Scarlett Chesser

 January 1, 2023 155 days Happy New Year! WOW...as I look back at 2022, it was definitely a year to remember!  It's crazy to think I have 5 months of sobriety under my belt already.  It's also crazy to think I have been officially CANCER FREE for just over a year! I have so many things to be grateful for...the good and the bad have all contributed to where I am at today!  So, how did I celebrate the New Year? I decided to stay busy!  New Year's Eve was a very eventful day, full of lots of things to do!  James and I did a little shopping Saturday morning.  I love the simple things I get to enjoy with him.  After shopping, we celebrated Brad's and Devan's birthdays at Big Shots with the family.  It was so nice to be coherent and fully involved in the moment.  I absolutely adore getting to see our granddaughter, Hallie.  She is precious.  We are blessed with wonderful kiddos, and Devan has been one of the best daughter-n-laws EVER...

  December 29, 2022 152 days of sobriety! Today I am celebrating  5 months of sobriety! I am also celebrating the fact that I survived the Christmas holiday, and I stayed sober!!!  In general, the holidays can be a hectic time of year for so many people.  The hustle and bustle of the season can definitely just about drive anyone to drink or at the very least test our sanity.  The shopping, the crowds, the traffic, the money, the decorations, the gift wrapping, the cooking, the traveling, the parties, the family...the lists of triggers could go on and on for some. It is not uncommon to hear other alcoholics testify to their levels of stress during this season and the enormous amount of triggers that are present. We are not alone!  As much as I do enjoy certain aspects of the holidays and the joy it brings my family, I would be lying if I didn't admit to the rise in anxiety levels I personally have experienced as Christmas Day approaches.  There were ple...

  November 19, 2022 112 days Unmanageable. That was what my life had become prior to sobriety.  Completely and utterly unmanageable.  I was so desperate for a solution, I would have done almost anything to get some manageability back into my life. I felt like I was a failure at everything, all aspects of life...my home, my relationships, and my health. Desperation was what finally led me to make a choice, and I pray that it will be one that lasts forever.  Sobriety was the remaining key that could lead me out of the hell hole I had gotten myself into.   In the end of July, I checked myself into rehab with the assistance of my husband. It was something we had discussed and arranged for days prior to my arrival. My home, and all aspects of it, were failing.  I was spending my days planning my next drink or drinking.  Boredom/loneliness were huge driving factors for many of my alcohol driven habits. I am learning that now. I have had to retrain mysel...