40 MONTHS. This number hit me this morning. I felt it more so than I’ve felt other recent monthly milestones. 40. Forty. There’s something about the number “40” that feels really big. Maybe it’s because 40 days + 40 nights was, at one point, impossible for me. Giving up alcohol for lent was impossible! A woman is pregnant for 40 weeks (or thereabouts). And that feels like a long time, too. And then there’s the dreaded 40th birthday. The turning point year. The one that made me take a closer look at my life and say, WTF?! What am I doing? Is this really it?! I made the choice that spring to go to rehab. And everything changed. When you have a baby, you’ll often hear, “it takes a village.” But there will be times when you’ll look around and be like, “Village?! Village?!” One day you feel like you have one. And the next you feel like you don’t. There is so much love in motherhood, but at times it can feel so lonely + overwhelming. Doing it sober is a gift + a curse simultaneously. It’s hard either way. It’s just — hard. Sobriety has taught me to ask for help. If it’s not there, ask for it. Phone a friend. Talk it out. Join the Facebook groups. Reconnect with old friends... Find people that will lift you up + remind you that your feelings are valid + you’re not alone. IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO STAY ALCOHOL-FREE ✨ Remember that if you’re fighting through another day. It takes a village. Lean in. Keep leaning. I regret not showing up here for my 39 month milestone, because it’s not just about me. It’s about you holding me accountable, yes, but it’s also about me showing someone out there that this is possible. If someone that was once drinking a bottle of wine or 2 a day can quit drinking, anyone can. Truly. Thank you for being my village. #40months #sobermilestone #onthemocks