KISS me I’m SOBER

In my first two years of recovery, I went through a lot of emotions, and being angry at Alcohol was one of them and any holiday associated with it. Totes standard if you feel some rage towards it. It has/had/did/still destroy so many of our lives, but we also continued/continue to ruin our lives by continuing the cycle.

After grieving the life I once had and waking up to my new routine, I did see that I could no longer be a judgmental prick towards it.

We live in a booze-filled culture, and it’s our job to figure out how we are going to live in it. From restaurants, gas stations, t-shirts at Target being marketed towards young women to the stuff sitting in cabinets at our homes. It’s everywhere.

I went back to bartending to get out of my miserable 9-5 and start pursuing my entrepreneurial dream. Also going back for me meant not FEARING alcohol. It’s in my hands four days a week, and I don’t ever have a moment of wanting to use —...

Being a child of the eighties, I grew up with the constant media telling and showing you that the Supermodel look is what you should strive for, Crawford, Campbell, McPherson, Schiffer and then rolling into the nineties with the heroin sheik look.

Well, I fell into that trap of believing that’s what it took to feel beautiful, loved and enough. As someone who has always struggled with weight issues since I was a little girl, I did gain a huge complex. At one point of time in my early twenties, I would work out an hour a day and eat one meal a day because I thought that’s what it took to feel pretty, loved and good enough at a cool 120 pounds.

Now I say at 36 years old, fuck you to the media and instilling all those years of what pretty should be(which they still do to this day) but I know better now because I’ve put work into myself and to gain my own independence of what “pretty” means. For me, 150 pounds eating 3 huge meals(clean Whole Foods)a day with...

Lets support one another in the recovery community rather then letting each other know what the best way to recover is. For some support groups work, for some therapy works, for some more holistic practices work, for some online groups work and the list goes on.

It’s 2019 and the best thing about the time we currently live in, is that there are so many options for support and HELP! Which is amazing. Something that works for you doesn’t work for others which is OK, people should be listening to each other rather than inserting opinions.

Be open-minded and understanding that this journey is not a one size fits all. It’s on that person to walk their own path and figure out what works for them.

Instead of telling people they aren’t going to make it sober because they didn’t do(fill in the blanks) How about we say, “awesome job on your recovery and man that is badass that you are 5, 100, 500 days sober!” We all need support and someone to be our...

Dear Booze,

I love you, but I HAD to let you go.

You were my best friend for a decade. We did and saw so much together. This relationship once was so light-hearted and fun but soon turned into the darkness. Leaving me empty promises and a cycle I just could not let go of because I couldn’t let you go. You had me at first sip, every single time.

You have caused me much grief in my life, and I can’t have this toxic love affair anymore. I wake up heartbroken with a world of shame and guilt that takes over my soul, leaving me with thoughts and feelings of wanting to die. I don’t understand why when I feel like this after having many nights together. I always come back, and it doesn’t matter how bad you were to me. When will I learn? I need to walk away, I have tried over and over again to change the dynamics of this relationship, but I always come back to this same place. You are beyond intoxicating with a hint of glamour, and I hate that you have this pull on...

LISTEN HERE

Episode 13 of our @realalignedwomen podcast is out today and we talk all about my Infertility journey. This episode is near and dear to my heart, I get Real and Raw with this one. For those of you who are struggling in silence. Don’t. It’s to much to go through alone. I went through all the stages of grief with this and have finally come to a place of peace and 2018 was my year for that. There was one blog I wrote years back describing my journey and mentally I have come along way since then.  Hope you enjoy!

XOXO,

CMA

When I got sober all my problems didn't just stop, the act of quitting drinking was easier then dealing with all the emotions I buried deep.  I legit had to start adulting and dealing.  In my recovery I developed a little spending problem..oh my! Where there is one addiction, don't be surprised if two more pop up. 

For sure shopping became my way to feel better.  Having a bad day, good day, emotional day  I would shop!!  It became the norm for the first two years of my recovery.  Which now I am happy to have gone through it because I learned. 

Fast Forward to the last year and a half, I have really been focusing on changing my relationship around with money and been working on Dave Ramsey, Baby steps.  I've gotten myself out of some debt following these steps and have felt more in control of all my money and finances.  I share this with you because you could be sitting there drowning in debt and have no clue of where to...

It is Tuesday so I have to share this Transformation..

For me the biggest transformation I have had in my life was the day I chose to stop the madness and cycle of addiction.  I could of continued of course BUT I finally listened to my soul which it was telling me at 24 to stop. 

I didn't listen, obvi. I went thru 1,000 rock bottoms and it was finally time when I lost my cat for the second time and my then boyfriend was telling me "you can continue drinking but I'm not sticking around to continue this ride with you."

So at 29, I said I was done and that was my final rock bottom.

Are you wondering, do you need a rock bottom to quit drinking? 

The answer is simply, NO! 

You sure don't you can stop before shit gets worse. 

My friend Lori Massicot and Real Aligned Women partner sat down recently and discussed all of this on her podcast To 50 and Beyond!  We get real here.

At one point I had to say this is all coming from a place of love because I'm so...

Healthy Body Tips!

Do you ever feel like you don't know where to start with the whole wellness avenue? You have a pretty good idea but feels overwhelming? I did to when I first started on this path over 5 years ago. Remember guys I ate my feelings that first year of recovery. Once I got that foundation down, I then proceeded to move forward with my overall health, fitness and nutrition. Here is a list I put together for you to help narrow it down. Don't feel like you have to do all in one day, take it a day at a time. All these tips will also help you feel mentally better!

Here are 31 things you can do right now to make your life healthier..

1) Sleep 8 hours a night
2) Drink a shot of apple cider vinegar each day
3) Take 10 deep breaths in and out
4) Cut out soda, juice, sugar-sweetened drinks, diet soda
5) Stop eating at 7-8ishpm
6) Eat veggies for breakfast(spinach is great in an omelet)
7) Do 3 planks and hold them as long as possible
8. Increase your omega 3 fatty acids (fish oil, flax...

My first sober New Years Eve circa 2012 and only about 4.5 months into my recovery. That first year was was hard AF and I mean AS FUCK!

This picture came up on my memories and it instantly took me back to that night and those feels. I ate my feelings that evening, was ridden with anxiety, had FOMO, was sad I wasn’t drunk(yep), cried but also had a moment of clarity at dinner where I thought man this isn’t so bad and this is going to just be my new normal, life without dirty martinis and blackouts. I was a mess that evening cause NYE is one of my favorite holidays and I had to grieve how I once spent it doing the same thing for 10 years. Grieve it.. cry, yell, laugh, be angry! It’s a healthy process and one you must do, to let it go and embrace the new life that is at your door step.

I’m grateful for these memories cause it really makes you see how far you have come mentally.

It doesn’t matter what day it is, everyday is the perfect day to say NO to the...

Hi friends, I wanted to share with you about my lack of writing words for my blog. I have started to shift my focus on another project with helping women in Recovery along with starting a PODCAST! I will still blog, just won't be all the time. I really love podcasting and super excited about this form of expression.

I wanted to share this hear so for anyone who does follow this blog and is not connected with me on my social media platforms, you have this opportunity to know about it.

Two recovering alcoholics meet on instagram over 3 years ago, form a friendship, support one another, share their love of all things wellness, BRAVO, helping others and then form this RAW partnership.

My friend Lori and I, Recovery membership site is going awesome with being able to help and support women in recovery and even women you are still in active addiction wanting to get sober. We also launched our RAW podcast over a month ago and we are loving the amazing love and support we are receiving.

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