Lending a Helping Hand to Others in Recovery with Zachary A.

Dear Mountainside Alumni,

Before I became sober, I would only help others if I believed it would benefit me. As time went on, and I began to change my life for the better. Helping others started to take on a whole new meaning. Today, I am excited about the opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life. Whether it’s at an occupational, emotional, or physical level, I am always eager to lend a helping hand. It feels good to give to others without any expectations.

There have been many people that have helped me along my sobriety journey, and I am beyond grateful to have them in my life. To maintain my own sobriety, I need to reach out and help anyone who needs it, just like others have done for me. For me, examples of helping others are listening, offering advice if asked, or just simply doing the best I can to be a role model. To maintain my own recovery, I need to be selfless.

Ever since I became sober, people have asked me, “What do you want to do with your life?” My go-to-answer is helping others in some fashion. This is so important to me, whether that is helping the less fortunate, somebody struggling with addiction, mental health, or those with learning disorders. In Alcoholics Anonymous, the 12th step teaches us to “carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs,” something that I have personally used to maintain my own sobriety. By doing so, we experience the rewarding feeling of giving without asking for anything in return.

Best regards,

Zachary A.