Every moment is a new beginning. Your journey to sobriety starts now, with this breath, this step.

Life can be marred by past shadows and future uncertainties. However, the actual moment of change lies in the present—the Now. It is at this moment that the shackles of addiction can be loosened, allowing for the emergence of a new, healthier path.

Many people with addiction, me included, fight demons and had traumatic childhoods with PTSD-type events. I drank for years to feel better about specific events that happened in my adolescence. But what if we could live in the Now, in the present? In that event, we wouldn’t overcome pain from our past because that’s not part of right now. The past only exists in our minds.

Embracing a new journey in the Now requires a conscious effort to live each moment. This means acknowledging current feelings and experiences without the distraction of past regrets or future anxieties. Mindfulness practices include meditation, deep breathing exercises, or simply bringing one's mind back to the present when it wanders.

Living in the Now was a corny concept many years ago. I thought it was some new-age-hippie-type crap, but then I tried it. After practice, I got positive results with a focus on staying busy. If I had a bad day, I would keep busy. It’s wild how bad feelings and depression go away if you get off the couch and make new memories.

Acknowledging past mistakes and learning from them, rather than dwelling on them, is crucial. This does not mean forgetting the past but rather understanding it as part of one's journey that has led to the Now.

* For Sober coaching with Justin, click here.

** For Justin's 90 Days of Sobriety course, click here.

*** To buy Daily Sober, click here.