I use my morning routine to return home to myself

This week marks 18 months since I began (imperfectly) practicing sobriety. There are 547 days in 18 months, and I have spent 542 of those days alcohol-free (!!!). This truly feels miraculous. It’s the first time I have had a stretch of sobriety that was not forced upon me by the criminal justice system. It’s the first time I have done this for me.

The best part of the past 18 months has been the development of my morning routine. It’s the only time of day when the messed up world around me is quiet. It’s my time to write, feel my feelings, and recenter. I use my morning routine to return home to myself.

5:30 fur baby alarm clock.

Brush my teeth.

A moonlit stroll around the block

metabolizes my grief.

Crisp morning air.

Neighbors cozily tucked in bed.

With each silent step

my soul is fed.

Veins pulsing with a

golden sunrise glow.

The early bird’s song

eases worries of tomorrow.

A blank page

fills my heart with glee.

Here I am

 542 days hangover-free.