A Whole New Life—My Coming Home Story
On January 6th of 2021, I set out to change my life for the better, and that’s exactly what I did. Through the Narconon Suncoast program, I made that goal a reality. Was it always easy? No, but worth it in every way imaginable. My life has changed in so many ways since graduating from the program in April. I have retrained my body, mind, and spirit to look at things from a different light. I still use all the tools Narconon gave me every day in my life; from dealing with my children to coping with loss.
Since being home I have truly started a new life for myself. My children know who I am and no longer worry if mommy is going to be sick or come back home when I leave. There are so many things that I have been able to prove to them. I love teaching them along the way through my present behavior and habits that they can trust me again. It took a lot of time and effort as it does still, but I can truly say I’m proud of the mother and person I am today.
I know that when I call my mom her heart no longer stops in fear that its bad news. For the first time in a long time, I was able to get together and plan a family camping trip where my family was glad to come and didn’t have to cancel because I was a no-show. I have rebuilt relationships that I wasn’t sure could be fixed. I take part in everything my children’s school has to offer. The joy of being a full-time active mom is the best feeling and reward I could have asked for. I am blessed to say the lord has given me yet another baby and I am due at the end of the year. I have a life partner who has accepted me with all my flaws and pushes me to challenge my dreams. We have a huge, blended family of five kids and one to come. I truly couldn’t be happier.
“There truly is not one thing in this world more important to me than my sobriety. Some could say, ‘my kids should be most important.’ But unless you’ve battled your darkest demons and won you can't understand that without my sobriety, I wouldn’t have them or anything else worth living for.”
There truly is not one thing in this world more important to me than my sobriety. Some could say, “my kids should be most important.” But unless you’ve battled your darkest demons and won you can’t understand that without my sobriety, I wouldn’t have them or anything else worth living for.
Every ounce of pain and struggle, anxiety and depression, that I endured was worth it. Now my kids look up to me, my family trusts me and enjoys my presence and most of all I’m proud of who I am now. There truly is not one thing in this world more important to me than my sobriety. Some could say “my kids should be most important.” But unless you’ve battled your darkest demons and won you can’t understand that without my sobriety, I wouldn’t have them or anything else worth living for.
I wake up daily with positive thoughts, goals, and objectives that I reach instead of just wish for. I look in the mirror and see the woman I’ve always wanted to be. Like a great friend once told me, “when you’re doing good the universe moves well toward you,” and he was right. Since coming home and starting this new life, there have been rough days and challenges but honestly, my worst moments are now filled with having to tell my babies they can’t have that extra piece of cake before bed! What a blessing!
I never thought I would be here in my life until the day I chose to stop living off excuses and knew wholeheartedly I wanted this for myself. That’s when I was able to complete the cycle and learn how to live without drugs and alcohol.
I wanted to share my coming home story with anyone who believes it’s not worth fighting for or that they can’t overcome the darkness of addiction. I’m living and smiling proof that you can and there is a wonderful team of people willing to help you fight for yourself. It may be the hardest fight you ever have to fight, but I promise it comes with the greatest rewards you can imagine.
My life as I live it now has never been better or healthier. Physically, mentally, or spiritually. If you look at the reasons I wake up now, it’s a whole new life.
Lisa M.—Narconon Suncoast Graduate
