7 weeks sober - hit with a surprise trigger
Hey, I lurk in here but have never posted, I stop by every now and then for a bit of motivation, thank you all.
Today is 7 weeks sober, after a lifetime of drinking (32m), and a solid 2 year stint of drinking almost every single night with constant failure to execute moderation.
Over the last 7 weeks I’ve truly started to realize how alcohol had been keeping me down. I physically look better, I’m way more curious, more motivated than ever, performing better than ever at work, SLEEPING FULL NIGHTS! My anxiety is way lower, my stress levels are lower, my reactivity is better, I feel in control.
I was previously in to beer and whiskey as a hobby I guess?, not particularly as a cover, I did truly enjoy the world of whiskey - anyway me and my landlord had casually bonded over this before. Many months ago I provided him with 3 sample bottles from my former collection. Week 2 of my sobriety he brought back 2 of those bottles filled with something from his collection. Awkwardly I thanked him and didn’t mention my sobriety. At the time I didn’t see it as a huge trigger, I was still riding the wave of novelty and I laughed it off and then gave them to a friend.
Today he leaves sample bottle number 3 on my doorstep of Lagavulin 16. And the reason I’m venting on here I guess is god damn this was truly my first scare. Something I respect, dropped in to my space without warning just hit that trigger. I stupidly popped the cap just to smell it and the awful hellish magnetism that overwhelmed me, such a gross feeling just having that bottle in the room with me, so uneasy, I’ve not experienced this before.
The bottle is in my car now and I’m giving it to a friend tomorrow morning.
My respect goes out to all on this journey, I hope that every trigger we overcome makes us stronger.
And of course if this happens again I will have to have the awkward conversation with my landlord.