Does Counting Your Sober Days Matter?

Every day sober is worth celebrating. Especially in the very beginning, when getting through the day might seem like the longest and hardest thing you’ve ever had to do.

Keeping track of our sober time gives us motivation to keep pushing forward. The longer you remain clean and your days start to add up, you can’t help but be proud of such an accomplishment. As you should be!

I admired those I knew who had a good amount of clean time. I would find myself sitting in doubt that I would ever be where they were. But, I got there. And, so will you!

It’s such a rewarding feeling to collect a key tag or place a check mark next to the date and see yourself achieve 30, 60, 90 days clean.

Progress Over Perfection

It took me a long time to realize what a life in recovery truly entailed. It was far more than just remaining free from drugs and alcohol. That was just the tip of the iceberg.

Being sober and being in recovery are two different things. Recovery is about rebuilding. It’s about personal transformation. It’s about the work you put into yourself now that you are free from the drugs and alcohol. It’s about creating the beautiful life you are so deserving of - one that doesn’t require you to escape from it.

I stopped counting my sober days a long time ago. Not because it isn’t a time worth celebrating, but because I knew my journey wasn’t meant to be summed up by a number.

I stopped comparing myself to others and I stopped keeping track of how my journey looks today compared to how it did the times before. It’s about how I feel now and how I’m living my life day-to-day.

Relapse is a part of my story. I have fallen on my face countless times after having a decent amount of sober time. Each time I slipped, I tore myself to pieces. I felt like all the days, progress, and milestones reached were washed away.

That mentality kept me stuck. The feelings of defeat - I had to start all over again.

Relapse does not have to be a part of your journey, but for many struggling with substance abuse and alcohol dependency, it is. And, that’s okay.

Every time I brushed myself off and got back on track I started to realize that every part of the journey is so neccessary.

You can’t get to day 30 without a day 1. You can’t get to a year, without a month. The longer you spend dedicated to your recovery (even if that includes a slip up) it all counts. It all helps you grow. It is all designed to help lead you to the places you are destined to be. It’s all meant to help you learn.

Steps backwards only give you momentum to keep pushing forward. We have to believe that everything that happens, is always happening for our greater good.

Recognize the choice that was made, forgive yourself for being human, and keep going. Every day is brand new opportunity to give it your best. Shit only prolongs as long as we allow it to.

The only time you ever lose, is if you quit. Don’t quit. You’ve got this shit!

The best way we learn is through one another. I invite you to share and join in with your own experiences. Comment below what advice you would give to someone who is going through a recent relapse. What have you learned about the difference between abstinence and a life in recovery? Do you have clean time worth celebrating? Let’s hear about it !! <3