Six years ago, I was beaten – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Addiction had taken everything: my health, my peace, and my relationships. I was lost.
Recovery began when I got honest and admitted I couldn’t do it alone. I went to treatment. Faced my trauma. Found my place in a 12-step program and slowly, I began to heal.
Open-mindedness came next. I learned to listen, accept help, and believe I might actually deserve better. It wasn’t easy. Letting go of old survival strategies never is. But the change started when I stopped pretending I had it all figured out.
And then came willingness. The willingness to show up. Do the work. Stay the course. That’s what recovery is: not perfection – just progress.
I didn’t do this alone. I’m forever grateful to the people who stood by me: my sponsor, my therapists, friends, family, and fellow addicts in recovery. You held me up when I couldn’t stand on my own.
Today, I’m six years clean – and more alive than I’ve ever been. Grateful for the pain, the growth, the clarity, and the freedom that comes with recovery. One day at a time.
