Thanks :) I don’t really talk about my sobriety with a ton of people in person, still some shame associated with who I used to be, appreciate being able to share online.
And yea exercise in various forms is one of my big things now, definitely relatable, I try not to be preachy about it. Lifting, swimming, and rollerblading recently. I need to do more yoga though… I’m in wayyyy better shape than I was two years ago, feeling almost as good as my college athlete days.
If it means anything, I’m of slim-average build and working in my 20s (painter in construction) destroyed my knees and I’ve been walking a few times every week for the past month to rehabilitate them because I’m tired of not being able to do stuff. We can do it! It’s worth it!
Heck yea! Walking around the block is where I started again a couple years ago. It’s definitely worth sticking with it. Life got in the way a few times and I had to be gentle with myself and repeatedly remind myself that progress isn’t linear, and that doing something is better than nothing.
Not sure. I’ve never really reflected on that idea. It certainly seems to be true for me personally.
My alcoholic years had some pretty ugly parts and could have killed me several times. Severe depression, self harm, suicidal thoughts, wrecked my car (thankful it was just me and a steep curb, no one else involved, that could have been so much worse), a hospital trip, walking 2 miles home by myself at 3am almost every weekend while hammered in the middle of a US city known for its crime and lowkey wanting someone to try to mug me, etc. Let alone the physical damage that 50-100+ standard drinks per week at my worst was doing to my body, luckily none of that seems to be permanent, I was scared to get my blood work done for the first year alcohol free, but it came back fine.
I don’t like looking back on that period of my life, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that it happened and I can’t change that and mostly been able to forgive myself.
So while it was ugly and could have killed me, shit at parts of it I wanted it to kill me, at the same time… I wouldn’t be who I am today without all that (and a lot of therapy and self reflection and journaling and all that fun stuff). I really genuinely like who I am today. I haven’t been able to say that for the majority of my life. And I find a lot more appreciation in the little things that I used to be too numb to see. I’m doing things I enjoy solely because I enjoy them, not because my family or parts of society say it’s what I’m supposed to be doing.
I don’t think I want that statement to be true for humanity as a whole, at least not in the way that I faced my mortality, I hope there are other ways people can get to a point where they feel truly alive. But yea I think it’s true for me.
Thanks :) I don’t really talk about my sobriety with a ton of people in person, still some shame associated with who I used to be, appreciate being able to share online.
And yea exercise in various forms is one of my big things now, definitely relatable, I try not to be preachy about it. Lifting, swimming, and rollerblading recently. I need to do more yoga though… I’m in wayyyy better shape than I was two years ago, feeling almost as good as my college athlete days.
If it means anything, I’m of slim-average build and working in my 20s (painter in construction) destroyed my knees and I’ve been walking a few times every week for the past month to rehabilitate them because I’m tired of not being able to do stuff. We can do it! It’s worth it!
Heck yea! Walking around the block is where I started again a couple years ago. It’s definitely worth sticking with it. Life got in the way a few times and I had to be gentle with myself and repeatedly remind myself that progress isn’t linear, and that doing something is better than nothing.
What do you think about the idea that people need to actually realize their mortality before being able to really live?
Not sure. I’ve never really reflected on that idea. It certainly seems to be true for me personally.
My alcoholic years had some pretty ugly parts and could have killed me several times. Severe depression, self harm, suicidal thoughts, wrecked my car (thankful it was just me and a steep curb, no one else involved, that could have been so much worse), a hospital trip, walking 2 miles home by myself at 3am almost every weekend while hammered in the middle of a US city known for its crime and lowkey wanting someone to try to mug me, etc. Let alone the physical damage that 50-100+ standard drinks per week at my worst was doing to my body, luckily none of that seems to be permanent, I was scared to get my blood work done for the first year alcohol free, but it came back fine.
I don’t like looking back on that period of my life, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that it happened and I can’t change that and mostly been able to forgive myself.
So while it was ugly and could have killed me, shit at parts of it I wanted it to kill me, at the same time… I wouldn’t be who I am today without all that (and a lot of therapy and self reflection and journaling and all that fun stuff). I really genuinely like who I am today. I haven’t been able to say that for the majority of my life. And I find a lot more appreciation in the little things that I used to be too numb to see. I’m doing things I enjoy solely because I enjoy them, not because my family or parts of society say it’s what I’m supposed to be doing.
I don’t think I want that statement to be true for humanity as a whole, at least not in the way that I faced my mortality, I hope there are other ways people can get to a point where they feel truly alive. But yea I think it’s true for me.