Why do you stay sober? I think it's an important question for us to ask ourselves and I think the answer probably changes over time. At least it did for me.
I've made it pretty clear that I had no desire to quit drinking, let alone get sober. And maybe that's a good place to start. Not drinking versus being sober.
Anyone can choose not to drink, for a variety of reasons, but sobriety, in my opinion, has purpose and I believe it's a lifestyle, not just an action. It involves changing who we are as an individual and also changing the way we live, rather than simply changing the smell of our breath. There is certainly far more that could be discussed about that, but I think that's the basics.
Once again, I did not want to get sober to begin with, so my why was pretty simple. I didn't have a choice. I quit drinking and began the journey into sobriety because I didn't know what else to do and it was clear that I couldn't keep doing what I was doing.
Over time, I started to blend into the world of sobriety and at some point, I made the distinct decision to be sober and stay sober. The why behind it also changed. I started to realize that my relationships were getting better, I was being treated better, and trusted more by the people I cared about and loved. So I was doing it for myself, but also for other people.
More time passed and as It is for many of us, things continued to get better. I became comfortable being a sober individual. I was no longer worried about not having a choice, feeling like I had to do this for other people, or even that I had to do this for myself. It simply started to become a part of my entire existence.
So where am I at today? As I'm sitting here typing this, what is my why?
The same gentleman sponsored both Mike and me at the same time and continued to sponsor Mike after I moved. One of the things that he told us was this:
When we first get sober, we are always asked, “What are you willing to do?” Then he said, there comes a time when that changes and the question becomes, “What are we willing to give up?”
My answer to that question today is nothing. I am not willing to give up anything.
And today, that’s my Why.
