7 Years Sober in a Life I Once Prayed For

I celebrated 7 years sober on April 15th.

And to be honest… it felt like just another day.

Kind of like birthdays as you get older — it’s exciting, but also… okay, what’s for dinner? Unless you’re someone who celebrates your entire birthday month (I’m talking to you Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Taurus — no judgment, I respect the commitment).

The truth is, the more time that passes, the less I think about being sober.

Drinking isn’t even a thought in my mind anymore. It’s not an obsession. It’s not a battle I’m fighting every day.

And that alone is something I don’t take lightly — because there was a time when I couldn’t go an hour without thinking about it.

So no, I didn’t celebrate loudly.

These days I’m a little more reserved (not old… just evolving at 33). I celebrated with people I love and really good food — specifically a smash burger, which is currently the love of my life right now. You have to be a little reckless with food when you’re celebrating. It’s about balance.

But make no mistake — this is the biggest accomplishment of my life.

Because without sobriety, I wouldn’t be here.

I would either be dead… or I would have nothing and no one.

And I don’t say that dramatically — I say that honestly.

If you had asked me 7 years ago what my life would look like today… I wouldn’t have even been able to picture it.

Mentally, I was a mess.
I couldn’t communicate without being messed up.
I didn’t know who I was.
I felt lost, broken — like damaged goods.

Emotionally, I was completely dysregulated.
My relationships were unhealthy.
People hurt me. I hurt people.
I didn’t know how to show up for anyone, including myself.

Physically, I was at my lowest.
I was drinking a bottle of vodka a day.
My body was inflamed — I would break out in rashes across my face, neck, chest, arms. I was swollen. I felt awful.

And underneath all of that, I wanted to give up. Completely.

Today looks very different.

I take care of myself — mentally, physically, emotionally.
I show up for the people in my life.
I’ve become someone others can rely on, trust, laugh with, confide in.

I have a job I genuinely enjoy, working with people I like.
I’m more financially stable.
I move my body. I walk every day. I get outside. I actually enjoy where I am.

I’m not running anymore.

And the biggest part of all of this —

I met the love of my life.

We have a relationship built on honesty, trust, and growth. He is, without a doubt, one of the greatest blessings in my life.

And I know, with complete certainty, that none of this would exist if I didn’t get sober.

None of it.

What’s funny is — in the grand scheme of things, my life might not look extravagant.

I don’t have a massive house, luxury cars, or a flashy lifestyle.

But I have everything that actually matters.

Peace.
Stability.
Love.
Presence.

And the ability to face my life without needing to numb it.

Because that’s what sobriety really gave me.

Not a perfect life — but the ability to actually live it.

Problems don’t magically disappear.

But now, I can face them head-on instead of running from them.

I can take my power back.

And over time, you become stronger than the things you once needed to escape from.

If I could say anything to the version of me in year one…

I’d say this:

Keep going.

There’s going to be a moment — around year two — where you almost relapse.

You’re going to feel tested in ways you don’t expect.

But you don’t give in.

You stay strong.

You make it through.

And that’s when you start to realize something important:

If you can get through that…

You can get through anything.

Seven years later, I’m still becoming.

Still growing.
Still learning.
Still working on myself every single day.

But now, I’m doing it with a clear mind, an open heart, and a life I once only hoped was possible.