My 3 themes for 2017.

Happy New Year Glorious Sober Warriors! I have 9 months sober today!

The feeling of waking up without a hangover truly never gets old. Yesterday I slept in (a rare and wonderful thing for me), lazed around in bed with coffee, read, and went to the gym. It was sunny. There is snow on the ground so it was extra bright out. It just felt so good to be alive and well!

I am so grateful for this awakened life. Even though I have gone through arguably one of the most challenging years of my life, I am filled with joy and gratitude. I know the meaning of true happiness. I know what it is to love myself. I have found all of this in sobriety, and I hope the same for you. Maybe it sounds kind of hippy dippy or pollyanna but I don’t care. I have spent way too much time in my life in darkness. And there are still moments of those. Lots, in fact. But I don’t live there. And it always passes, most of the time rather quickly. I can recognize it as the range of human emotion and not my permanent reality.

I have been thinking about of my word of the year. But I can’t narrow it down. I have 3 instead. 3 themes that I am going to focus on this year:

1. CREATE. I have been extra inspired since my break-up creatively. I have been writing poetry again for the first time in many years. I want to do more of this. I’m also going to take that painting class I’ve been wanting to for years. I’ve been following artists and buying some art, decorating my new home, and I really enjoy it. I want to explore more of my creative side in 2017.
2. GIVE. I want to give back more this year. I want to start volunteering somewhere, join a committee or board, get more involved in activism and the community. I want to help other women in recovery.
3. BUILD. I want to continue to build skills professionally, build my meditation and yoga practice, build physical strength and endurance, build community.

My break-up has taken up so much time and energy. Tomorrow it will be 6 months since we split up, and 4 months since I’ve lived on my own. I know that in the scheme of things this isn’t a lot of time for a 10 year relationship, but I’m ready to start moving forward.

I’ve felt a shift in the last few weeks. I’m ready to start my new life without him. I’m ready to get to know who I am again on my own.

Happy New Year everyone! I hope the best for you.

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