09/01/2026
My Journey to Recovery: A Life I Never Knew Was Possible
My journey to recovery has been a journey of learning that there is another way to live. For a long time, I lived a lifestyle that was very different from the life I live today. I made choices based on getting through the moment rather than thinking about the future. I didn't always understand what my life could look like or believe that I could build something different for myself.
Then I met my husband.
I truly believe he is my angel. He came into my life at a time when I needed someone to believe in me, and he never gave up on me. He saw something in me that I didn't always see in myself. He loved me, supported me, and stood beside me while I learned how to make different choices and create a different life. In so many ways, I believe he saved me—not by doing the work for me, but by showing me that I was worth saving and that I was capable of becoming the person I wanted to be.
My experiences have also shaped the way I look at addiction, recovery, and harm reduction. I have never personally administered Narcan, but I understand how important overdose awareness and harm reduction are because I know how quickly someone's life can change. I believe people deserve compassion, resources, and the opportunity to find a different path. Recovery isn't always a straight line, and everyone’s journey looks different. Sometimes having even one person who believes in you can make the difference between staying where you are and believing that something better is possible.
When I look at my life today, I see just how much is possible when you choose a different path. Today, I run my own harm reduction and outreach program, I own my own business, I work full-time, and I have a beautiful family. I have a life filled with things I never knew were possible for me.
I don't look at my past with shame. I look at it as part of the journey that brought me here. My experiences gave me an understanding of people who are still trying to find their way, and they gave me a purpose to help others believe that they can have a different life too.
If there is one thing I want people to take away from my journey, it is this: living with addiction does not have to become your whole story. Recovery is possible. Change is possible. And sometimes, all someone needs is a little hope and one person who refuses to give up on them.
