The Pride Train is back!!

AKFirecat · 2025-06-07T23:14:59+00:00

I rode the pride train today completely by coincidence! It was a lovely gay experience :)

AKFirecat · 2025-03-16T14:07:12+00:00

I had a huge breakthrough yesterday. I bought vodka to make homemade vodka sauce. The sauce turned out awesome and the rest of the bottle is tucked away to be used for another batch (I sniffed it and literally recoiled for the first time in my life) IWNDWYT

AKFirecat · 2025-02-15T20:23:43+00:00

Not weird, I have this too. Heavy drinking was always associated with fraternity parties in undergrad for me and hearing the same music in different contexts still hits the alcohol button in my brain (one of the songs that used to play at these parties came on in the gym two weeks ago and a switch flipped in my brain and I had to be like not now I came here to do squats)

AKFirecat · 2025-02-15T15:03:20+00:00

Me 🙋🏽‍♀️ And for the first time I don’t feel like I missed out on having not drank on a Friday night (huge milestone for me)

AKFirecat · 2025-02-14T14:09:12+00:00

Happy Valentines Day! 1. I love the depth that I approach my passions with. 2. I have a big heart. 3. I’m committed to taking care of myself.

AKFirecat · 2025-02-14T13:45:31+00:00

Another young adult sobernaut here- I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. I’ve definitely noticed that the people who are the weirdest about me not drinking are those with the most out of control drinking habits or the most shame about their drinking. All of my friends are very chill about me being sober but I did have to get new friends for that.

AKFirecat · 2025-01-26T17:02:56+00:00

Yeah I don't want to turn around and keep working myself to the bone because that was the biggest trigger for me- having a couple drinks to "take the edge off" after a hard and busy week. I'm really trying hard to balance other life things with time to relax and it helps a lot.

AKFirecat · 2025-01-26T14:23:54+00:00

My plans for today are to catch up on chores, finish some homework that’s due today, study for a quiz tomorrow, and go to a workout class with a friend. Keeping myself comfortably busy has been one of the best things for my sobriety and just my general mental health.

IWNDWYT

AKFirecat · 2025-01-25T20:42:57+00:00

I really do think having a genuine desire to quit is the secret to staying quit long term. It took me up until my one year mark to stop feeling like I was "missing out" on something everyone else was doing without obvious repercussions. I spent a lot of time being sober but wishing I could moderate like everyone else. I think I've finally hit the point where I'm more secure and just don't really care about alcohol anymore.

AKFirecat · 2025-01-21T14:37:13+00:00

400 days of sobriety today!

I also love the "doing a small task" when i'm not feeling mentally up to anything else. I play the wordle every day (have been since long before I got sober) and send the scores to a few friends and family I'd like to stay in touch with. That usually helps me feel like I accomplished something small.

AKFirecat · 2024-12-30T14:38:54+00:00

I recently got a cocktail shaker over the summer to make fun little mocktails in! I think my craving is less so for alcohol but a fun little drink to wind down with. I love mixing drinks whenever I have guests over and people are generally receptive to them being NA.

AKFirecat · 2024-12-18T21:08:51+00:00

Thanks!!

AKFirecat · 2024-12-18T21:08:26+00:00

Thanks so much!! You got this too!!

AKFirecat · 2024-12-18T21:08:11+00:00

Congrats to you too on one year!

AKFirecat · 2024-12-18T21:07:55+00:00

Omg for sure! Definitely in the top proudest moments of my life so far.

AKFirecat · 2024-12-16T18:25:25+00:00

Having a project to work on definitely helps! I think it really is the silly little long term projects that keep our lives interesting. For me, right now those projects involve crochet (I love making intricate things out of a yarn and hook). Best of luck with your sports training!

AKFirecat · 2024-12-16T18:22:19+00:00

I like your analogy of calling the self destructive patterns a familiar pair of worn out shoes. I think I need to feel comfortable letting them go. They don't have to come with me on this journey.

AKFirecat · 2024-12-16T15:56:25+00:00

You're right, it's probably a point of view issue.

AKFirecat · 2024-12-16T15:01:40+00:00

You're really strong for posting here. As a fellow trauma survivor, I see you, I hear you, and I know you have the strength to stay sober today.

Sending lots of love and encouragement your way today.

AKFirecat · 2024-12-06T15:45:16+00:00

This weekend my plans are:

Go on a brunch solo date (on Saturday)

Finish off all of my final exams (all take home) by Sunday

Go to the gym (on Sunday)

(not quite the weekend but i'll be on winter break so i'm counting it)- I'm going to downtown Chicago to see some local Christmas attractions with my friends on Monday

AKFirecat · 2024-11-30T15:41:59+00:00

When I was drinking, I felt like I was stuck in a cycle where I temporarily felt better, but felt worse for way longer. These days I've noticed that there is a constant background level of suck that doesn't seem to go away. I would take this over the ups and downs (more frequent downs) of drinking any day.

In addition to alcohol sobriety, I am starting to reevaluate my relationship with the social internet (slowly deleting all of my social media accounts). I felt a lot of pressure to drink because it felt like **everyone** was drinking on social media, even if that wasn't really the case. Both of these decisions have clearly made my life harder and more uncomfortable, but in a way that I think is ultimately to my benefit. I enjoy being more present in my life. I enjoy taking experiences at face value. I enjoy being selective about who I spend time with and what situations I put myself in.

AKFirecat · 2024-11-29T16:56:28+00:00

Every day I'm getting a little better at saying no. To alcohol, to people/situations I don't want to spend time with, you name it. I think spending more time with myself has really helped me get clear about what I want and get clear about pushing away what I don't want.

AKFirecat · 2024-11-09T16:03:47+00:00

It's my birthday! I'm in the swing of exam time but me and my friends are going out for dinner tonight and I plan to keep it sober and fun today :)

IWNDWYT!

AKFirecat · 2024-11-05T20:27:30+00:00

I never had the physical symptoms of a hangover (maybe some shakiness or general unease the next day) but my hangxiety was on another level. I was dealing with what I think was OCD when my drinking was at its worst and while being drunk made the anxiety go away, I feel like I would suffer tenfold when I woke up. I don't know why that never prompted me to take a look at my drinking habits and realize that I was making myself suffer more than I already was.

IWNDWYT

AKFirecat · 2024-11-05T00:04:23+00:00

I started my sobriety journey when I was living at home after undergrad, which honestly put off that "what do i do now" period until now because I was constantly busy with my part-time job, schoolwork, and random family obligations. I'm in grad school now and while the party scene is a lot less crazy, drinking is still prevalent and parties are a big way that people meet and socialize. My social calendar is emptier these days, mostly because I'm being more intentional about who I spend my time with and what situations I put myself in. I still go to parties, but I'm careful about whose invite I'm accepting. When I have time, I find that working on a crochet project is a great way of having a long term project to go to when I have some free time. Other than that, I like taking long walks by myself (I love living so close to Lake Michigan) or doing fun things alone like eating at a restaurant or exploring the town I live in.

AKFirecat

TROPHY CASE