3 years ago today i had my last sip of alcohol. it’s difficult for this post to *not* sound self-congratulatory. for that i apologize. but hopefully you take this moment to think of something in your life that doesn’t make you feel good about yourself. take another moment to imagine your life without it. whatever *it* may be that holds you back from being your best self. the sad feelings this burden brings into your life are only temporary. and you are not your thoughts. you know, the ones that spiral around your head, making you feel worse with each rotation. thoughts and feelings are impermanent and ever changing. we all carry burdens that seem too heavy. you don’t have to collapse under its weight. it’s here today, threatening, but tomorrow or next week or moments from now, it will not be. so be patient with how long it may take you to set yourself free from what is keeping you down. there are folks struggling alongside you. there are those that have fought this good fight for years before you. there are folks here, regardless of your situation, willing to lend a helping hand. just be honest with yourself about what that something might be. it too can be temporary. a tiny scar that reminds you to love yourself.