👉🏻 First Monday in November
The beginning of the end
Hey!
It’s November. And I say,
You may find that odd coming from a Minnesotan, but I don’t mind the cooler time of year. I enjoy wearing more clothes and spending the holidays with my family.
In other news: You might have seen my post about this newsletter if you follow me on LinkedIn.
I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I’m getting really busy with my freelance writing business.
So busy - I’ll drop to part-time at my day job in early 2023!
The bad news? I won’t be writing this newsletter anymore. 😪 I don’t have the energy or time I want to devote to it. There may be a time that I bring it back, but I don’t know what the future holds.
I appreciate all of you who subscribed, I still can’t believe this many of you want to hear what I say each week. Thank you SO much. ❤️
I’ve got some great tips for you this final month…so let’s get going!
AF tip of the week
This one is so important, I want to scream it from the mountain tops! ⛰
But since I do not climb mountain tops, I will have to repeat myself here.
FIND A COMMUNITY!
Your community doesn’t have to be ginormous. It just has to be supportive and there when you need it.
It’s hard to quit drinking. And it can feel lonely, especially if you don’t have a lot of people in your life who don’t drink or “get it.”
Instagram can be your community. Facebook groups can be your community. People you see at meetings can be your community.
Talking to someone who has been in similar situations and has a similar relationship with alcohol is beneficial.
If you know, you know.
What’s up? + a picture
Of course, I’m sharing a Halloween picture of my favorite ninja!
We visited family in Iowa over the Halloween weekend, so my son got to go trick-or-treating twice (in addition to two parties at school).
Can I be a kid again? 🍭🍫🍬
I write for Recovery Unplugged, an addiction treatment center. I’m learning a lot about treatment options and more! Check out what I’ve done so far:
MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT) AND THE EFFECTS OF MAT ON ADDICTION
FORMS OF MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT)
6 Questions with
Do you track AF time? If so, what is your AF date? If you don’t, why not?
I don’t track AF time daily or weekly or monthly, but I celebrate my year. The farther I get in my sobriety the less the timeline matters. I had my last drink on New Years eve 2016, and since I was still intoxicated on the 1st, I consider my “sober date” to be January 2, 2017. But I usually end up celebrating it on New Year’s Day anyhow :)
What is your “why?”
I want to show up for my family and myself as the best possible version of myself and that is not possible with alcohol involved.
What’s your tip for the early AF days?
My best tip is to remind yourself that some things are “for now.” At first I was so concerned that I couldn’t be as social or be around the same people, or how I would still have fun or travel, and that I had a killler sweet tooth that would never go away! But as time went on, all of those things became a non issue. Take a breath, focus on the ONE thing, which is just NOT drinking.
Favorite AF hobby?
Every hobby I have is AF so it’s hard to pick :) I love skiing in the winter and biking in the summer. Right now Pickleball is a fav new hobby. Most of the hobbies I have, I didn’t even have the capacity for until I stopped drinking, that’s my favorite part.
How do you de-stress?
I de-stress with long, hot baths, or long walks with my dog. I have VERY little stress, even though I have a busy, somewhat chaotic life. I thought I was a really stressed-out person when I was guzzling booze, but that was the booze!
What's the best thing about living an AF life?
There is NOTHING that isn’t better without alcohol. I don’t think I could pick ONE thing, but perhaps the fact that I feel like I have a secret sauce to life that many people don’t realize is available to them.
You can find Emily all over at the links below:
instagram.com/emilylynnpaulson
You should…
Read
10 Best Non-Alcoholic Ciders [Man of Many]
New to making cocktails at home? Let us help get you started. [The Washington Post]
5 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Stop Drinking [Eating Well]
Things I like (with links)
Little Saints | use code: RELATABLEAF for 20% off your first order
Mocktail Club | use code: BLAIR15 for 15% off
Gruvi | use code: RELATABLEAF10 for 10% off your first order
Curious Elixirs | use code: SHARP22 for $10 off $50
Recess | use code: RelatableAF for 15% off
NOPE | use code: RELATABLEAF for 20% off 2 or more 4-packs
Smart Sweets | use code: SOBRIETYACTIVIST10 for 10% off $30
Bummed to hear this Blair but happy you are so busy with freelance work!!