# Recovery

Sobriety has been about finding my true self and identifying the false narratives, and then laughing at the ridiculous grandiosity and general overblown-ness of my fears and feelings.

all the things I had assumed would make me happy in sobriety never panned out the way I thought they would. Many of the dreams I'd had before I got sober simply do not matter anymore. There are no more dreams big enough to replace this wild new reality. My life is much smaller than it used to be, but it's also the biggest it's ever been.

what I value most in a relationship are, in ever-shifting order, humor, empathy, intelligence, understanding and surprise.

What other people might think seems like vital information when you have rarely had a felt sense of belonging in the world. I wonder what it's like to just get out of bed, put clothes on, grab your keys, walk out of the house, go to a place, and not think anything of it. Like, not think about any of it. AT ALL.

classic Adult Child of Alcoholics, afraid of conflict and largely focused on the need for everything to be OK

I think shame is completely and totally counterproductive when applied to alcoholics and addicts: It simply recreates one of the conditions that was a foundation for all of the drinking and using.

As a member of this Program I love that I am here to not just avoid the liquor store, but also practice healthy, sustainable living.