To Blog or Not to Blog?

Blogging about sobriety... really?

Hell. Yes. And for so many reasons.... Because this is my own personal "rage against the alcohol machine" (or as Alan Carr refers to it, the "alcohol trap"). Because alcohol is devastation, and as a maturing woman who was ensnared in the trap for almost 2 decades, I spent literally tens of thousands of dollars chasing a lie (and paying dearly for the consequences of this chase). Because alcohol is still a HUGE killer of people; it's killed (and nearly killed) people in my own family. A recent article in Governing magazine reflects my mounting frustration with our lack of a national reckoning with the truth of alcohol, even as we are devoting attention (and rightly so) to an opioid epidemic, that while tragic, still hasn't reached the levels of our alcohol epidemic: "The recent increase in alcohol-related deaths from chronic health problems is part of a new picture emerging about alcohol’s negative impacts on American life. While public officials are united in the fight against opioids, they are struggling to adjust their strategy toward a substance that is legal, widely available and increasingly popular among American consumers."

Of course I understand why some (many) of us (public officials included) struggle to adjust to this reality. Alcohol is everywhere. It's legal and it's widely used. There are so many cultural norms wrapped up in its use, so much money thrown into making you believe you need and deserve it, and so much mis-information about its effects (spoiler alert: there is no safe level of consumption....), that it's hard to imagine a different reality. I get it. I bought into it. More on this later.And because I'm tired of it hijacking every single activity (Vino Vinyasa, really?! There's sooooo much deeply concerning with this "fitness trend" and the messaging around it...), hobby, event, space, etc.. You name it, alcohol (and its peddlers) has tried to claim it.... I'm tired of the messaging: that people-- especially women-- need wine  to unwind, to parent, to read, to connect, to exercise, to study, to mourn, to celebrate, to shop (even grocery shop!), to ANYTHING.

[Side rant: I also recently discovered that there are places devoted to re-hydrating folks through IVs. Now, these places do offer hydration services for athletes and jet lag... but then there's also this $99 hangover cure (among others). This seems like pure insanity to me.....If you are using this service for this malady, there may be bigger questions you need to ask yourself. Just sayin'.]

Because really, there aren't enough blogs (or any other form of media) about sobriety. And how perfectly fine (even rockstar) it is to not drink, regardless of how you get to that point. Maybe you never drank. Maybe you consider yourself in recovery. Maybe you have a very occasional drink. Maybe you find yourself cycling on and off "the wagon". Maybe you are just considering non-drinking as an option to explore. How did I get to this point? Well, I will share some of my story in the blogs that follow. How much of it? I don't know! Depends on the day, my mood, and whether anyone actually reads this!

OK. So what do I hope to do with this blog (besides rant)... In the rooms, they refer to sharing as offering "experience, strength, and hope." Here (I hope) you'll find stories of recovery, reflections on recovery readings & programs as I've experienced them, sobriety tips, and maybe even lifestyle pieces related to living your best life, outside of the alcohol trap. From the perspective of a mid-30s woman living in a medium-sized Midwestern city, and committed to navigating these city streets and spaces free of alcohol despite all the best marketing and ads and social cues telling me that doing so is, in fact, not possible or desirable or sociable or sexy. In my own small way, I want to contribute to normalizing not drinking. Because yeah, the health & happiness of our society ultimately rests on it. 

Full disclosure: I am not adept with the whole social media thing, so yeah, don't expect highly curated photos! I am (re)newly starting this journey. And this is scary. And exciting. I read somewhere that change happens at the edge of my comfort zone. So here we go. Progress, not perfection y'all.