I stopped keeping track.. it's been like 8 months or something for me? I'm constantly surrounded by alcoholics and partiers though. I got sober with my Mom after she started having kidney/liver failure from years of alcoholism. Once she died, it really took the fun out of drinking.
Now that I'm sober, I'm seeing how much of drinking/partying is people running from problems and not knowing how to cope. Oddly, the more I'm around drunks and partying, the less I want to do with that shit. I used to think drinking + drugs = fun, but I'm realizing that I'm usually having the most fun out of everyone. I love music, so it's pretty wild to be dancing and vibing stone sober though ha!
Energy levels are unbelievable. Blood pressure is back on track. Healthy diet, health looking good. In the gym and feeling and looking good. In my free time I've basically recorded a 12 track demo, relaunched my media business, got my finances under control, and took up a bunch of really fun hobbies. It feels like I always have money because I'm not spending $$$ on booze and weed every night so it's been easy to invest in myself and my interests.
It's so nice waking up with no guilt or anxiety about being an idiot. I thought getting sober would fuck up my art but it's actually made it way better because I'm actually releasing emotions and being fully present while creating and jamming. My relationships are better, I feel like I'm in the drivers seat of life again. I've had conversations and opportunities with people I wouldn't even dream about, and I left them feeling good! I'm not constantly putting out fires. I've been developing real connections with people that aren't centered on booze or getting the next fix.
I started to see how once you take booze and drugs out of the equation, a lot of partying really isn't even that fun. It's pretty lame to be sitting around doing nothing getting wasted now. I could be out exploring the world, making something beautiful, sharing a real moment with someone, growing my business, following a passion, developing a skill, but instead they're sitting there killing themselves slowly with poison and literally pissing away their money, to not remember it!
My problem is being expected to take care of everyone because I'm "sober". Setting boundaries is tough with people you care about. I've had to cut out people who couldn't get it together, were burning out, and were just toxic and miserable to be around. Having to deal with jealousy and envy now too from bitter drunks who won't help themselves. Seeing people close to you actually prefer you being fucked up because it makes them feel better about themselves is a tough one. You get a front row, all access pass to peoples lives crumbling, while you're waking up stoked to get after life. It's weird. A lot of people come to me now asking what the secret is and when I tell them sobriety, they want to get sober but never do. The answers are right in front of them but they can't do it. Once you get over the hump of learning to cope and coming to terms with your fuck ups and fixing them as best you can, sobriety is pretty cool.
I kinda left this wall of text up for anyone wanting to get sober. As a kid I thought being a drunk would be a dirty secret and the sober people would be out in the open, but it honestly feels the opposite to me. The sober people are in secret clubs and are low key, the drunks are the ones with no shame. There is no shame in being sober! Making healthy choices is rad. Bettering yourself, and being the best version of you, is something to be proud of. I won't drink with y'all today.
Sobriety really is a gift.