THE YOUNGEST PERSON AND FIRST UNDER 18 TO RUN THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE UK🫡 £111,000 Raised for @mindcharity 1347KM Ran (837 miles) 1 car crash and 2 of the most difficult but greatest months of my life. I’m an emotional mess tonight but I just want to say, no matter how dark

This years been hard for MANY reasons, I felt down like nothings going right but I didnt give up & things have started looking up again! I’ve had lots of good news this week! feeling good! Out with family for a meal later to celebrate all the good news. The storm always passes!!

Choosing to have a quiet relaxing Saturday. On the agenda is time in nature, time with family, quiet time reading in the garden 🪴 In addiction, none of this was possible. It didn’t even seem like an option. In early recovery I thought this was ‘boring’ but now it’s peaceful.

In recovery I find joy in the simplest of things.. in having energy to go for a Sunday walk in the pouring rain, seeing a bee sheltering under a flower, the birds singing as the rain stops, knowing I can have a hot shower & hot meal when home. Just grateful to be free & present!

“1 day ill be free” Little did I know when posting this it was my day 1 & ive stayed sober since!! I could write a whole essay on how much life has improved. 888 days free 🕊️

When things are going well, when I’m actually achieving things, I have this background noise in my head saying this isn’t the real me, I’m not really a good person, I don’t deserve it, these things wont last, I’ll ruin them eventually. I wonder if that ever stops 💭

Sorting so many things out at once, finances, work, caring for family etc & just thought HOW did I even manage these things when drinking & using. The answer is I didn’t. It’s hard enough at times without the addiction, so it’d be impossible without my recovery

Went for a meal then a quiet pub for a whole family catch up. Had 2 addictive thoughts which lasted seconds, saw the real ending instantly, no desire, no battling. Totally comfortable, sociable, present.. & others were ready for bed before I was! Amazes me how far I’ve come!

So far this week: restaurant with family, recovery groups, cafe with others in recovery, daily 5km walks, play day with my baby nephew & it’s only Friday. I did none of this in addiction! Throwback to when my addiction made me believe sober would be boring & I’d be missing out!!

I remember saying “I can’t live with it & I can’t live without it”. I felt so trapped. I thought I was stuck for life, all I could see was a painful life time of being chained down to this drug 900 days of living & thriving without it, I feel so free & now my future excites me

Just how I wanted my Saturday to be. Peaceful & amongst nature 🪿🍃 I used to be in constant battle in my mind, unable to relax. The peace of mind is probably the best part of recovery!!

Sundays in recovery 😌 8hrs sleep, full of energy, chores done, exercise, nature, family time, peaceful mind. All simple normal things, but I had none of them when using. The feeling this brings never gets old!

Today I went to 2 recovery meetings then bought summer clothes & some healthy fresh food. In addiction I isolated, never treated myself to new clothes, my fridge was empty & I had no gas to cook. The rewards are all around me in the every day things.

Past me - suns out, lets go to the pub, drink, use, go paranoid & leave early to be alone using all night depressed Present me - suns out, let’s go to the beach, read, eat, meditate, soak up the sun & leave feeling relaxed Why would I ever want to swap this for my old life

Home alone, sunny weather & just realised I’ve had no addictive thoughts all week. This is huge progress for me. It definitely does get easier!

A 30 second glance into what my life in recovery looks like Getting sober in my 20s was daunting, I thought my life was over but I’ve done more in the last 2 years than I ever did when drinking/using. My life started when I stopped ❤️‍🩹

Lots of tiny toadlets on my walk today! 💭 there’s just something special about seeing the seasons & nature change around me walk by walk that makes me feel so present & grounded & grateful to be free from addiction. No more missing out!