There were trials and tribulations in Nina B.’s journey, but she’s finally arrived at a place where she’s able to shine
By Nina B.
I have fallen off the wagon too many times to count, but hope is what has brought me back to my journey each time. And I am thankful to say that this time around has been what I am looking for.
I want to highlight that everyone’s path is different. Some people decide one day that they will never drink/use again and don’t; others have a rockier path, which is totally okay.”
I use hope to push toward becoming the person I want to be, and the person everyone around me smiles with. Getting sober was the hardest thing I have ever done. I didn’t know how to act, I didn’t know who I was. My identity was being drunk. I was always wondering when the next time I would be able to have a drink was without people judging me, and now I am at peace knowing that being sober is the best path I can be on for myself. I am not interested in drinking anymore. But, boy, did it take some time to get to where I am.
I want to highlight that everyone’s path is different. Some people decide one day that they will never drink/use again and don’t; others have a rockier path, which is totally okay. As long as you keep getting back up and having hope, you will get to where you need to be.
I am finally free and happy, and truly me. Recovery is a complex, challenging process, but hope was what became my driving force in healing. Each day is one more step forward and makes the next day more and more possible. Every morning I wake up and say thank you for the day ahead, and every night I go to bed and say thank you. If I ever have a thought of drinking, I automatically push it away by thinking, Not today, maybe tomorrow, but just go to sleep sober today. Each day I do that and push it out further, the thought begins to go away. One day at a time is so important.
It’s also important to mention that sobriety can be incredibly difficult in the beginning, but trust me: If you just keep pushing day by day, the other end of life is pure magic, and you will receive gifts you never thought were possible. As my mother said to me, “You may feel like a piece of coal today, but keep working even when there is pressure and your true diamond soul will start to shine.”
