Kristian M. Leads a New Life Through Sobriety

Hi! I’m Kristian. I’ve been sober since July 13, 2021.

What I never knew is how AMAZING sobriety could actually be. One of its 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 a reliable employee and coworker. I’m able to pick up the phone and help 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, like my new hobbies or goals. I enjoy running on the rail trail with the breeze in my hair and sun beating down on my skin on a 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 feel family to me. Some people spend their free time collecting stamps, coins or even license plates; one of my favorite hobbies is collecting vinyl. 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. At the same time, 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?” 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 is so rewarding to truly be present 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! 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 each day. Almost every day I discover something that makes me happy, which encourages me to continue on my sobriety journey. These are just a few treasures out of many that make me happy in 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 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!