“We had tried everything over the years to change reality, to no avail. In MA we at last found the courage to face the truth.”

– Life with Hope, first edition, page 3

Sobriety requires courage. The Fourth through Eleventh Steps require me to examine myself and my patterns and relationships. They require me to hold myself accountable for being the version of myself that I can be proud of, and to let go of the things I have burdened myself with that were not mine to bear. There are two types of pain: the type that comes from growth, and the type that comes from betraying myself. One of these two types of pain is optional.

Being clean gives me a clear head to choose for myself, through my spiritual work, which pain I allow to continue in my life. I am gentle and kind with myself as I go through the growing pains of becoming my truest version of myself. I release myself from the denial of what I know to be true, and take action to create a more authentic life for myself. This is the most beautiful gift of sobriety: connecting with myself, and in turn, allowing others to connect with me.

Final thought: Today, I will choose to honor the truth within myself and will do so with a clear mind as a result of my sobriety.