Why I can’t be Cali Sober — There is something about California that feels otherworldly to a native east coaster. Thoughts swirl in yellows and bright blues. The feeling of warmth tickles your skin. The ever-present sun changing you at a cellular level. …

How to move on from the shame of your alcoholic past — When I was drinking, the mornings and nights felt the same, an endless cycle of the hazy followed by the all too real. I would wake up hungover, and by the evening, I would be drinking again and often blackout. But although the days seemed the same in character, they…

Finding the strength to defend — THE WAR The first few weeks or years of sobriety feel like you are fighting a war. Although that war is within yourself, it is not short on emotions. It is filled with unexpected shocks, miracles, and disappointments. There are flashes of elation when you are sure victory is in…

Is Addiction The Battle Of Good vs Evil? — I fell into a burning ring of fire I went down, down, down and the flames went higher And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire The ring of fire -Johnny Cash Johnny Cash, the Man in Black, was known for his musical talent as well as for his…

How I Got Through The Early Days Of Sobriety — The first weeks and months after I quit drinking I felt naked, exposed, and hyper-sensitized to every emotion and situation. Every reaction I had was forceful and outsized. I was jumpy, restless, and terrified. I wasn’t surprised that this was what sobriety felt like, raw and ugly at times. …

A life without alcohol still sparkles. — I liked who I was when I was drinking. I was fun loving, wild, and irreverent. I said and did things that I would never have done if I were sober. Drinking dismantled my perceived shortcomings and low self esteem. It made me bold and courageous. When the alcohol hit…