose_River you are doing real good. I know it feels real weird at first telling people, it’s awkward, and a part of you wants to keep it to yourself for a bit, and another part of you knows you need to tell certain people almost to avoid being ridiculed when saying “no thanks”. It gets way way better than where you are now. Just hang in there, and try and allow your thinking to change a little. Even if you do not believe it yet, you are not actually missing out. The drinkers are missing out on something that is not exactly a secret, but that none of us knew about until we gave it up. They are missing out on an amazing clarity of thought and feeling. You just do whatever is working and honestly you have to give yourself some serious treats in theis first couple of weeks. I reckon it got easier after day 4. And after the first weekend it was even easier. You are wise and brave, I salute you xo

  6. ClearRainbow 9 years ago

    great post @Prudence! You eloquently express the beauty of being sober in all of its wonderful ways!

  7. QuietlyDone 9 years ago

    Beautiful, just beautiful, you had the power within you all along, thrilled to be with you on the yellow brick road!

  8. Humbucker 9 years ago

    bloody brilliant blog prudence,amazing clarity!!!

  9. Prudence 9 years ago

    Thanks to you all for your lovely comments. The post evolved from some thoughts I had when out one one of these (very new to me) early morning walk/run/walks. So there goes another big positive of being sober – I have a tiny wee bit of mindfulness in my days now. And if I keep it up I might even get fit and lose weight to boot!!

  10. Paula 9 years ago

    That’s awesome Prudence and just what I needed to read this morning. I’m at day 177 and am having a downer day and you reminded me of how good it is to look back and reflect on my own sober journey and how precious it is – and how I am now in my power and am a very changed woman. Thank you. PX

  11. Hope-full 9 years ago

    Thanks @prudence! That was a great analogy. Thinking of your life in two ways is almost like facing the proverbial fork in the road…and with all the inspiration and help given by you and others, we really do know which one will lead to the yellow brick road.

    Beautiful post!

  12. Kerris 9 years ago

    You are such an inspiration

  13. SueK 9 years ago

    Wow @Prudence, fantastic post. I just got carried along the goat track with you, and loved ending up on the Yellow Brick Road. What a powerful journey!

  14. RaeOfHope 9 years ago

    I just so happen to have the yellow brick road as part of one of my tattoos. Who doesn’t love the Wizard of Oz!? Well now it just got even better!! What great symbolism! Thank you!

  15. Gilbert 9 years ago

    Well said and so true @Prudence.Our little goat track had gotten clear and broad and strong.I didn’t even know there was going to be a new and different me and that all this amazing growth was going to happen.It’s still happening and who knows where this road is taking us but it’s taking us away from a boozy past that we don’t want a part of anymore.We are calmer,stronger and better people.I love it too 😀

  16. robbz 9 years ago

    Wow @prudence. . Thank you that was amazing and received on a slight kink in the goat track which I have overcome as the day has worn on and now read your inspiring post

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