I’m feeling very nostalgic and incredibly grateful as I reflect on my 25-year sober milestone this month. You see I never intended to get sober. Nope, I just knew I had to take a break from drinking and that’s all I was willing to do. I was frightened by the undertow of alcohol as I started moving the goalposts on what was acceptable and unacceptable and began to experience negative consequences in my life.
Those first few months were excruciating. I didn't know how I was going to not drink but thank God for the people in the rooms of AA and Al-Anon. We hung onto each other for dear life as we learned how to navigate the choppy seas of heartbreak and living life on life's terms. I’m not sure when the shift occurred, but I came to understand that there was an enormous difference between not drinking and getting sober. And, as I stayed the course, I got way more than I bargained for.
I have come to believe that sometimes the greatest gifts can come in the ugliest wrapping paper. Getting sober has resulted in an amazing recovery journey over the years. I have not only reconnected with myself as a result of developing an attentive and compassionate relationship with myself, but I also help others as a recovery coach. The work I do with my clients and their families has no doubt broadened and deepened my health and wellness which is quite an unexpected dividend.
Stepping up and into the highest version of myself is the goal– that is my True North. Becoming the person I am meant to be, the person I yearn to be, ultimately the person God intended me to be. On the days I fall short, and there are many days I do, I seek to look for the learning and the lesson. There is always treasure in the rubble. I am so thankful for the love, support, and encouragement I have received along the way.
This Thanksgiving I’ll be having seconds of Gratitude.
~ Stephanie Hazard, CPRS, CCIEDC, RCP
Confidential Cell: 917-488-3094
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