The first couple weeks of sobriety were the scariest of my life. I’ve always hated uncertainty, imperfection and change, and suddenly all three were staring me straight in the face, unwilling to go away. Today, this is a good thing because I can now tolerate uncertainty, imperfection and change like a normal person. But at one day, one week, even one month sober…it didn’t feel like it would ever be a good thing.

I bring this up because right now I have two friends who are both in their first weeks of sobriety. Talking to them daily has pulled me back into those dark, frustrating days of my own life two and a half years ago. I’ve been trying to think of the right thing to say without overwhelming them because, the truth is, there are so many things I wish people had told me very early on in my sobriety. These are just a few.

1. Sobriety is what you make of it. This is perhaps the biggest and most important one. Being sober can feel like a burden or a blessing. I’ve chosen the latter. When it feels like a burden, sobriety isn’t likely to have a lasting effect on someone. When it becomes something you are grateful for it is more likely to stick. There are so many opportunities out there that sobriety presents, but being involved in them includes stepping out of your comfort zone. For example, when I was one year sober I decided on a whim to fly to Texas for ICYPAA—the International Conference of Young People in AA. I didn’t know one single person, but I felt like I had known everyone immediately. Taking that chance was one of the best decisions of my life. As with many things in life, sobriety can present so much growth and opportunity when approached the right way.

2. It will get better and it will get easier. I remember feeling so utterly hopeless in my first few days of sobriety. I didn’t think I would ever be happy again. I actually kept a journal during that time and when I go back and read it, I can’t even believe I wrote it. I was so hellbent on returning to drinking that nothing else mattered. I was miserable, and I knew I would stay that way until I could drink again. Except that didn’t happen. One day passed, then one week, then one month. I found that each day it became easier to get out of the bed in the morning. I began laughing again. I felt myself returning. Time really does heal. It’s just a matter of muddling through those first few weeks and months.

3. It’s OK to be scared. One of my favorite quotes is, “It’s good to be scared. It means you still have something to lose.” (Thanks, Grey’s Anatomy). Think about it though. Why would fear even be present if we didn’t still have things in our life that we loved and cherished? Being scared is a good sign because it means that you know your life is changing, likely for the better. It means you don’t have to lose any more than you’ve already lost. In most cases, you’ll even gain back what you’ve lost.  Read more “the fix”…