It’s been multiple attempts but this is my first time really devoting myself to my sobriety.

I’m grateful today that I can proudly state that I’m sober, an Eagle Scout, and a productive young person looking at colleges.

:D !!!

Nobody told me healing would feel like grief. Grieving the version of me that kept me alive. The one who stayed quiet. Who didn’t complain. Who learned how to stay alert, read the room, and hold everything in. He was solid. He kept me moving. He made sure I got through what should’ve broken me.

But healing means letting that version go. Saying thank you and goodbye. Because now I’m learning how to breathe. How to speak. How to trust that I’m not in danger all the time. That I can stop flinching at peace. It’s hard to walk away from the person who made survival possible. But I’m doing it. Because I want more than survival. I want life.

When I look back, I realize one thing clearly: growth never comes from comfort.

I’ve failed. I’ve restarted. I’ve struggled. But every step has taught me skills, resilience, and patience.

Whether it was working late nights, handling multiple responsibilities, or learning new tools from scratch — these experiences shaped me into who I am today.

Success is not about never falling — it’s about standing up one more time than you fall.

So here’s my message today:
Don’t fear mistakes.
Don’t fear starting small.
Fear only not trying at all.

I’d love to hear from you:
What was the biggest lesson your career struggles taught you?

Source | Source 2

Read this book during a particularly chaotic period where I felt like I was just putting out fires all day. Here's what stuck with me:

1. Be proactive, not reactive. Stop saying "I have to" and start saying "I choose to." Sounds simple but it's a total mindset shift. You realize you have way more control over your responses than you think.
2. Begin with the end in mind. Before jumping into any project or even your day, ask yourself what success looks like. I started doing this with meetings and it cut my time in half.
3. Put first things first. The urgent/important matrix changed everything. Most "urgent" stuff isn't actually important, and most important stuff isn't urgent. Focus on important but not urgent tasks.
4. Think win-win. Instead of trying to come out on top in every situation, look for solutions where everyone benefits. Made my workplace relationships way less stressful.
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Listen to actually understand, not just to respond. This one improved my relationships more than anything else.
6. Synergize. Two people working together can achieve more than two people working separately. Sounds obvious but I was always trying to do everything myself.
7. Sharpen the saw. Take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You can't pour from an empty cup.

The book is pretty dense but these concepts are surprisingly practical once you start applying them. Anyone else read this? Which habit hit you the hardest?

Btw, I'm using Dialogue to listen to podcasts on books which has been a good way to replace my issue with doom scrolling. I used it to listen to the book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" which turned out to be a good one.

Hope you like this post!

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