Look Alive, Sis! 7 Days to Awaken Your Sober MindSýnishorn

The Value Of Community

I’ve heard it said that there are two types of understanding. The first is when you have personally experienced what someone else is going through; that’s called “type one” understanding. There’s a strong sense of identification and empathy. The second type of understanding is offered with good intent but without direct identification with what the other person is feeling or experiencing because you have not dealt with it yourself, firsthand, so we call that “type two” understanding. Both are valuable.

When we’re on the journey of alcohol-free living, we need the support of those who’ve walked the same path. Those who’ve felt the same discomfort. Those who know what helps and what hurts. We really benefit when we gain support from like-minded people with lots of “type one” understanding.

When we isolate, we’re more likely to give in to the relentless voices in our heads that are bullying us to drink.

When we isolate, we may give in to self-pity, believing we’re the only ones who are having this experience.

When we isolate, we create a breeding ground for shame and when we don’t have a comrade to share with, we’re more likely to believe the madness that marketers are selling us.

We were made for so much more.

For years, I tried to change my drinking on my own through willpower, rules, deprivation, and even talking negatively to myself: “Jenn, try harder, don’t do that again.” It didn’t work. I needed a place where I could build real relationships. We were not meant to do this alone, and that’s why it wasn’t working!

As a sober-minded sisterhood, we are stronger together than we ever were apart.

Connection is the secret sauce of SoberSis because having others normalize our experience and having a variety of people to process with is where the real growth comes in.

The key to my progress in my relationship with alcohol hinged on moving from isolation to connection. Every day I’d be battered by this mental tug-of-war: “Will I drink tonight? Will I have one? Will I have three? Do I really want it at all?” It was like this constant ping-pong match in my head that no one knew about.

And then, they did.

Now the SoberSis community encourages me every single day. And we’re all here for you, too. SoberSis is a training ground for you to exercise the muscles needed to own your own decision and grow with support. You can do this!

Let us join you. We were not meant to do this alone.

Was this Plan helpful? This Plan was adapted from Look Alive, Sis! 40 Days to Awaken Your Sober Mind by Jenn Kautsch. More resources from Jenn are available at https://bit.ly/SoberSisHome