National Sober Day on September 14th encourages us to celebrate Sober life and bring awareness to addiction. The entire day focuses on showing support for anyone living in sobriety. Not only that, but the observance sets a standard for the whole world that being sober is okay. Show your friends and family on the road to recovery by spending the day sober as well.
Ideally scheduled during National Recovery Month, the day supports removing the stigma associated with addiction. It opens the lines of communication that lead to better understanding. The day provides an opportunity to build educated support networks. It also strengthens existing ones. When systems are paved with an aware, loving, and honest cheering section, success is more likely. If we stumble, aren’t we more likely to get back up again when we have a solid support system?
Encouragement of one day fuels more support and awareness, leading to long-term sobriety. That’s something worth celebrating! The opposite of addiction is a connection. This holiday will provide a model for future generations as well. By demonstrating how to enjoy life alcohol-free, the day will embolden future generations to say no to alcohol.
Real Aligned Women founded National Sober Day in 2019 to encourage us to celebrate Sober life and bring awareness to addiction. You are never alone in your sobriety.
One of the biggest myths surrounding sobriety is that life without drugs and alcohol is monotonous and absolutely boring. However, this particular preconceived notion could not be further from the truth. Change is intimidating for all who experience it – sober or not. Mainstream media often portrays fun as spending time indulging in your favorite all-American past time while sipping down a cold one. However, for individuals who struggle with addiction, what was once a fun activity turned into a full-fledged addiction. Personally, blacking out and not being able to recall what I did the night before was not my idea of “fun.” As I became invested in my recovery, I began to learn a lot about myself. It was not long before I discovered how much more time, money, and resources I acquired in my sobriety that I could use to pursue the hobbies and goals I had always wanted to try.
Sobriety provides a greater amount of opportunities for freedom and fun than addiction could ever offer.
In the first few weeks of being sober I was introduced to the idea that, in order to maintain long-term sobriety, I must attend one specific program and continue to partake in that specific fellowship for the rest of my life. While one fellowship may be better for me, there are several pathways to maintain continuous sobriety. For example, 12-step fellowships are one component of sobriety, but there are other paths to recovery including participation in programs such as Refuge Recovery, SMART Recovery, LifeRing, online meetings, religious support groups, and many more. What matters most is finding which one is the best fit for you. As long as it is keeping you sober, that is all that matters.
Recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process. There are several different paths to sobriety.
