Before the awful festivities of tomorrow's holiday, I wanted to take a moment to reflect, as it will mark 17 years of #sobriety for me, personally.
It's been a tough road, and 45/47 definitely has made the past decade rough as all hell. But I keep showing up, one day at a time.
My health has declined since the first COVID infection in 2022, but even with these symptoms, it's a world of difference being sober. My liver and kidneys aren't constantly filtering poison from my body, and after 17 years of time off, maybe they're doing pretty great. Take a look at the before and after photos below...70 extra lbs is a lot to carry!
If you are questioning whether you need to stop drinking, or picking up that drug of choice: Don't lie to yourself. It's incredibly easy to lie to yourself, very difficult and admirable to reject lying to yourself in this moment.
If I can do this, you can do this. Stay strong. Stay alive.
Here's to tomorrow's challenges, which I will face like I did today's: With effort, but also resolve
breaking on the rocky shore. Reminder that life is always moving. Even when we feel stuck, things will shift around us to change the situation. 
