How the 12-week workbook became the foundation for my sobriety and artistic renewal When I was ten days sober, I led a cohort of 20 people through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. That was in January 2022. Since then, the principles in The Artist’s Way have been foundational to my sobriety. When I first began planning to guide…
“Starting over gave me the chance to rebuild my life on my own terms, and I now reframe this reset as an advantage.” This series showcases personal stories of addiction recovery and sobriety. Today’s edition features Adam PT, an English sobriety advocate who draws on hard-won wisdom from rebuilding his life from the inside out…
“My sobriety, how I take care of myself, and how I parent my son are all interlinked, and they all share the same foundations.” On a warm summer’s day in 2017, I was walking along a quiet stretch of the River Thames with a group of friends. I was holding the hand of my friend’s…
Through faith, resilience, and the support of loved ones, I transformed my life and found my true self. I am Chris, a recovering alcoholic. After two decades of drinking, I reached a breaking point on November 20, 2019, and decided it was time to change. I’d lost nearly everything of value—my job, my finances, my…
“There is nothing in the whole world like looking at myself in the mirror, clear-eyed, and trusting that I will do the right thing.” This series showcases personal stories of addiction recovery and sobriety. Today’s edition features Kristen Blanton Crocker, a mother, stepmother, and advocate for normalizing the discussion of alcoholism among strong, smart women. She…
“What are the biggest benefits or gifts of sobriety?” We ask this as part of the My Sobriety Story series, and I recently posed the same question on Notes (Substack’s social media platform, for those unfamiliar). The responses brought tears to my eyes! They offer a beautiful window into how sobriety is about so much more than…
“What worked this time was treating sobriety like a job, at least in the beginning.” This series showcases personal stories of addiction recovery and sobriety. Today’s edition is by Maria Luz O’Rourke, who left a 29-year career in pharmaceuticals to start a healing and helping practice that includes spiritual guidance sessions, astrology, hypnosis, and psychic mediumship. She writes…
Exploring the 11th Step from a Christian perspective When I got sober, I was encouraged to get on a spiritual journey. Work the steps they told me. You have to give up, clean up, and then live up, they said. Once you get some time, the program becomes a lifelong practice grounded in the 10th,…
“Being sober creates confidence and assuredness that wouldn’t have been present otherwise.” This series showcases personal stories of addiction recovery and sobriety. Today’s edition is by Mike Sprouse, a personal development coach, writer, and father of three kids (ages 10, 9, and 2) living in West Michigan. Mike is a former world-ranked professional tennis player, the…
For a long time, my story was one of “mutating-ism,” a constant shape-shifting of substances and behaviors that filled whatever void I was feeling. My drug of choice evolved over the years, but marijuana—seemingly benign—was what ultimately brought me to my knees. Growing up, my father often warned us: “When you start using, your brain…