- Alcohol
- Friends & Family
My purpose is to change as many lives as I can. The goal is to raise as much money as possible so we can help others on their mission to stay sober and addiction free. Running 365 marathons (26.2miles) in 365 days is what I will do to raise the money. I will be going for a new world record of 368 marathons in 1 year.
My motto is “know yourself and what you want in life.” Life is a gift, cherish every moment you have. Love yourself and tell others the same. We can all do great things, big or small. Dig deep, find that inner you. We all have it, it just takes patience. Find something or someone you love and give that love a chance to take you places you’ve never been. There is greatness in us all and I promise, if you find it, it will keep you on the right path to do great things.
For me, I take it one step at a time. If I’m putting one foot in front of the other then that means I still have purpose and meaning to fulfill in my life’s journey. Not every alcoholic or drug addict needs to run 175 miles a week to stay sober but there is something in each of us that will unlock our own sobriety. I am doing this because it is my way of staying away from the temptations of alcohol. Running these miles every day is not a substitute for sobriety; it is a lifestyle for me. Running has changed my life and helped me become a better man.
Every one of us has it in us to be great and do more for ourselves and others. One of my main goals is to raise money for addiction awareness by aiding in the alcohol rehabilitation community. I hope to change the outlook on drug and alcohol abuse in America by running 365 marathons in a year.
There are so many people throughout the world that struggle with addiction and I want them to know that life’s much more than that. With the help of your greatly appreciated monetary donation we can change lives one step at a time. I truly believe with love, compassion and consistency our communities will come together to help our brothers and sisters find peace without addiction.
I, for one, know what it’s like and it’s not a good place. Time is without meaning and life has no self-worth. We can change but we can’t do it alone. Addiction is a disease; it consumes every part of our human being. It takes you to a very dark place and sometimes-even lifelessness. No one on this beautiful planet we call home should ever have to go through this. I know it is a choice but all it takes is some guidance and opportunity to make the right choice.
As a young boy I grew up not really even knowing what alcohol or drugs were. At the age of 14 I had my first drink and my first cigarette. From that moment on I was doomed to the curiosity of what more was out there. Once I got into high school and started experimenting with drugs and alcohol, alcohol started to take control of my life and I didn’t even know it yet.
Once I was old enough to get it on my own, it was all over. Alcohol became more than an addiction, it became a lifestyle. This would only mean bad things to come for me and even my friends and family. At this point in my life, stuff like jobs, friends, family and even times that were supposed to be fun became a blur. People I would meet, I wouldn’t even know them the next day. Places I would go, and never even know I had been there. I would end up places and not even know how I got there.
I had jobs but made excuses why I shouldn’t be there. The money I had spent that was just wasted away. There were times I felt like taking my own life because it was meaningless. The days turned into nights and time just floated in space. So many times I was supposed to be having fun, meeting new people, exploring new places, reminiscing, being a normal 25-30 year old but yet I was stuck in that dark place we call “good times”.
I promise you, the dark place I speak of is not a good time! This feeling is very lonely and far from happiness. These are all memories that I will never get back, they are lost. Some of the memories I would love to remember and some of them I thank God I can’t! I hurt a lot of people for the next few years and really didn’t even know it at the time.
Later, I figured out that family and friends were truly worried about my well-being. Some of them even talked and counseled me at times. This should have motivated me but it made me feel like a speck of dust in the darkness of night. This could have been a break through moment for me in my life but you know how it goes when you’re down and out and the only thing that makes it better is alcohol.
That inspiring talk about how they loved and cared about me only lasted about a week and I was back at it. This time it was much more than just the drinking that got to me, it was the law. I truly thank God for that day they took me to jail because if not, I would have killed myself or someone else.
After all that had taken place, for the next few years I would then go through this apologizing stage with family, friends, coworkers and even God. I even stopped drinking for about 6 months and got into running and fitness. I lost about 30lbs. I actually started feeling really good about myself. Friends even started saying things like, “congrats”, “glad to see you’ve stopped drinking”, “that’s cool”, “you can do this”, “you look great” and so on.
Once again, this would not be the last of my drinking. The longest I had been without drinking is about 10 months and within those 10 months I was married, had a wonderful step daughter, got the job of my dreams and even remember most of it all. The problem was that I became really comfortable with this lifestyle. I will catch myself saying things like “oh it’s ok to have a drink or two.” This only works if we are taking about anything other than alcohol.
Here we go again and this time it grips tight. The cravings, the triggers, they keep whispering in my head. It is so hard to stop the voices in your mind that tell you it will be fine to have one or two. Yeah right, in our world one or two will not satisfy our needs.
There were times when I could make it on just a few drinks and call it a night. When this happened I felt like I had defeated something or someone in my head. For some time now I have been battling with myself and the urges to drink more and more. Emotionally this is very hard on me and my family.
There are so many ups and downs you will encounter along the way but once you figure out who you truly are, life becomes so much greater. It truly hurts me to know that alcohol can control my life so much that I lie to get what I want. I don’t want to lie anymore, whether it’s to my family or even to myself.
A true person is true to themselves and to others. The only way to cure addiction and alcoholism is to start looking in the mirror and telling yourself the truth. Life is a gift and we are capable of so many great things. We are inventors, musicians, singers, athletes, teachers, businessmen and women, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters. No matter where you stand in your life as a profession or just another human being, please don’t forget that you have purpose and meaning! “Take every day one step at a time”!