What I lost to addiction:
The ability to love and be loved, my values, enjoyment in every day life.

At my worst, I was:
Completely hopeless and didn’t care if I died or not.

What worked for me:
Finding blogs about addiction and sobriety, reading books about alcoholism, and finding a sober community online.  After 1 ½ years sober, I started attending AA meetings as well.

Advice to my younger self:
There are ways to relate to others without drinking and doing drugs.  Being sober doesn’t mean you’re boring.

Rules I live by:
Self-care is the foundation of recovery.  Saying NO is ok.  Spread love and kindness always.

I get inspired by:
Reading drinking memoirs from those who have succeeded, hearing others share their recovery stories, receiving messages & emails from my readers.

Favorite recovery quote:
“My worst day sober is better than my best day drunk” ~ Anonymous

When cravings come:
They stopped with time, but I always told myself that a drink for me never made anything better, only worse. I never want to go back to how my life was before.

On My Bucket List:
Become a certified recovery coach and write a memoir.

What I value most in recovery:
The beauty and gratitude I have for every single moment of my life.

Proudest moment:
Being able to show up and be there for all of my loved ones whenever they need me.

What saves me from myself:
Knowing that we are all human and inherently flawed. If I’m doing the best I can on any given day with my current circumstances, that is enough.

On my schedule today:
Every other Sunday I attend a meeting at a local rehab center.

What I learned about myself:
That I am a person worthy of love.

Best advice for newbies:
It doesn’t get easier; you just get better.

On finding purpose:
There is no one else in the world exactly like me, that is my unique superpower and purpose. We all have our own gift to give this world just by being who we are.  I encourage everyone to live their own truth.

Follow Fitzgerald:
on Twitter @kellyfitz11, or at sobersenorita.com

Shed the Stigma:
If you’re a person in long-term recovery who wants to share your insights, please contact us at [email protected].