When I got sober over 28 years ago it wasn't because I was on a winning streak.
The last months before I got sober I was sleeping in the back seat of a stolen car because I'd lost everything. I only wore the clothes on my back and when what I was wearing got dirty, rather than washing them I would simply steal something new to wear.
When I would awaken each morning I was usually sick from lack of alcohol and heroin. So my quest each morning was to find an open store where I could steal something to drink to kill my pain. Once I accomplished that I would then set out to find something to steal that I could sell or trade for heroin.
I was living a miserable existence and I couldn't get enough chemicals in my body to override my feelings of demoralization and despair. I was at a point of where I knew I was going to end up in prison or dead. And that was the moment that I decided that getting sober was my only option because I couldn't continue the way I was. And in that state of mind I entered a detoxification program in Mesa, Arizona.
I didn't know what the future had to offer. But I knew that whatever it was, it was much better than what I'd left behind. I had no expectations about what lie before me, but I was willing to try anything to get off of the path that I'd been on for so many years.
Had I known that the recovery world was such a good place to be I have gotten sober a long time ago. But as someone once told me, we get sober at exactly the time we're supposed to.
Now, over 28 years later, I'm blessed with the productive life of an ordinary citizen. I've had the same job for over 28 years, working in the recovery field helping other addicts and alcoholics change their lives.
And in doing this work, I've been able to save my own life in the process. If you're on the fence about what we should do with your life and need to get into recovery do it. If it doesn't work for you, you can always get your misery back.
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