What’s it like to be 73 days sober?

I love this.

There’s a lot of dramatic, self-indulgent and sensational recovery stuff out there. AfterPartyChat has a new series it describes this way.

In AA meetings, you’ll often hear that the newcomer is the most important person in the room. I tend to agree—and also to shudder when I hear stories about cranky old-timers ordering newcomers to take the cotton out of their ears and stuff it in their mouth. It’s this interest in newcomers, in fact, that led me to the idea of regularly sussing out their thoughts at various stages of their sobriety. Sort of like that British Up series but with far less of a time commitment and without, of course, a film crew.

I love this honest and mundane profile of early early recovery.

You can hear her getting better and not knowing it.

Danielle: We last checked in with you at 43 days sober. Do you feel better or worse after 30 additional days of sober time under your belt?

Sarah: I feel about the same. I am still wishing I could drink but constantly reminding myself why I can’t. I am checking in with other sober people to talk it out and am constantly being told it gets better. In my gut and based on countless stories of people who have years of sobriety, I believe them, so I’m sticking to it.

Danielle: What have you learned, if anything, in the last 30 days?

Sarah: I have learned that I’m not going to feel good all the time, just because I’m sober. Trying to feel good all the time is why I drank so much. I’m now learning how to walk through, rather than numb, the fear, pain, loneliness—whatever emotion I might be feeling that’s not fantastic euphoria.

These are just the first two questions. Read the rest here.