Congratulations on 5 years of sobriety to Daniel! 🎉 “Five years without alcohol. My sobriety began as an apology. I remember dawn, five years ago. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to go back in time. I clawed around my bed, looking for my phone. I reread my texts. I threw up. I sent apologies. I waited. I shuddered in grief as my room became brighter and brighter. I checked my car for damage. I called my best friend. She told me I wasn’t a bad person, I had only done a bad thing. She told me to face the consequences. I fell apart. She put me back together. In a few weeks, my sobriety became a promise. To my partner, my friends, my work. I stopped going out. I gave my alcohol away. I lost friends. After a few months, my brain healed and I started to see a correlation between my biggest regrets and my alcohol abuse. “A few months off” turned into a year. I wanted to prove I was worth trusting. I wanted to believe I was worth trusting. I was so lonely. I lived a lot of my life in shame. A year became two. I started waking up early and practicing yoga. I read so many books. I learned how disconnected I was from my body. I stopped dating. I made new friends. I stopped telling everyone the long story of my sobriety. I started saying, “it’s just better if i don’t.” Two years became three. My sobriety transformed again: from a promise to others into a promise to myself. I promised myself a life in line with my values; a life free of shame and self-hatred. I promised myself adventure and hope and love and freedom and expression. I learned to draw and to dance. I bought a guitar. I started traveling. I took ownership of my life. And then, along the last year or so, my sobriety changed one last time: this time, from a promise to a celebration. A celebration of a life full of community and fulfillment and self-honesty. A celebration of a life where I can stand by my actions; where I can finally apologize without needing my shame soothed; a life where I can be proud of who I am. How beautiful it is, to apologize, to keep a promise, to celebrate. How lucky am I.”

Congratulations on 5 years of sobriety to Andria! 🎉 “Five years alcohol free. I never got a DUI. I never went to rehab. I was never arrested. I didn’t lose my job. I didn’t lose my family. I didn’t lose my home. And I say that with absolutely no judgment toward anyone who has experienced those things. They just hadn’t happened to me yet. But I did have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. And eventually, that was enough. Drinking wasn’t fun anymore. It wasn’t serving me in any positive way. So I quit. And I really loved to drink. So nothing about quitting was easy. But five years later, I can say without hesitation: it was the best decision I’ve ever made for myself. You don’t have to lose everything before deciding something is taking more from your life than it’s giving you. 🖤✨🫶🏼”

Congratulations on 4 years of sobriety to SaraJayne! 🎉 “4 years of sobriety… It’s crazy how fast time goes. I remember sitting in my first meeting and hearing people say they had two years, four years, or even more. I remember thinking, I could never imagine staying sober for that long. But here I am. Four years. And I won’t pretend every day has been easy. There were days I struggled. Days when staying sober felt harder than I wanted to admit. Days when I questioned whether I was strong enough to keep going. Sometimes I had to take it one day at a time, and sometimes it was one hour at a time. But no matter how hard the day was, I kept choosing not to drink. In these four years, I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve moved, and I’ve changed jobs more times than I probably should have 😂. Life certainly didn’t magically become easy just because I got sober. But through all the changes, hard days, heartbreaks, and uncertainty, I knew one thing: I would survive as long as I stayed sober. I’m so incredibly thankful for the people who have surrounded me, supported me through the hard times, celebrated the good times with me, and reminded me why I started when I needed it most. I truly couldn’t have done it without you. 💕 Four years ago, I couldn’t imagine making it this far. Today, I get to say, “I did”. 4 years sober.❤️”

Congratulations on 12 years of sobriety to Amanda! 🎉 “Today was such a great day! ♥️ When I walked into The Latest Thing with only 90 days sober, Kimberly took a chance on me. I was brand new to recovery and had absolutely no idea what my life was going to look like. And now here we are, 12 years later. 🥹 @scootermom and @lisaannecorrigan have literally watched me grow up here. They’ve seen me through so many different seasons of life. Learning how to live sober, growing up, getting married, becoming a mom, and becoming the woman I am today. The Latest Thing will always hold such a special place in my heart. And somehow today got even sweeter because I got to celebrate alongside my coworker whose belly button birthday happens to fall on the SAME DAY as my sobriety birthday. 🎂 Two very different birthdays, one very good reason to celebrate LIFE. I looked around today at all these people, this store, and this life I get to live and just felt so damn grateful. Recovery is a gift. And I will never stop being grateful for mine. 🥹✨”

Congratulations on 15 years of sobriety to Lotta! 🎉 “Today I am 15 years sober. I could blah, blah, blah about all the things I’ve learned since I gave up alcohol, all the ways I’ve developed as a human and all the gifts that sobriety keeps giving me. But mostly I just want to say thanks. Thanks to the version of me 15 years ago who dug extremely deep to make a terrifying decision to reshape her life without alcohol in it. I didn’t know 15 years ago that my alcohol use was masking deep emotional trauma. I didn’t know that alcohol was stopping me from truly connecting with myself and the people around me. I didn’t know that it was a lie that alcohol was necessary for a full, fun life. And I didn’t know that choosing a life of sobriety would be full of so many ups and downs and twists and turns. All I knew 15 years ago was that I was stuck and miserable, and that it might be possible to learn how to live without drinking. And with that knowledge alone, I seized the opportunity to change. And change I did. So thank you to me who 15 years ago did something really brave and scary. And thank you to me who keeps showing up for myself time and time and time again, digging deep to get through shit without numbing. Thank you to all my friends and supporters in recovery who stand by me and fill my life with kindness and love. And to anyone who is reading this post who might be wondering if sobriety is doable and worth it. Let me tell you, it bloody is.”

Congratulations on 3 years of sobriety to Chris! 🎉 “9/4/2023 - Three years sober today Trust God, Clean House, Help Others Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation—some fact of my life—unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and my attitudes.”

Congratulations on 2 years of sobriety to Delia! 🎉 “Two years alcohol free today. ✌️ I am so grateful to have survived the past versions of myself who almost didn’t make it to this side. I’ve learned you’re allowed to become as many versions of yourself as it takes to find the one who feels alive. My alcohol use didn’t look the same every day. It didn’t always look like what people imagine when they hear the word problem. But it was stealing from my life. The last two years have been thousands of tiny choices. Sometimes daily. Sometimes minute to minute. Choosing to stay. Choosing to change. Choosing to build a life I actually want to be present for. And today, on my two-year alcohol-free anniversary, Ryan and I debuted our first project together. It’s a work in progress. So are we. I think that’s kind of the point. People can keep calling you by an old name, remembering an old version, or telling an old story about you. You don’t have to live there just because they do. I’m here. I’m alive. I’m creating things again. And I’m so damn thankful I stayed long enough to meet this version of me. If you’re struggling, you can always reach out. There is a whole other life waiting on the other side. 💜”

Congratulations on 14 years of sobriety to Evan! 🎉 “14 years sober! This year goes out to the people (and dog) that saved my life, changed it, stood by my side and even through grief have taught me the meaning of living on this silly rock in space. And that’s to be here for it all. I’m raw dogging life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. If you’re struggling with drugs and alcohol I promise you there is a recipe for living that will introduce you to a version of yourself that can thrive sober. Love you guys!”

Congratulations on 1 year of sobriety to Cody! 🎉 “365 DAYS SOBER 🖕🏼 Fuck your excuses. Fuck the distractions. Fuck addiction. Drugs and alcohol are nothing but a crutch when they’re keeping you from becoming the person you know you’re capable of being. If something isn’t pushing you forward, there’s a good chance it’s holding you back. I’ve learned more about myself in the last 365 days than I have in years because for once, I’ve had a clear mind. When you stop escaping and actually sit with yourself, you learn a lot. About yourself. About the people around you. About what matters and what doesn’t. Everything in my life has improved since I decided to raw dog life. And I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I hated getting high. I fucking loved it. That was part of the problem. Eventually I realized I was blunting my own potential for what? To get high for a few hours? To escape? To make being bored with my own life more comfortable? Fuck that. The people you love deserve the best version of you. YOU deserve the best version of you. And sometimes becoming that person means manning the fuck up and removing the vices you keep making excuses for. I realized I didn’t need a better escape. I needed to build a life I didn’t want to escape from. That’s what I’ve spent the last year doing. We all get the same 24 hours. What are you doing with yours?”

Congratulations on 9 years of sobriety to Crystal! 🎉 “9/4/17 is the day my whole life changed. I entered rehab at @therecoveryvillage, leaving behind my 2-year-old, 4-year-old, and 12-year-old to save my life. I was addicted to opioids, and they had quickly taken over my entire life. It was all I thought about: How can I get more, more, more? I was hiding my addiction from my husband — and everyone else — and had gotten us into $50k of credit card debt trying to support the habit. Thankfully, my family intervened. I spent those 30 days finding my way back to myself through EMDR, lots of therapy, meditation, and breathwork. At the time, I didn’t think I was “that bad” of an alcoholic. I didn’t wake up shaking. I could go a couple of days without drinking. So I wasn’t planning on quitting drinking. But my very first night in rehab, we had to go to an AA meeting, and I quickly realized I had to let go of all of it. That saying, “One is never enough, and a thousand is never too many,” hit me like a ton of bricks. Every year, I celebrate September 4th as my second birthday. It’s the day the brain fog slowly began to lift. The day I started to understand my wounded inner child, lean into my higher power, and choose life. 9 years later, I still choose it. 🙏❤️🙏”

Congratulations on one year of sobriety to Danny! 🎉 “ONE YEAR SOBER. 🥹 Honestly, I never thought I’d be able to say those words. One year without alcohol. And there have been so many positives. My mental health is better, I haven’t lost or broken anything 😂, I’ve saved an absolute fortune, and I’m so much more present in my life. The truth is, though, people who are sober often tell you how amazing sobriety is… but they don’t always talk about how fucking tough it can be. For me, I can’t just have one drink like a “normal” person. I absolutely love alcohol. I drink 3 drinks to someone else 1, once I start, I cant stop. I’d drink until I passed out. So giving it up hasn’t been easy. At first, I had to distance myself from some of my friends and completely change the way I socialised. I had to figure out what I actually enjoyed doing without alcohol. Going to social events sober is a completely different experience. I’ve had to learn how to walk into a room sober and still feel confident. How to make small talk, which I find SOOOO hard sober 😂, and how to actually have fun without alcohol. I’ve had to learn how to deal with uncomfortable moments without automatically reaching for a drink. And I’m not going to lie… there are still times when I miss having a drink with my mates. Sometimes I miss the old crazy Danny. That’s probably the strangest part of sobriety. I feel like I’ve lost a part of myself. But then I remind myself of how I used to feel the next day. The anxiety. The regret. The things I’d said or done. The carnage that came with drinking. And I realise that the part of me I miss isn’t necessarily the alcohol… it’s the feeling I thought the alcohol gave me. I just want to say a massive thank you to all my friends for being so understanding. I’m slowly reintroducing you all into my sober life 🤣 and I’m so grateful for your support. And a huge thank you to my fiancée, Sadie I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.❤️”

Congratulations on 5 years of sobriety to Sam! 🎉 “5 years without alcohol, cigarettes or drugs 🤯❤️‍🩹 5 years ago, I came off the back of a relapse that left me physically, mentally and spiritually broken. I was at rock bottom, and I needed some rocks to rebuild my life. Those rocks came in the form of my family and true friends. I’m forever grateful. ❤️ This life has, and still does, send me challenges. But I’m still STONE COLD SOBER, BABY! 🥶💪 Get knocked down 7 times, get back up 8. Let’s goooooooooo! 🙌🔥 5 YEARS!!! 🤯❤️‍🩹🫶”

Congratulations on 11 years of sobriety to Sean! 🎉 “Thank you for 11 years sober today. It is the hardest thing I have ever done and will ever do, but it is also the most rewarding. My sobriety is the most important thing in my life, because without it I have nothing. I celebrate the last 11 years and I celebrate today, but that’s where it ends. I haven’t conquered anything and I will never be cured, I will always have immense respect for the power of alcoholism/addiction and will live life accordingly. I could have died many times 11+ years ago and if it wasn’t for those of you who welcomed me in at my worst, with the biggest smiles and warmest hugs, I would’ve died. Thank you to everyone who saw in me what I never could and said “I hope to see you again tomorrow.” The kindness and the guidance from strangers, who quickly became best friends and mentors, is why I am alive today. Why I got to be my best version of myself and show up when both of my parents were sick and passed. Why I got to marry the most incredible man in the world. Why I get to fight for a piece of the bed every night with a 3 year old golden retriever. And why I get to live my dreams today and finally do what I love, with a community I love, making art that I love. Just a quick reminder, if you’re struggling with alcohol and/or drugs there is a solution. You never have to drink or use drugs again, even if you want to. And as long as there is air in your lungs, there is hope for a life beyond anything you could imagine. You deserve it. You’re worth it. Thank you for 11. Next goal? 11 years and 1 day.”

Congratulations on 5 years of sobriety to Kristy! 🎉 “Five years sober today. I still remember what the drive to rehab felt like. I didn’t think I was going to make it, and I didn’t have a plan past that afternoon. I just kept picking one more day, and then another one, and at some point I stopped counting because the days had turned into a life. Somewhere in there I got real mornings back. I got to be present for my kids, for David, and for a whole town that has cheered me on louder than I ever expected. Today I’m standing above the Square in the place where all of that happened, and I don’t take one day of it for granted. Thank you for being here for all of it. Five years.”

Congratulations on 6 years of sobriety to April! 🎉 “6 years. Here’s to a lifetime more.”

Congratulations on 13 months of sobriety to Mel! 🎉 “13 months sober. 🤍 One day at a time, one choice at a time, I’ve made it here. There have been hard days, but there have also been so many moments of clarity, growth, peace, and gratitude. I’m proud of how far I’ve come, grateful for the people who have supported me, and excited for what’s ahead.”

Congratulations on 10 years of sobriety to Hannah! 🎉 “Today, I celebrate 10 years of sobriety. I am full of gratitude — and also so incredibly sad that my dog Porter didn’t make it to this milestone with me. I genuinely would not be here today without him, and without SO many amazing humans who have believed in me, loved me, supported me, and helped me keep going. Thank you. I’m pushing through some of the hardest months of my life right now, but if the last 10 years have taught me anything, it’s that I can keep going — and that things can get better. I am not alone, and neither are you. If you are struggling with substance abuse or your mental health, PLEASE reach out and ask for help. There are so many more recovery resources, communities, and support groups available today than there were 10 years ago when I first got clean. Stop the stigma. Support your loved ones. Educate yourself. Carry Narcan. And remind people who are struggling that their lives are worth fighting for. I dedicate this milestone to every person I have ever met, loved, and lost to the disease of addiction. I hope that by sharing my story, continuing to choose recovery, and staying clean, some small part of their memory can live on through me. 10 years. One day at a time.”

Congratulations on 3 years of sobriety to Libby! 🎉 “3 years sober today. Grateful for this journey and happy to LIVE another day! Because living means something different to me today. ☀️🦋🚀”

Congratulations on 4 years of sobriety to Tom! 🎉 “4 years sober today. That is 1,461 days of showing up, growing, changing, and choosing a life I’m incredibly grateful for.”

Congratulations on 5 years of sobriety to Jessica! 🎉 “5 years without alcohol. 5 years since recognizing that my place was slowly being cemented within a painful pattern. 5 years of choosing myself. 5 years of sitting with and learning from my feelings. 5 years of growth. 5 imperfect and raw, conscious, intentional, brutally revealing and beautifully fulfilling years. God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change. The courage to change the one I can. And the wisdom to know… it’s me.”