Beautiful piece. Everyone’s recovery is so different, it’s unfair to expect the same from everyone in that aspect. AA didn’t work for me, but it works for so many others, so I would never talk against it, but why is everyone herded there like it’s the only fix? . Like you said, healing isn’t linear, we need to stop talking and treating it as if it were. Any progress, is progress, however you get there. 🩷🙏🏼
Thank you so much for sharing this. And thank you for being honest. You are so right that everyone has to find what works for them. It isn’t fair or realistic to think that we can take a blanket approach to fixing something as personal as addiction. This is how I feel about AA too. It works for some of my loved ones and has literally saved their lives, but it does not work for everyone and that is OK. I wish more professionals realized that recovery does not always look neat and linear or the same for everyone. We could all use more realistic discussions about what works and more support in finding our own unique path. You are spot on- any recovery is a success full stop. Thank you for being here and speaking up. We need more of this in recovery.
So happy that you were able to convince yourself you didn't 'ruin everything'. It's such a lie like 'I did one thing less than perfect so my entire life must now be fucked. ' its so hard to keep going... you are amazing and strong and trying and that counts more than anything ❤️ 🙌
Thank you so much for this. You’re absolutely right—it’s wild how fast that “all or nothing” voice shows up, trying to convince us one slip erases everything good we’ve done. I’ve fallen for that lie so many times before. The real work is in learning to catch it and keep going anyway.I appreciate your kind words more than you know. It really does help to be reminded that trying—imperfectly, stubbornly, honestly—counts for so much. Grateful to have you in this corner with me.
Quitting smoking is so damn hard!! I tried at least 10x before I took medication that really worked and now it's been about 20 years. But it's your efforts in this and everything else going on in your life- you are trying to choose differently, so be kind to yourself. I found that pressuring myself usually makes it worse. Cheering you on!
This felt very real. I appreciate how you show progress as something nonlinear and human, not clean or performative. Naming setbacks without shame creates room for persistence instead of collapse. Thank you for sharing this so honestly, Belle!
Thanks so much. That means more to me than you know it landed. I truly think we have to talk about forward movement as it really is: messy, nonlinear, and 100% human...or we continue to set ourselves(and others) up for shame and silence. Speaking shame-free about setbacks is still something I'm having to practice...but the more I do it, the lighter I feel and the more willing I become to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Thanks for reading and being brave enough to sit in the REAL with me. Persistence over perfection! ALWAYS.
Thank you for sharing this, Belle. I suffer from multiple mental heal issues and substance use disorder. You’re naming something so important. When we allow progress to be messy and speak about setbacks without shame, it actually creates more momentum, not less. That lightness you described is real. It’s what happens when effort isn’t weighed down by self-judgment. I’m grateful you’re willing to keep showing up in the real, because that’s where persistence actually lives. We need more publications like yours!
Jessica, thank you so much for allowing me to share this with you. Your words were so poignant to me–in particular the sentence “Momentum comes from releasing shame and judgement.” Yes. The less shame I can hold about my own difficulties,the more space there is for forward movement, clunky steps and all.
I am really grateful you felt able to name your own story here. I will continue to post from both sides–the personal and professional–because I believe there needs to be more spaces that allow for all of it. Not just the cleaned-up, “look at how I overcame!” stories. This really has been a beautiful journey(for me anyway)at times, hard, but beautiful, and I feel lucky to be able to share that with people who understand.
Thank you for reading and for contributing your voice. I hope you’ll stick around and add to the conversation–and perhaps share more of your story. That’s what keeps it real.
The worst thing I ever did in the early years of trying to recover was allow someone else to tell me my progress wasn't progress. That because I was on an MAT medication my clean days weren't really mine. That they didn't count. Harm reduction counts ❣️ This was a beautiful piece, and I was actually thinking about this exact thing earlier today so to read this now is only confirmation. Xoxo thank you!!
Thank you for sharing this and for being so honest. It pains me how often people's progress is minimized or discounted because it doesn't match someone else's version of "legitimate" recovery. Your days matter- MAT, harm reduction, any method we use to move forward in health and stability matters. I'm so glad this piece reached you when it did.
We could all use more grace and wiggle room in these discussions. Thank you for having the courage to share your story and perspective. You are welcome here always, and you help remind me/us that progress is progress, no matter how it looks.
Xoxo back at you—please continue fighting and sharing your truth
Felt like sitting on the floor with someone while they say it out loud and don’t pretend it’s pretty. The setback, the pause, the getting up anyway part all hit close, in a quiet, yep, I know this way.
Thank you so much for this, Asuka. That’s exactly the feeling I hope to create—like we can just sit together in the mess, no pretending necessary. Sometimes the most powerful thing is just letting it be what it is and saying it out loud. I’m really glad it resonated and that you felt that quiet “yep, I know this” kind of connection. Means a lot to know I’m not sitting on the floor alone.Here’s to getting up, together, as many times as it takes.
Beautiful piece. Everyone’s recovery is so different, it’s unfair to expect the same from everyone in that aspect. AA didn’t work for me, but it works for so many others, so I would never talk against it, but why is everyone herded there like it’s the only fix? . Like you said, healing isn’t linear, we need to stop talking and treating it as if it were. Any progress, is progress, however you get there. 🩷🙏🏼
Thank you so much for sharing this. And thank you for being honest. You are so right that everyone has to find what works for them. It isn’t fair or realistic to think that we can take a blanket approach to fixing something as personal as addiction. This is how I feel about AA too. It works for some of my loved ones and has literally saved their lives, but it does not work for everyone and that is OK. I wish more professionals realized that recovery does not always look neat and linear or the same for everyone. We could all use more realistic discussions about what works and more support in finding our own unique path. You are spot on- any recovery is a success full stop. Thank you for being here and speaking up. We need more of this in recovery.
Thank you for keeping it real! 😀👊✌️❤️
Always! Thanks for taking the time to read AND comment!
So happy that you were able to convince yourself you didn't 'ruin everything'. It's such a lie like 'I did one thing less than perfect so my entire life must now be fucked. ' its so hard to keep going... you are amazing and strong and trying and that counts more than anything ❤️ 🙌
Thank you so much for this. You’re absolutely right—it’s wild how fast that “all or nothing” voice shows up, trying to convince us one slip erases everything good we’ve done. I’ve fallen for that lie so many times before. The real work is in learning to catch it and keep going anyway.I appreciate your kind words more than you know. It really does help to be reminded that trying—imperfectly, stubbornly, honestly—counts for so much. Grateful to have you in this corner with me.
Quitting smoking is so damn hard!! I tried at least 10x before I took medication that really worked and now it's been about 20 years. But it's your efforts in this and everything else going on in your life- you are trying to choose differently, so be kind to yourself. I found that pressuring myself usually makes it worse. Cheering you on!
Thank you
This felt very real. I appreciate how you show progress as something nonlinear and human, not clean or performative. Naming setbacks without shame creates room for persistence instead of collapse. Thank you for sharing this so honestly, Belle!
Thanks so much. That means more to me than you know it landed. I truly think we have to talk about forward movement as it really is: messy, nonlinear, and 100% human...or we continue to set ourselves(and others) up for shame and silence. Speaking shame-free about setbacks is still something I'm having to practice...but the more I do it, the lighter I feel and the more willing I become to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Thanks for reading and being brave enough to sit in the REAL with me. Persistence over perfection! ALWAYS.
Thank you for sharing this, Belle. I suffer from multiple mental heal issues and substance use disorder. You’re naming something so important. When we allow progress to be messy and speak about setbacks without shame, it actually creates more momentum, not less. That lightness you described is real. It’s what happens when effort isn’t weighed down by self-judgment. I’m grateful you’re willing to keep showing up in the real, because that’s where persistence actually lives. We need more publications like yours!
Jessica, thank you so much for allowing me to share this with you. Your words were so poignant to me–in particular the sentence “Momentum comes from releasing shame and judgement.” Yes. The less shame I can hold about my own difficulties,the more space there is for forward movement, clunky steps and all.
I am really grateful you felt able to name your own story here. I will continue to post from both sides–the personal and professional–because I believe there needs to be more spaces that allow for all of it. Not just the cleaned-up, “look at how I overcame!” stories. This really has been a beautiful journey(for me anyway)at times, hard, but beautiful, and I feel lucky to be able to share that with people who understand.
Thank you for reading and for contributing your voice. I hope you’ll stick around and add to the conversation–and perhaps share more of your story. That’s what keeps it real.
The worst thing I ever did in the early years of trying to recover was allow someone else to tell me my progress wasn't progress. That because I was on an MAT medication my clean days weren't really mine. That they didn't count. Harm reduction counts ❣️ This was a beautiful piece, and I was actually thinking about this exact thing earlier today so to read this now is only confirmation. Xoxo thank you!!
Thank you for sharing this and for being so honest. It pains me how often people's progress is minimized or discounted because it doesn't match someone else's version of "legitimate" recovery. Your days matter- MAT, harm reduction, any method we use to move forward in health and stability matters. I'm so glad this piece reached you when it did.
We could all use more grace and wiggle room in these discussions. Thank you for having the courage to share your story and perspective. You are welcome here always, and you help remind me/us that progress is progress, no matter how it looks.
Xoxo back at you—please continue fighting and sharing your truth
Felt like sitting on the floor with someone while they say it out loud and don’t pretend it’s pretty. The setback, the pause, the getting up anyway part all hit close, in a quiet, yep, I know this way.
Thank you so much for this, Asuka. That’s exactly the feeling I hope to create—like we can just sit together in the mess, no pretending necessary. Sometimes the most powerful thing is just letting it be what it is and saying it out loud. I’m really glad it resonated and that you felt that quiet “yep, I know this” kind of connection. Means a lot to know I’m not sitting on the floor alone.Here’s to getting up, together, as many times as it takes.