One month sober, No celebration.
This time it's for me, not "us"
One month sober.
There was no celebration, applause, or performance for social media.
It was just me with a clear mind and cold hands, working before dawn to clear snow and ice so businesses in Greenville, North Carolina, could open their doors for people and keep things moving…
The first time I went sober (7-7-2020 to 7-3-2024), I made it a whole “thing,” with a group and constant posting on my timelines; I’m not doing that this time, in this version of my journey, without alcohol, sobriety is a lot more about me, not “we…”
It isn’t going to be a poetic collection of inspirational quotes and milestones shared for validation and/or to persuade others to join. I’ve realized that sobriety, when taken seriously, shows up more through service and acknowledgement than through showcasing discipline for recognition.
Of course I will still discuss it (I’m writing this article as we speak) but this piece isn’t for you to join me, or for me to grow a group of sober individuals; this is me sharing my life, and if you find value, great, but my service to society is going to be through the work I do, and showing up, time after time with a clear mind, and decision to speak against the manipulation and pain that is championed by the media and politics.
You Can Do More (in life) with Less (alcohol)
The power sobriety provides shows up in uncomfortable conditions when quitting would be easier, and excuses would be socially acceptable.
A month ago, comfort was an option, escaping the noise was normal and familiar, and calling it “relaxation” sounded perfectly reasonable, as I had been achieving a ton in my life, across the board.
That path was well-worn and socially endorsed, but comfort never built anything worth keeping, and escape always comes with a bill due later.
Instead, I chose to be useful, and sobriety was an important part of improving my efficiency and capacity as a man.
The perfect example is that I spent the night of my one-month milestone clearing snow for the businesses we maintain in Greenville, NC. We left at 10 pm on Saturday and didn’t get home until 5 pm on Sunday.
I was not originally scheduled for this overnight response team. I volunteered for it at the last minute because something in my soul said I needed to go and be there with my guys, comfort be damned.
If I’d been drinking, I’d not have been in a position to do any of that, and thus, I’d have been of less service to the company I serve and the community we serve.
I made a video for our Landscaping TikTok while clearing the snow
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I chose clarity over avoidance.
I also chose to work my body rather than poison it, and contribute to my community instead of outsourcing responsibility to someone else.
Those choices don’t make me special; they make me accountable.
Sobriety stripped away excuses and exposed the truth that:
Effort compounds, clarity matters, and discipline is a form of self-respect. It made me dangerous, not to others, but to laziness, self-pity, and the version of myself that once folded when things became uncomfortable.
If you’re reading this and telling yourself you’ll start next week, or that you deserve a break before you’ve earned one, understand, noone is coming to rescue you.
Your intentions don’t carry weight, and your promises don’t change outcomes; only consistent, uncomfortable action will lead to the changes you desire.
ACTA, NON VERBA
For me, it’s one month down.
If this message makes you uncomfortable, that’s a signal worth paying attention to; if it lights a fire, use it.
- Zachary Small