Then vs. Now: Redefining What Holidays Look Like

For years, holidays, especially summer ones like the 4th of July, meant drinking from sunrise to well past sunset, sometimes for days on end.

It was a weeklong binge: beers on the boat, coolers packed for the sandbar at Gull Lake, and back-to-back parties that blurred together. It wasn’t just drinking. It was a lifestyle. The kind of thing that made you feel wild and free. And to say it wasn’t a blast? That would be a lie. We had the time of our lives.

But over time, something shifted.

The hangovers hit harder. The anxiety crept in earlier and stuck around longer. What used to be “fun” started to feel like a burden. The bounce-back time stretched from hours to days.

Eventually, I started asking myself: What am I even doing this for anymore?

Because here’s the truth no one tells you:
Sometimes the party ends before we’re ready to admit it.

It’s okay to close chapters in your life.
It’s okay to say: I had my fun, but I’m ready for something different now.

It doesn’t mean those memories weren’t real or meaningful. It just means your needs have changed. Your body has changed. Your nervous system? Definitely changed. The idea of having “just a few drinks” now sounds more like willingly signing up for a 3-day anxiety spiral and honestly, who has time for that?

If any of this sounds like you, maybe this is the holiday you try something new.

  • You don’t have to declare anything to anyone.

  • You don’t have to label yourself.

  • You can just decide not to drink this time….and see how it goes.

You might wake up the next day clear-headed and proud. You might actually enjoy the lake, the fireworks, the company, and the quiet in a way you haven’t in years.

So here’s to letting go of what no longer serves us!!

  • Here’s to rewriting what holidays look like.

  • Here’s to freedom……the kind that doesn’t come from a bottle.

Need a little support navigating a sober summer?
Send us an email: unscriptedsobriety@gmail.com
You're not alone and your story isn't over. You're just writing a new chapter.

Next
Next

Make It Make Sense: What Addiction Treatment Gets Backwards