Client Success Story: David
David, a 65-year old architect and business owner, heard my podcast interview last year with Janey Lee Grace and knew from my background in engineering, that our personalities would be a good match. We had an initial call to learn more about each other, which solidified our decision to work together!
He signed up for my 6-month coaching package in December 2023, knowing the accountability partnership would help him; although he wasn’t fully committed to go beyond Dry January alcohol-free. He couldn’t visualize success beyond the 60-day mark, so we started with that initial goal, and he took my 31-Day Course to jump start his learning. His sobriety goal: “To feel fully ALIVE alcohol-free and not feel deprived.” He wanted sobriety to be his choice, not something he was forced into. He knew deep down that at his age, his body couldn’t sustain his level of drinking forever, and it was time to make a change.
By the end of Dry January, he was getting used to his new habits of protein shakes in the morning and going to the gym after work to fill his former “drinking time.”
At 60 days, he was starting to feel more energy. He noticed significant improvements in his music abilities. He leads a church music group and noticed, “My voice is stronger with hydrated vocal cords! I’m better at keeping up with the guitar chord changes without making simple mistakes as I would in the past.” He even signed up for kite surfing lessons!
At the end of 90 days, he commented on his progress: “I am thankful for being where I am without feeling deprived, which is what my goal was/is. I can celebrate being healthier and look forward to that continuing.”
It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. He’s had some triggering challenges: a birthday party with a bunch of people he didn’t know; a retreat weekend with his church where he’d normally sip on whiskey in the evenings with fellow musicians; a hunting weekend with colleagues; unexpectedly running into an ex-girlfriend. Each time, he successfully used the tools in his sober toolkit: regular journaling, “surfing the urge” to manage cravings; and having an exit strategy at difficult social events, to name a few.
As of this writing, at almost 4 months sober, he says, “I thought I would miss it and I don't.” He shared a recent journal entry and gave me permission to share it on my blog:
Day 112- Saturday Morning @ 6:45am
“I am as content sober as I have ever been at any time in my entire life. I am relaxed and longing for nothing. I have no feelings of regret or remorse. I am content just as I am, right here where I am.” He continues, “I am sitting on the ground in the roots of a huge old oak tree in a hardwood swamp off the Tombigbee River alone, turkey hunting and listening to the woods. It isn’t quiet at all. Creatures of all sorts are calling out to whatever creatures call out to every day. To be able to witness the spectacle of it all and not feel like I need anything is pretty amazing.”
He is not only fully committed to the 6-months of our coaching package, but he has raised the bar to going a full year sober!
A HUGE congratulations to David! It has been an honor to work with him over the past four months. It makes me so grateful for my own sobriety and being able to do this work to help others transform their lives to find peace and joy living an alcohol-free life.
