On December 19th, 2023, I turned 18. That is, 18 months clean and sober.
It has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It has also been the most rewarding.
I wish I could have a drink (or two) after work.
I wish I could have a whiskey old-fashioned sweet with fish fry on a Friday night.
I wish I could have a bloody Mary for Saturday brunch.
I wish I could grab a case of beer and head to the lake.
I wish I could join my old friends for gin and tonics.
I wish I could enjoy a glass of wine with my mom around the holidays.
I wish I could do a lot of things when it comes to drinking alcohol.
But I can’t.
One was never enough for me. Two was an invitation. Three became a reason to keep going.
For nearly two decades, almost half of my life, I struggled off and on with addiction, alcoholism, gambling, depression, traumatic stress, and anxiety.
You name it, I tried it. You guessed it, I did it. You can’t imagine it, but this was my reality.
I’ve written books about what I have done. I’ve also kept a lot out.
Despite being a maniacal drinker, substance abuser, and high-stakes poker addict, I still found a way to achieve success.
I lived and paid my bills with poker winnings. I became a self-taught welder for nearly five years.
I graduated college in my early thirties with an associate’s degree in Funeral Service. I even made the Dean’s List.
I found a way to become a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the great beer and cheese state of Wisconsin. And a life insurance license to boot.
I did all of this while dealing with a lot of internal demons and external addictions.
On June 19, 2023, I hit rock bottom. My then-girlfriend (now wife) made it very clear the necessary steps and path I would have to take to become sober and continue with life (and with her).
Getting clean and sober was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has also been the most rewarding.
While I am at 18 months, my wife is nearing 1,000 days alcohol-free herself. We are each other’s biggest supporters in all that we do.
If I can accomplish all that I have while being a party animal for 20 years, imagine what I (and YOU) can do while being clear-headed and motivated for the next 20 and beyond.
Life, Death, and Everything in Between. 