15 years of recovery!

Today I celebrate 15 years in recovery from a substance use disorder. For that reality I am very grateful. 15 years ago I wasn't sure how I was going get from one day to the next. I had returned to use in the previous fall after being in recovery for over 10 years. Within weeks of drinking I found pot, within days of that I found cocaine and meth. Because I had been down these roads in the mid 90's I knew almost immediately none of these decisions were going to go well. I was fortunate to be back on the road to recovery on March 25th, 2007. It's been quite the ride since that time.

This morning Katrina and I will be heading home after a week long vacation in Arizona. We visited the Grand Canyon, stayed a night in Prescott, and spent the rest of the time in Phoenix. While here we stayed with Katrina's parents in a nice condo where Dad cooked dinner every night except the one night we all went out to eat.  We went on some great hikes, played a round of golf, did some shopping, and enjoyed time pool side in warm Arizona sun.  None of that would be possible without my life in recovery.

Sometimes I think I shouldn't make a big deal out of a yearly recovery anniversary. There is another part of me that thinks I damn sure should make a big deal out of it. When I look at my life as a whole, with all of it's interesting twists and turns along the way, the reality is all of the amazing things I have accomplished, they are truly because I found a life in recovery. I say, to this very day, that marks 15 years for me, that everything I have in my life IS because I made the decision to discontinue the use of drugs and alcohol. 

I would be remiss if I didn't also talk about my mental health and recovery that I enjoy from my past issues with debilitating depression and anxiety. I have had the kind of depression that kept me in bed for days. I have experienced anxiety that kept me from moving toward anything that might have seemed normal to others like leaving the house just to go to the store. With a life in recovery from a substance use disorder and help to heal from mental health disorders, I enjoy a pretty good life today.

I haven't had to worry about not having a roof over my head in a long time. I have been with the same employer for over a decade. My wife and I own two successful businesses. I am an integral and active member of the community I live in. I serve on boards and committees to help others find their own path to recovery. I have started an organization that helps people to navigate their own unique recovery path by offering a space for people in recovery to gather and learn from each other. I have a voice today in ways that I could never have imagined in years past.

My support system is something I cherish a lot. I have created my own unique way to support my life in recovery through my circle of influence that includes people I talk to regularly about the good, bad, and ugly things that life throws my way. Without these people I wouldn't be where I am today in my life. I value my daily morning routine that I have had in place for several years that has helped me start each day with a neutral mindset on even the toughest of days. I have learned skills to manage my mental health to keep myself moving forward always and I value always learning new ways to maintain my mental health in a healthy way. I have a strong family and love the relationship I have with my wife, son, and grandsons that allows me to see them regularly. We all navigate our lives together through supporting each other always. 

I come from a family of people in recovery. My wife, son, and his girlfriend are all in recovery and we are literally breaking generational cycles of addiction for my grandsons. While there is no magic bullet that says they might not have issues themselves, each of us, by our own walks in recovery, have significantly reduced their chances of having issues later in their lives. We have a strong family system of love and support for each other that I cherish and owe to my and their decisions to find our individual lives in recovery.

I enjoy the life I have today BECAUSE of my life in recovery. I am 100% grateful for the 15 years I celebrate on this day.