7 Reasons Why It's Good to be Sober

When you're in recovery, you get a good amount of people asking you dumb questions. Why can't you just have a few? Why do you come out if you're not drinking? You mean to say you don't drink at all, ever? It used to get on my nerves but it doesn't anymore. I used to feel the need to explain myself. Now I am much more content with just knowing in my heart the reason I stay sober a day at a time. I've learned some serious lessons in recovery. I don't like to preach, or pretend like people who do drink are bad people for doing so. Everyone has the right to do what they want with their lives. For me, it's not so much about saving my own life anymore. I have found that the benefits of sobriety outweigh the benefits of partying. If I was magically granted a spell that would let me drink like a normal person, I would decline the offer. Sobriety has taught me so much and provided me with so much insight on life and on myself. For that reason, I thought I'd share why I feel good about being sober.

1 - It Feels Good To Be Healthy

Now don't get me wrong, getting sober doesn't mean getting healthy. Many people replace alcohol with food or other unhealthy habits. With that being said, I personally have seen and know lots of people who used their recovery as a catalyst to start taking their health and nutrition more seriously. Alcohol is poisonous. The human body has a remarkable way of carrying on even with poor health, but that doesn't mean it appreciates alcohol and bad carbs. You ever see what happens if you feed a plant alcohol? The plant dies. When you stop drinking, the first thing to come back is your health. Bodies have a fascinating ability to heal. Your skin clears up, your eyes light up and you have more energy. Lots of people spend time and money investing in stuff, but very few people invest in their health. If you don't drink, you automatically have a step above everyone else in terms of taking care of your body. If you add good diet and exercise to the mix, you will be glowing! Just add water. :)

2 - Ballin' on a Budget

It's amazing how much money I used to spend on blow and booz. You don't even realize how prosperous life can be until you learn how to manage your money. It's true that money can't buy happiness, but having money sure makes life easier. Now, getting sober isn't going to make it easier to manage your money. That is a life skill that must be learned and practiced. There will be some hiccups and some bad choices along the way, but being clear headed definitely makes it easier to know what to and what not to spend money on. My experience tells me that sobriety goes along side with taking your life and your finances more seriously. Now that you're sober you have options. You can start a business, you can work hard and save money for nice vacations, you can provide for your family and even provide for yourself. It feels great.

3 - Friends, Family and Faith

My super Scottish family at my Dad's house this Christmas in Philly. Getting sober is just half the battle, but staying clean and sober is what will build the foundation for your relationships. You can't blame people for not wanting to trust us. Many times friends and family have built resentments towards us because of our behavior. We used to cause havoc everywhere we went. Those days are behind us, and now you have a chance to build beautiful relationships with those you love. The relationships I have now are priceless. I've learned that I don't need a lot of friends, I just need good ones. It is very reassuring to know that if shit hits the fan, there are people that have my back. They know that I have theirs. You're family will slowly trust you again. If you keep doing the right thing, you will be surprised when they even start calling you for advice. Your experience will be your best insight, and you will be able to pass on valuable information to others in need. Also, you learn to just relax and have faith. Not everyone has a God or Higher Power that they pray too, but faith isn't always meant in that way. Sometimes having faith means knowing that everything will be ok. Life has it's ups and downs, and with all you have been through you know that you can get through anything. A day at a time.

4 - Enjoying The Little Things

If you are paying attention, you will see that there is a lot of beauty in the world. A sunset, a pretty flower, a cool breeze, a walk through the park with children laughing in the distance. Sobriety makes it much easier to see all the perfect little moments in a day. Certain things happen when people get sober. For one, things slow down. Living the drug fueled life is very fast. There are stretches of time that went by so fast that I hardly even remember them. Getting clean really does slow things down, especially your racing mind. Hopefully you won't be in such a rush anymore. I can only speak for myself, but this is one of the best parts of being sober. I've learned to take my time in life instead of doing everything as fast and as hard as I can. I've learned to appreciate the sunsets and the flowers and the ocean. I've learned to enjoy the little things, because all the little things add up to big things.

5 - Change in Perspective

When I was an active drug addict, my perceptions were all backwards. The things that I thought were important, really weren't. These days I like to think I have it a little more figured out, although I know there is a lot more room for growth. I could give dozens of examples, but to sum it up, my recovery has made me realize how short and how fragile life really is. I don't get too fired up about conflicting opinions. In the past, my arrogance would really control me. If people thought differently than me I would automatically write them off as being plain wrong. Not only were they wrong, but they were stupid. Issues like politics, God, health and personal life choices would get me so angry. I just couldn't fathom how people thought differently than I. I have learned, through time and through self analysis, that the world is gray. Very rarely are there black and white answers to things. No matter how much I disagree with someone, I am able to stay open minded and put myself in their shoes.

6 - Freedom and Peace

Without a doubt, this is the greatest gift of all. When your a dope fiend, you are never comfortable. The only comfort comes from removing yourself from reality. There is a reason people do drugs, and I think a lot of it is because it makes them feel comfortable. The anxiety and tension that comes along with being an addict or alcoholic is hard to explain. If you are sitting you want to stand, if you are standing you want to sit. If you get to where your going, you find that you want to be be somewhere else. It's exhausting. Over time, and with hard work on myself, I have become much more comfortable in the present moment. No matter what happens, I don't freak out. Bad shit happens every day. I am not especially cursed with the hardships that life throws at me. I am not a victim. Sobriety has made it so much easier for me to fall asleep at night. It has given me perspective on so much in my life. I realize that when bad shit happens, its not the end of the world. I just get through the day, get to sleep without picking up, and start over the next day. Over time, all those days and small victories add up to a life full of joy and contentedness.

7 - Overwhelming Amounts of Gratitude

The biggest change in perspective there is. No matter what, I will always have a nagging feeling in my mind that tells me I am not good enough or that I am not where I want to be. However, sobriety gives me the ability to look at my life objectively, and see how full my life actually is. It makes it easy for me to have gratitude. I have everything I need. I have my family, I have my health, I have my dream girl, I have my dog who has been with me through all of this and still wags his tail when I walk in the door. I was listening to this podcast the other day about this guy named Justin Wren. He frequently travels to Africa to build water wells. He runs a foundation called fightfortheforgotten.com. (We already donated! you should too) After listening to this podcast it just hit me like damn... imagine if the only water I could drink was full of parasites and worms. Imagine having no clothes, and getting through the day with only eating a banana. I was listening to this, and I looked down at my health infused organic smoothie, my clean jeans and collared shirt, my car and my iPhone 6. It almost made me feel guilty. I am so fucking lucky to have all that I do today. I could not be more grateful. If you have any other reasons why it's good to be sober, we would love to hear them in the comments section :)