29 Comments

I just hit 640 days. I'm yet to meet a sober person who regrets their choice.

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I cheer for you, Stefano!!

Alcohol, and the dominant culture around it in the western world, is the opium of the people. Being sober = sobering up from the slumber most of us are in.

So, happy waking up, my friend, welcome to the sober life!!

Your piece resonated a lot with me. Especially, the part about honoring your word to yourself, it does build trust towards oneself. I found that trust towards myself is the foundation of my happiness, and my power. If you don’t trust yourself, so many things go wrong… so many things did for me, and as soon as I started taking the promises I made to myself more seriously, my life became better and better. It didn’t fall apart, it started to consolidate.

I am sorry to hear about your break up, as well as you feeling lonely in the city you live in. I do too. Thank God we have communities like Substack.

Sending hugs!

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Very insightful and inspiring!🌿

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Thanks Richa!

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This couldn't have been easy to write and put out into the world. Thanks for having the courage to share, Stefano. This newsletter spoke to me on many levels and will be the impetus for some self-reflection later this evening. Cheers to sobriety (no-pun intended... I promise).

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Loved the pun Andrew! 😆

Glad that helped, and I’ve very happy you found something useful from it. Appreciate the support my man and hope you’re getting through whatever it is that’s testing you now.

Always available for a chat, you know where to find me!

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Very insightful! Keep going. You will never regret it :)

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Hey Darcy! Thank you very much for your words of encouragement.

I will keep pushing on.

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Congrats on the sobriety! And for recognizing that you wanted to make a change...and doing it.

Your process reminds me a bit of my partner's. He tried 100 days sober, did it, then relapsed a few times with a couple of benders. After that, he knew he had to give it up for good....he's on one year and 2 months now. It's not been easy, but in walking alongside him, I have a newfound respect and awe for anyone who recognizes the destructive power of alcohol and takes the enormous step of stopping.

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That's amazing Niki! Tell him congratulations from me as well, and awesome that he has such a supportive partner that helps him through it. I can tell you that it means a lot when someone sticks by you and supports what you want to do!

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Very timely for me, Stefano. Many similarities. Thank you for sharing and keep going!

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Hey Nate, thanks for taking the time to comment. I am glad you liked it.

If there is anything you want to chat about, please just send me a message I am always happy to listen and help.

Wishing you good luck Nate, and keep pushing no matter what you're going through.

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Keep going, Stefano! Proud of you for taking care of yourself. Sorry to hear about your breakup –hope you’re healing well but also finding peace in the new changes you’re making in your life 🫶🏽

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Hey Dana, thanks for taking the time to read and also to comment. That means a lot 😄😄

Appreciate your kind words and motivation. Definitely recovering and figuring out which direction I need to go.

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You did the right thing, Stefano!

Happy you're doing well now 💛

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Thanks Baranverse, appreciate you taking the time to read.

I'm doing better now, slow and steady and things are going to fall into place.

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@jeffsullivan says “To stop drinking alcohol is to start playing life on easy mode.” It couldn’t be more true!

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Jeff's a wise guy! And I agree with him.

Thanks for taking the time to comment Danny, hope that you enjoyed reading too.

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I'm so happy for you! Once you decide to change, the whole universe conspires to make it come true for you! 👍💪✌️🙌😁

Keep going, I saw (Aaron's note) that you are able to give your junior some great advise now!🙏😊

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Thanks Janet! That’s very true. Change starts with us and then things will fall into place.

Appreciate your support and motivation as always, it means a lot! 😄😄😄

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Continue with the brotherhood!

Very grateful that spreading my love n light are taking effect on others! 🙏🥰

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God bless you man, it worked for me and still does. I can tell it got to you a little too, the Bible says "the word of God does not return void" keep up the good work, and prayer helps, I look forward to reading your work.

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Thanks so much Rob.

Definitely need to get back into praying more regularly. I appreciate you taking the time to uplift me, that definitely helped.

God bless you too and have a great day sir.

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Keep it up Stefano. Inspiring story - stay light.

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Cheers Rasmus.

Yes, I want to be honest with what I share, it also helps me stay accountable.

Don't get pinned down by things that don't serve you. The lighter you stay the easier it is to react to external circumstances.

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Good job, Stefano!! Keep going!

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Thanks for the encouragement Gloria, appreciate your support

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hey Stefano, I started following you because you gave me a like, you don't know me and I don't know you, but we're all the same. I dealt with addictions years ago, I cleaned up in 1987, and never looked back. That is to say GOD cleaned up my life. You have to embrace God's plan for your life and that's to live clean and free of habits. I had a great Biblical teacher, a TV/radio preacher named Charles Stanley, he recently passed away, maybe 18 mos or 2 yrs ago, great man of God, his teachings are available on YouTube if you look for them. (In Touch Ministries) Anyway, God says "I am the vine you are the branches, if you remain in me, and I remain in you, you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing"... and I always though about that line.. APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING!.. ok man, I'm not heavy into preaching BUT I KNOW God works in our lives, you draw closer to Him and you learn as you go, there's nothing better than a relationship with Him. Check out Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers, and how he had faith and returned to greatness. Ok, good luck with sobriety, and remember when you were a young boy, what did you need to be happy? ..nothing, just to live, love and breathe!

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Hey Rob, first off thanks very much for your comment.

I took some very valuable points from you there.

I was brought up Catholic, but have fallen out of touch with God over the last couple of years. I won't lie and say that I prefer it this way, I actually want to feel connected but that has been difficult...It's probably my lack of willingness to try.

But that line you said, 'If you remain in me and I remain in you, you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing', that's something I'm going to remember.

I will check our Charles' videos on YouTube and let you know what I think and if it helps.

Also, very true what you say at the end about when I was young. You're right, just had to live, love and breathe, that's what made me happy.

Thanks so much for your insight Rob, that means a lot to me!

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