Hello World!
Tough times don’t last, tough people do. – Robert Schuller
My name is Ciana ‘Ci’, and I am an alcoholic. I’ve struggled with addiction for most of my life. As a teenager I experimented with drugs and alcohol but was always able to stop using drugs without any significant withdrawals or impact. Alcohol on the other hand, was not so easy.
I’ve maintained sobriety in the past for long periods of time but always given in to ‘one drink’. For those of us suffering from addiction you know that one drink is too many, and one more is never enough. I wanted this time to be different, I needed this time to be different, because no matter how much I lied to myself and tried to lie to everyone else, I could see the effects in every aspect of my life.
So, I went to rehab! I started journaling as part of my daily routine in rehab. I kept thinking about something I heard there that really resonated with me. I watched a recording of Brene Brown who said, “One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went through, and it will be someone else’s survival guide.” I don’t know if this blog will become someone else’s survival guide or just my journal to reflect back on later, I will be stronger for it either way.
May you be sober and happy always! Ci
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Busy Week
4.14.25 This week is going to be busy with eight hours of Zoom training for my certification in addition to my everyday work duties. I’m nervous and have noticed my insecurities surfacing. I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in years at the grocery store yesterday and found myself comparing what little I knew…
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Mountain Air
4.12.25 I don’t think there is anything more peaceful than waking up on a cool spring morning in the mountains. The air is brisk, and the coffee is strong. We went fishing last night after settling in at the cabin and quickly realized the poles hadn’t been used in far too long. After a few…
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Practicing Patience
4.10.25 Practicing patience to me means lots of PAUSE and HALT. Postpone Action Until Serenity Enters. Then ask myself which of the four most common stressors applies; Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired – typically a combination of at least two for me. It sounds like a lot but the more I practice these the less time…
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Empathy
4.9.25 I was watching a show last night and it reminded me to be empathetic to others because I don’t know what they are going through. They could be having the worst day or week of their life and need grace. It’s also possible they’re just an asshole, but I’m trying to stay positive. It’s…