Newsletter for August 15, 2025

Before I quit drinking and a photo from today

19 years of sobriety!

Who would have thought I would have been the one to put down the drink and change? Not me. I was in love with alcohol from the age of 13! It took away all the feelings, it was magic I’d have a sip and it would hit my lips run down my throat and a warmth would immediately appear, and awe the fear, remorse, regret, shame, comparison went right out the window. My insane thoughts disappeared, and I was free!

WOW!

Who would have thought at the age of 37 I would have been brought down to my knees by that same magic! It took over my life, it was all I thought about. When can I get it, and will it be enough? Obsessive thoughts...When I had plans to go meet friends at a bar, party, wedding I needed 2 bottles of wine. One to have while I got ready and the other to have when I came home from wherever I went. I was not a daily drinker; I was what they call a binge drinker. When I drank, I drank.

I am a social butterfly; I absolutely love humans. My energy comes from other people. When I was young, I used to love to sing and dance and put on shows for my parents. I don’t know if they were well received. Or that my parents really had any interest in what I was doing. It doesn’t really matter. I still remember prepping my dances and my songs and all I wanted was someone to see me and hear me….

Profound right… I don’t think I am alone in these feelings.

Fast forward to August 14, 2006. I am so so grateful for that day. I put down my magic and reached for a new set of tools.

Sitting here writing this on my anniversary brings back so many memories. I remember telling my then brother-in-law (he was in long term recovery back then…not my story to tell he helped me) that I was going to quit! He was shocked! But after convincing him that this is what I want to do he connected me with one of his friend’s wives. She had a lot of sobriety, she is a Mom and has three children also. She is different not the same type of person that I was used to hanging out with. She had gone to an ivy league school, and we had different drugs of choice. And guess what we voted completely different in general elections, but she had what I wanted. SOBRIETY, SERENITY, and a CALM HOME! She had what I was longing for, and she helped me in my first year.

The first year in sobriety is so important in my opinion. It is where you learn so, so much (if you are open to it) and I compare it to planting a palm tree. I needed to learn, spread my roots. I needed to learn how to use these new tools and how to deal with my head, my thoughts and my feelings. That person helped me! She taught me so much in that first year and I feel like I was a sponge, ready to jump when she said jump.

Here I sit 19 years from when I quit, and I am so grateful! I was a train wreak back then I had no clue who I was, what I wanted, or what I even liked I had lived life like a chameleon

Today I feel so close to God and that has always been my mission even though I didn’t know it. I have been given so much grace and love on my journey!

19 years ago, I was scared! Looking back, I understand where my fear came from but today, I know those feelings were a waste of time and energy, everything is going to work out the way God wants it to.

We all need to trust!

Have a fantastic weekend and thanks for being you.

Reach out with any comments or questions to elizabeth@elizabethchance.com.

Love you all.

XO

Bizzy

#itsbizzy #yougotthis #bizzysays