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

  • Medication

    4.28.25 I woke up well-rested and ready to take on whatever challenges this week has in store for me. It rained last night, washing the humidity out of the valley, leaving a fresh, clean smell. Another reminder of the simple things in life I didn’t notice and lost sight of while I was in active

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  • Shopping Is Exhausting

    4.27.25 I had a great day with the girls, and the Sheps spent the day at the spa. There’s not much shopping in Helena, so we had to make sure they hit all the stores they wanted to. The SUV is packed full for the trip home tomorrow. I’m grateful and blessed that I got

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  • WTF Wall

    4.26.25 I must be getting old because I can’t memorize the Third Step prayer to save my life. I saved a picture to my phone and tried using my photographic memory, reading it several times a day. Nothing works. I think it’s the old language in the prayer that I can’t wrap my head around.

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  • Family Fun

    4.25.25 I didn’t want to go to work today. But I sure as hell didn’t want to go to the mall either. So, I’m grateful for work even though I’m exhausted today. I’m also grateful for my family coming to town and getting to spend time with them. My brother and nieces are leaving in

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