Kristian M.

Hi! I’m Kristian. My sobriety date is July 13, 2021.

What I never knew is how AMAZING sobriety could actually be. One of the many gifts is knowing that when I go to sleep and wake up the next morning, I’m guaranteed not to be hungover. I’m able to go to work on time and be reliable. I’m able to pick up the phone if someone is in need. It’s heartwarming knowing I possibly stopped someone from picking up a drink or a drug.

If it wasn’t for this thing called sobriety, I would’ve never found what brings me joy in life such as new hobbies or goals. I enjoy running on the rail trail with the breeze in my hair and sun beating down on a hot, warm day. I also love playing soccer and stopping as many goals as possible. I look forward to the weekly Mountainside support groups because the people there really make it feel like a family. Some people spend their free time collecting stamps, coins or even license plates. One of my favorite hobbies is collecting vinyls. Another passion of mine is photography. I always liked taking photos in the past, but in recovery, I found a new appreciation for photography.

There are times where I surprise myself with a picture I’ve taken. I like showing people what I can do and what I’m capable of. While on the other hand, I like showing people what I’m not capable of doing and what I can’t do. Sounds silly right? Well, it reminds me that I’m not perfect and that I need to continue to keep working on myself, just like how my sobriety takes time. Having this mindset makes me stronger mentally, emotional, and physically. Seven months ago, while I was in treatment, people used to ask me “Why are you here?” (Mountainside) and my answer was always the same: “For my nephew”. I would tell people that I want to watch him grow up, spoil him, and be the best uncle I could possibly be… and now I get to. Something else I look forward to are the holidays and family events. It was nice to truly be present and in the moment during the holidays.

I guess you can say it’s in my nature to help others and make others laugh. This was very hard back in active use. I felt like I was always a “letdown”. The most rewarding part of helping others is seeing other people succeed. I guess that’s why one of my biggest goals in life is to be working in the addiction recovery field. Who knows, maybe one day I will work at Mountainside, but for now I give back by volunteering and by being of service by chairing meetings.

You can’t go through this alone and I don’t advise anyone to try. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve met a lot of amazing people. My sober network grows and grows each day. Almost every day I find something that makes me happy that encourages me to continue my sobriety journey. These are just a few treasures out of many that make me happy in my life. I’m so excited to see what life has in store for me in the future. Well, I guess that’s all I have. I hope this helped someone and remember, your life is worth it, every damn second of it. Stay awesome, stay sweet, and don’t forget to be nice to each other!