If you’re in the first few months of your sober journey you are probably happily bouncing around inside the ‘Pink Cloud’.
You may not even be aware of it, never heard of it, but that is where you are. The Pink Cloud is phrase that is used to describe feelings of elation and euphoria in early sobriety. You have successfully removed alcohol from your life, the fog has lifted and your body and mind are riding high on your newly found confidence and clarity. You feel invincible, like you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
When I was about three months into my sober journey, I developed an all consuming fear that my pink cloud would one day float off and I would be left miserable and with a gaping alcohol shaped hole in my life. That the feelings of strength and resolve I had around alcohol would dissipate and I’d be left fighting a battle I couldn’t win.
I madly googled, and had countless conversations in online forums about this topic that was freaking me out. The idea of my pink cloud dissolving was eating me up inside and actually distracting me from enjoying it. I was worried that if it left that suddenly, staying away from alcohol was going to become a daily battle.
What I learnt is that the tools that I had already developed by that time, the things that I had gained by divorcing alcohol were what were giving me that pink cloud and they were here to stay. Knowing that:
- Alcohol was only hiding the real me and keeping her reduced and small.
- I never gained anything from alcohol, it only took away.
- Alcohol never solved any problems or gave me any stress relief, it only delayed the inevitable.
- Just because drinking alcohol is a normal and accepted (if not encouraged) social practice, doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. My battle and experience with booze was not unique.
- Alcohol was distracting me from living my life to the fullest.
Essentially, an alcohol free existence is a permanent pink-ish cloud. That’s not to say life is not without it’s challenges. Every day is not a super fun bubbly party; but these feelings of invincibility, energy, confidence and clarity have become my new norm. This incredible alcohol free community that we are all part of certainly helps.
I am speaking here to MY experience. We are all on different paths. If you ARE hitting a snag in the road and struggling a bit, don’t fret and throw it all out the window, there are a myriad of resources for you to access, whatever your budget.
Free Resources
- 30 day Alcohol Experiment
- Podcasts (My fav’s at the moment are Sober Awkward, How I Quit Alcohol and always This Naked Mind
- Facebook groups (It’s Not Me It’s Booze, The Alcohol Experiment, Unwstd, The Sober Social, Untoxicated)
Paid Resources
- Books (Quit Like A Woman, The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober, This Naked Mind, The Alcohol Experiment)
- Coaching (Hope Rising Coaching, TappedIn, Untoxicated)
- Sober Social Events (Sober Mates, Untoxicated)