“To live without regret is to believe we have nothing to learn, no amends to make, and no opportunity to be braver with our lives.” This line from Brene Brown’s Atlas of the Heart has been sitting with me lately. As I celebrate 5 years of sober, mindful living and I believe that regret played Read More
Category: Recovery
Four Years Ago Today
Hi, my name is Collette, and I’m not an alcoholic. But I did drink too much for many, many years. I did make some really bad choices under the influence of alcohol. I did make hundreds of decisions to moderate, and was unsuccessful every time. And I finally came to the conclusion that the only Read More
Weekend Book Review: Drinking Games
Drinking Games by Sarah Levy My rating: 4 of 5 stars Genre: Memoir/Quit Lit Edition Reviewed: Audiobook, narrated by author, produced by MacMillan Audio Expected publication: January 3rd 2023 by St. Martin’s Press Drinking Games by Sarah Levy is an honest deep-dive into the life of a problem-drinker-turned-sober Millennial. In it, she describes not only Read More
Does online connection count and other things introverts wonder about…
The verdict is in on connection and the general consensus is that it extends your life expectancy, increases your chances of staying sober in recovery and is necessary to thrive spiritually. Good stuff, unless you’re an introvert. Unless being around people wears you out instead of recharges you. I’ve written about my introverted nature before Read More
What Not to Say
I recently attended a gathering with extended family, many of whom I’d not spoken to in years. A lot of families find themselves lives and miles apart, once the matriarch and patriarch have passed away, and mine is no exception. When we do get together, conversations often feel arbitrary or surface; how do two people Read More
Begin at the End
Endings are often beginnings. Saying goodbye opens a door. Walking away means walking toward An over-due death yields a life reborn. Why do we cling to what needs releasing? Grasping tightly with blind might When we know that it is darkness, and what we deserve is light. Why do we fall into the wrong patterns Read More
When Habit becomes Addiction
One of the inevitable side effects of coming through the other side of a traumatic experience or chronic condition is that you tend to rehash and try to make sense of it all. Was I that bad? Did I almost die? Am I lucky to be alive? How much time was wasted by this horrible Read More
Freedom is Not a Moment, But a Gift
I lead a life of privilege in the sense that my physical freedom is not in jeopardy. Enslavement, incarceration, domestic abuse, or other forms of captivity are not my experience to share. I do know how it feels to live in mental captivity, a slave to my own thoughts and actions, and the accompanying feeling Read More
Owning our Story
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do. We own our stories so we don’t spend our lives being defined by them or denying them. And while the journey is long and difficult at times, it is the path to living a more wholehearted life.” Brené Brown Read More
Choosing me 1,000 times
This morning I woke up sober for the 1,000th consecutive time. For some reason, it finally feels like a lot. Given that it took me so many starts and stops, I’ve never made it to quadruple digits and it feels like an achievement. I’m reading the lovely Catherine Gray’s Sunshine Warm Sober, and totally relate Read More